Mike Weinberger
CEO
Item 9 Labs Corp.
Mike Weinberger became Chief Executive Officer of Item 9 Labs Corp. in November 2022. He previously served as Chief Franchise Officer after joining the Company in 2021 following the acquisition of ONE Cannabis Group, Inc., the franchisor of the first national cannabis dispensary franchise in the U.S., Unity Rd.
With over 20 years of experience in franchising, Weinberger has been focused on growing emerging concepts into nationally recognized brands. Since 2018, he has instilled his franchise knowledge into the cannabis space and has paved the way for the introduction of the franchise business model into the complex industry. As Co-Founder of Unity Rd., Weinberger has opened the doors to local cannabis entrepreneurship in communities across the country through franchising.
In his previous position as CEO of Maui Wowi, a smoothie franchise with 500-plus units worldwide, Weinberger developed a comprehensive understanding of scalability and best practices that are required to implement operations in new states and markets. During Weinberger’s eight-year tenure with Maui Wowi, he led the franchise’s successful sale to Kahala Brands and managed growth strategies for its 75-plus QSR brands. He is also the Founder and Principal of Becheart Consulting, which specializes in aiding emerging franchise concepts.
CWeinberger graduated from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law in 2004. Trained as an attorney, his practice areas include franchise and real estate law with a focus on providing legal support to start-ups and small business owners.