Dennis Lider, SVP of Cannabis for Ispire Technology – Interview Series

One of the most interesting aspects of watching the American cannabis industry evolve is the diverse range of previous industries and mammoth companies that cannabis professionals have previously worked in. While transitioning from working with giant food companies and brands, such as King’s Hawaiian and Coca-Cola (KO ), to cannabis ancillary and accessory businesses isn’t the most common professional trajectory, it’s the exact career journey for Dennis Lider, SVP of Cannabis for Ispire Technology (ISPR ).

What subjects did you study while attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville? Since it was mostly before the Internet and social media platforms, what methods and platforms of communication did you learn about?

I graduated with a degree in Communication Technology Management from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Back then, the program was focused on foundational communication methods including, verbal, nonverbal, visual and written. It was also the dawn of the internet era. I vividly remember someone saying, “Just Google it,” and I had no idea what that meant. That’s how new all of this was. We were learning and adapting in real time, trying to understand what digital communication could become.

You’ve worked for a number of large and iconic food and beverage brands—from Coca-Cola to King’s Hawaiian. What are some notable accomplishments you reached while with these companies?

Working with global brands like Coca-Cola and King’s Hawaiian really sharpened my appreciation for processes. These companies don’t just succeed by chance—they succeed through relentless focus on systems, structure and execution. I had the opportunity to lead and scale teams, and at one point, I was managing more than $100 million in annual revenue and a team of 30+ people at just 27-years-old. The real win for me was learning how to dissect and replicate those processes for sustainable success.

What were some of the biggest differences between your roles at Coca-Cola and King’s Hawaiian, especially considering one is an iconic soft drink and the other is a beloved bread brand?

The difference comes down to scale and approach. At Coca-Cola, everything was a game of inches. I’d challenge my team to earn just one additional product facing per day per account—multiply that across 50 accounts and 30 reps, and you’re suddenly adding thousands of incremental facings a year. It was all about consistent, micro-level execution that led to macro-level gains. With King’s Hawaiian, there was a different intensity around brand ownership, given the tight focus on a single flagship product. That singular focus allowed for high control, but also demanded precision in execution.

What were some skills or methods you developed in those roles that you’ve found especially valuable in the cannabis space?

If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it—that’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my career. Whether you’re managing soda, bread or cannabis devices, the commercial side of the business boils down to KPIs, alignment with your operating plan and smart planning. Honestly, I love commercial planning because it’s basically a math puzzle. I’ve always been into math because it’s logical and makes sense.

At King’s Hawaiian, you worked with a single brand. At McCain Foods, you managed a portfolio of products. How did those two experiences differ?

King’s Hawaiian was laser-focused. With one core product – those iconic dinner rolls – we were able to control almost every lever: pricing, placement, promo depth and merchandising. McCain, on the other hand, had a broader scope with an even split between branded and private labels. This dynamic created a unique advantage, especially in commodity-driven categories, because private label sales could support branded growth and vice versa.

What initially drew you to the cannabis industry? Were you hesitant to leave the stability of the food and beverage industry?

What’s always driven me is the opportunity to build something. Cannabis is one of the few industries that’s still taking shape, so those involved have the opportunity to influence an entirely new category. Coming from established brands where process is everything, I saw a chance to bring that discipline to a new frontier. Of course, people had questions; friends, family, colleagues. While there was some risk in leaving a traditional industry, the opportunity in cannabis was just too big to ignore.

What roles did you hold at Greenlane, and what did your work as a VP there involve? Did you notice significant differences in regulations across the states that Greenlane served?

At Greenlane, I served as VP of Sales and then SVP of Sales & Business Development. We weren’t plant-touching, as we were in the “picks and shovels” space, meaning we sold the accessories that powered the cannabis industry. This made it easier to scale nationally but the regulatory landscape still brought complexity. Every state has its own rules. We leaned heavily on legal counsel and compliance teams to navigate that patchwork and stay ahead of evolving regulations.

What attracted you to Ispire? And what makes their technology so unique in your eyes?

Ispire has something rare: vision and capability. We aren’t just making hardware, we are thinking about the future of consumer safety, innovation, and global scalability. Between Ispire’s brand-new manufacturing facility in Malaysia, age-gating tech through a new JV called IKE Technology, and a library of 200+ patents, it was clear they weren’t just reacting to the market—they were leading it.

Given Ispire’s global footprint, has the company encountered issues with regulators in countries that are stricter on cannabis than the U.S.?

My dad used to say, “Measure twice, cut once.” That same philosophy guides how we approach international expansion. We don’t enter a market until we fully understand the regulatory framework and we partner with regional leaders to help us stay compliant. We’ve also built out an internal and external legal infrastructure to ensure we’re always on the right side of the law, and, more importantly, looking out for consumer safety.

What are some of your favorite milestones or memories from your time at Ispire so far?

There have been a lot, but a few highlights stand out: 

• The launch of our pod-based VLT platform, which created huge wins in sustainability, efficiency, and consumer cost savings;
• Our investment in Malaysian manufacturing, which helped navigate global tariffs; 
• And of course, developing age-gating tech through IKE to support responsible use.

These innovations were big steps. Not just for Ispire, but for the future of the industry.

If cannabis were to be federally rescheduled, how would that affect Ispire’s operations? Since Ispire isn’t plant-touching, would the impact be limited?

Rescheduling would have a massive impact across the board, even for non-plant-touching companies like us. The two largest initiatives for the cannabis industry through rescheduling would be 280e reform and the presumed passage of SAFER Banking. Access to traditional banking and financing would change the game for the entire industry through SAFER Banking. Additionally, being able to lower taxable income through legitimate business expenses via 280e reform would provide a reasonable pathway to profitability for many operators. Suddenly, cannabis businesses could operate like other industries with capital to grow, tools to scale, and the ability to invest in long-term success.

Thank you for joining us, Dennis! For more information on Ispire and their technology, please visit its website.