What do corporate consumer packaged goods (CPG), an award-winning Vermont inn, cheese-aging technology, and cannabis have in common? They're all part of Jane Lewis Sandelman's unexpected journey to becoming CEO and Co-Founder of Cannatrol.
In Episode #63 of Women in CannaBusiness, host Olivia Castaldy sits down with Jane Lewis Sandelman to explore her transition from corporate leadership and product development to entrepreneurship and cannabis technology.
Before co-founding Cannatrol, Jane built an accomplished career across CPG product development, consumer insights, marketing, and business leadership, working with major companies including Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, Reckitt Benckiser, Block Drug, The Mennen Company, and IRI Worldwide.
She later stepped away from corporate America to pursue an entirely different venture with her husband: renovating and operating an abandoned Vermont inn. Together, they transformed it into an award-winning culinary destination recognized by Food & Wine, Saveur, and Fodor's.
Their next venture would take them somewhere neither initially expected: the cannabis industry.
After Jane's husband developed innovative environmental-control technology originally used for aging cheese and dry-aged meats, the couple recognized an opportunity to apply the science to cannabis drying, curing, and storage. Together, they co-founded Cannatrol, combining his technical expertise with Jane's extensive experience in business strategy, product development, sales, and marketing.
Today, Cannatrol is helping commercial cultivators, dispensaries, home growers, and consumers rethink post-harvest processing through science-backed technology designed to preserve flower quality, maintain consistency, and improve operational efficiency.
Throughout the episode, Jane explains why growing exceptional cannabis is only part of the equation and why what happens after harvest can make or break the final product.
Olivia and Jane also discuss building a business as a husband-and-wife team, transitioning between industries, navigating leadership as a woman in a male-dominated field, and the importance of mentorship and taking chances throughout your career.
In this episode, we discuss:
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Jane's career in corporate CPG, product development, consumer insights, and business leadership
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Her transition from corporate America to operating an award-winning Vermont inn
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How her husband's cheese-aging technology eventually evolved into cannabis post-harvest solutions
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Co-founding Cannatrol and building a business around complementary skills
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Why drying, curing, and storage are critical to cannabis flower quality
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How Cannatrol supports commercial cultivators, dispensaries, and individual consumers
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Leading and growing a technology company in a male-dominated industry
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The value of mentorship, transferable skills, and embracing unexpected career opportunities
Jane's story demonstrates that building a career doesn't always mean following a traditional path. Sometimes, your previous experiences are exactly what prepare you for an opportunity you never saw coming.
About Cannatrol
Cannatrol develops patented cannabis drying, curing, and storage technology designed to help preserve flower quality through precise vapor pressure control. From personal Cool Cure systems to large-scale commercial solutions, Cannatrol is helping operators rethink how they approach post-harvest processing.
Learn more about Cannatrol: https://cannatrols.com/
This episode of Women in CannaBusiness is presented by Cannatrol.