Banking on the Plant

Dan Roda’s Move to Natural State Medicinals

Written by Tricia Larson
Photography provided by Natural State Medicinals

Dan Roda, a driving force behind Arkansas’s cannabis banking infrastructure, has made a bold move from fintech to the grow room. Known for co-founding Abaca — the company that helped bring safe, compliant banking to cannabis operators — Roda is now serving as Chief Strategy Officer for Natural State Medicinals (NSM), one of the state’s top medical cannabis cultivators.

“After spending the last seven years supporting the industry with banking services, it’s great to be able to tackle new challenges and to work directly with the plant.”
– Dan Roda

This shift marks a new phase in Roda’s cannabis journey, one that trades boardrooms and banking code for cultivars and confections. At NSM, he’s getting hands-on with product strategy, helping guide the company into new categories while continuing to champion quality, access and innovation.

“After spending the last seven years supporting the industry with banking services, it’s great to be able to tackle new challenges and to work directly with the plant,” Roda said.

What inspired the switch? What trends is he watching? And how does he see Arkansas’s cannabis industry evolving as national policy shifts gain traction?

Stay tuned and get all the details in the Summer Edition of the Arkansas Cannabis Times, where we dive into Roda’s full story, from regulatory reformer to product strategist — and what’s next for Natural State Medicinals.