From Banking to Cannabis Retail with Teresa Sorensen of Unwind

Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never planned for.

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, we sit down with Teresa Sorensen, founder of Unwind, to talk about how a 33-year career in banking unexpectedly led her into Minnesota’s cannabis industry.

What started with THC beverages selling quickly inside her liquor store turned into something much bigger. As regulations changed and consumer demand grew, Teresa saw an opening to build a new kind of retail experience centered around relaxation, education, and a different relationship with adult beverages.

That vision became Unwind.

In this conversation, Teresa shares what it was like to pivot from traditional banking into entrepreneurship, navigate a fast-changing market, and build a cannabis retail brand in real time.

We also discuss:

•  The early THC beverage boom in Minnesota 
•  Why consumers are seeking alternatives to alcohol 
•  Transitioning from corporate leadership into cannabis 
•  Building a brand around lifestyle and wellness 
•  What it takes to adapt in an emerging industry 

This is a story about paying attention, trusting your instincts, and building when opportunity shows up.

Listen in and stay connected with the community.

Join the conversation: #CannaConnectMN

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed on the Canada Connect Show belong solely to the individuals and do not reflect those of Canaconnect and its affiliates, sponsors, or partners. Canaconnect does not promote or facilitate any activity that violates state or federal regulations. Everything you hear here is strictly for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not legal advice. It is not financial guidance, and it's definitely not medical direction. Seriously, don't take our word for it. Even if someone on the mic sounds like they know what they're talking about, and they're probably crazy smart too. Regardless of how legit our guests may be, you should always do your own homework, consult with your attorney, and understand the risk you're taking before you do anything when it comes to cannabis. Our intention is to keep it real. If you've got a problem with anything we've said, take us to court.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

How did you how did you end up with this name? Kind of when how did that how did it become unwind?

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Um unwind, I was trying to find a word that what it makes you feel like. So we came with unwind is you know, you're not getting drunk, you're just unwinding is what we're our concept.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Right. That makes sense. I get it. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't think people really know, myself included, as much about your banking background. When did you retire? And how long were you retired before you were on to the next thing?

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Um, so I've been in banking for 33 years. And um I bought a liquor store. Um, and that was kind of the thing. Maybe when I retire, I'll just work at the liquor store.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

That you owned. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

And so that was kind of my objective. Well after that, uh I retired.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

What year, what year did you buy a liquor store? Uh 21. Yep. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:06

Um, and then a year or so later, Unwind was formed.

SPEAKER_01 2:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:11

Um, by accident.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Right.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

Um, and then I quit the bank and then I went to work for someone else for two years.

SPEAKER_01 2:19

So you did?

SPEAKER_02 2:19

Yep. And then the stores were so busy that I quit any other jobs and just started focusing on the stores.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

At some point, you must have started to bring in the Heb THC beverages.

SPEAKER_02 2:32

Yes. So the liquor store brought it in first when it first came out in July. So I got some stuff from someone in the cities and I sold out so fast.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

And were you self-distroing at the time? Were you picking it up or were they delivering it?

SPEAKER_02 2:47

No, I was picking it up.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

You were driving into the metro to get product, bringing it back to Moorhead, putting it on your shelf, because all you needed was a liquor license to sell the product, if you even needed that at the time.

SPEAKER_02 3:00

So, yeah, so it went so fast. Well, then a month later, the state goes, liquor stores can't carry it.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

Liquor stores can't carry it. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 3:07

One month later, and I'm going, there's obviously a need here because we actually had people come in the liquor store going, My counselor sent me here to pick up THC drinks.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

Because they were quit drinking.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 3:19

And I'm like, okay, there's I need to open up a store. So I found a place to open up a store in a couple months. We had unwind formed and opened up with THC drinks.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

So it was almost a reaction to the rules from the state that you can't sell hemp gummies and hemp drinks inside the liquor store. You have to sell them outside of the liquor store. Yes. Okay. Well, I'm going to find a way to create a hemp retail store. And that's essentially what birthed unwind.

SPEAKER_02 3:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 3:49

By accident because this of the state. So right.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Which was short-lived. Yes. How I I'm trying to remember how short-lived that was.

SPEAKER_02 3:58

It was like five, six months later.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

And then I'm like, well, now I I'm stuck in a lease. I've, you know, furnished up the whole store, bought products. And I was like, well, do I close this and just bring everything back to the liquor store? And everybody that I was talking to, no, just give it time, give it time. And interesting. We started being the store where people could get different products.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

Yep. In the Moorhead area.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

Yep. And that our staff was very educational.

unknown 4:28

Right.

SPEAKER_02 4:29

Because a lot of people are coming in going, you know, I hear I'm supposed to use this stuff, but I don't know anything about it.

SPEAKER_01 4:34

And what what do you say to folks like that when they're pointed in the right direction, but they don't necessarily have the nose for it?

SPEAKER_02 4:43

Right. Um, I think the best thing to say is, you know, how I describe it is doctors don't give you a prescription for alcohol, but they'll give you one for cannabis. So obviously it helps with a variety of things depending on you what you need. Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

What's inside, what's going on?

SPEAKER_02 5:01

You know, because everybody's chemistry is different. So it doesn't mean that one thing's gonna work for one person, it's gonna work for another.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

Right. And and when you when you think back to that product mix uh and how much it's changed over the last four or five, six years, salves, like topicals, gummies, drinks, like what what were some of those early best sellers or what where did folks gravitate to in the early days with a wood?

SPEAKER_02 5:28

Mainly drinks.

SPEAKER_01 5:29

Mainly drinks.

unknown 5:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

So you you got in during the drink boom.

SPEAKER_02 5:33

Yes. Everybody had drinks, and then the gummies came. And then I mean, I've got caramels, I got pretzels, I got popcorn, I mean, I've got all that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

And you know, I have to say, you figured out, and I'm not unwind figured out early on that if I'm really gonna make money in this industry, I need to be vertically integrated. I can't just be buying someone else's brand and putting it on the shelf. The margin is only so large there. You figured out pretty early on that you wanted to develop unwind products uh and create really good products. And that's what stood out to me at Garrison Hempfest was the ratios of the gummies that you made. So they weren't just THC gummies. You had uh CBD and CBG and CBN. Talk about how you figured out the formulations and like found good uh partners in the production space.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

Um, so talking to the staff, I mean, people were coming in going, Do you have CBN? Do you have CBG, you know, and all these? And a lot of these people were stuck on a budget that can't afford the$25 up, you know, a case.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Okay, not any case, a patch. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

And so we decided, well, let's do our own and put the price at half.

SPEAKER_01 6:44

It's more cost effective for the consumer and the retailer.

SPEAKER_02 6:49

So the people that can't afford the$25, they can afford$12 to$15. And then they get the relief they need without hurting their pocket too bad.

SPEAKER_01 6:58

Because they're better products at the end of the day. You you get more out of it when you have more cannabinoids in it.

SPEAKER_02 7:02

Right.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Yeah. Okay. Well, that makes a lot of sense. And you know, I'm glad you brought that up because I really believe in the Minnesota consumer. I believe that they're more educated in around minor cannabinoids because the rollout has been so slow. So from the early days of CBD to the early days of Delta VI to CBG and CBN and C B C BG Flower and on and on and on. So, like, because it we've taken so long to get to where we're where we are, the consumer has had an opportunity to try a lot of different products. There's been a lot of brands that have come and gone. Yes. Um and and maybe that's a good place to transition to when you realize that Hemp Shop is not my ultimate destination. I want to actually get to the adult use market as well. So 21, 22, we legalized cannabis as a state in 23. Did the wheels start turning? Hey, maybe that's the next uh step for me.

SPEAKER_02 8:01

Yes. Um, we saw a great need, and the store just kept getting busier, and people were coming in and going, you know, you have a great selection, your staff is so knowledgeable. It was it was really nice to hear. I had so many older people come to me and going, I love your store, it has helped me so much.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

How rewarding is that?

SPEAKER_02 8:22

I know, and even cancer patients have come up to me and go, Thank you for your store. And I'm like, Wow, you know, um, we're doing a service for people, it's not all about getting high, it's what it can help you naturally.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

That's right. How how they can how you can help them unwind.

SPEAKER_02 8:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

Okay, so at some point you bought the building.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

Yes. So I bought the building two years ago on a contract for Deed because they were selling it. Okay, and they weren't getting any offers.

SPEAKER_01 8:56

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

And I thought, well, if I'm gonna turn into a cannabis store, I don't want my landlord telling me what to do. No, you're right, or have the tenants saying, Well, they don't want me. So I decided to purchase the building so that I would have a say on what takes place with my business.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Yeah, and so I've I've yet to come up to unwind, but is the liquor store and the hem shop is it in the same strip walls?

SPEAKER_02 9:22

No, okay, they're different, they're in different one is north of the interstate and one is south of the interstate.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 9:27

So they're not very far apart, but they're not in the same.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

I see. And so with respect to the adult use hemp shop, you've you've transitioned, you've been doing uh a remodel of sorts, and now now you're pretty much set up for dispensary, is that right?

SPEAKER_02 9:43

Yes. We did the remodel, it took about six months.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:46

Um, we're got licensed through the OCM now, so we are a dispensary.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Okay, great.

SPEAKER_02 9:51

Uh, we just don't have any flower yet, but hopefully soon.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Hopefully soon, yep. And what has it been like? I was talking to Jonathan off camera a little earlier. This isn't a brand that I talk about often, but I've won I want to talk about them a little more. What has it been like working with FlowHub?

SPEAKER_02 10:06

I like FlowHub.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

People seem to like FlowHub.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

Yes, very, very friendly. Uh it's easy to get around and get reports.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

Yeah, I find it very it feels like an adaptable software. Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

Um, and we've looked at other ones where a little more complicated.

SPEAKER_01 10:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:24

And I think keeping things simple is a lot easier for staff and myself to maneuver in.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

Right. Especially at the at the point of sale, at the touch point of where the retail transaction takes place. Yeah. You don't want it to be overly complicated for your staff. I hear Flow Hub advertise that they can do staff training in one day. That's one of the selling points that they have. Um so that's been good. What else, what else has been good or uh a solid learning versus like a drag? You know, when it comes to the recreational cannabis, obviously the licensing process, the compliance aspects, all this stuff. What are some of the bright spots along the way as you've been getting closer to selling flour in in your store?

SPEAKER_02 11:10

Um I think just keeping up on it and and learning things and having the staff all part of it has been so amazing. You know, I can ask for a better staff that helps me out. Great. Um, everybody has their specialty.

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:28

And that's what makes the store so good. Wow. Is because everybody does their part very well.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

Yes. And I've I've been impressed. I've seen your team grow over the last two years now at least. And we certainly appreciate your support. Your support has helped power Canna Connect in in more than one way. Uh, you've been willing to come down from Moorhead to Brader to St. Paul to Minneapolis. And one thing that I want to give back to you, and I know we have to do we have some work to do, but I would like to throw an event in Moorhead the last weekend in August, right before Labor Day, right as the MSU kids come back to school. I think we should do something in Morehead this year.

SPEAKER_02 12:10

I I agree. It would be fun to have an event in Morehead.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

Yeah. Education, uh, vendor, vendor booths. There's so many businesses like yours that are set up in greater Minnesota. And not every licensee wants to come down to the cities for a two-day conference like Lucky Leaf or Canacon or for Nikan. And, you know, I really want to give you kudos for bringing your team down to Lucky Leaf, participating, even during a challenging time where you're still getting onboarded with the product selection that you want to have. You're seeking out more flour. It's it is coming, it's gonna take time week by week, month by month, quarter by quarter. And I really think you're putting in the work, and I want to give you your kudos for it.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. I do, and I just feel you can't stop learning because if you stop learning, you're gonna be stale.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

And and in this market, you can't be. It's revolving all the time.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

And Moorhead is a competitive marketplace. It is. You have independent cannabis operators, you have tribal cannabis operators, you have now medical cannabis operators. I would love to get up there. I would love to platform Unwind and find a way for us to really bring the community together, but make it worth your while as well.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

Oh, that'd be great.

SPEAKER_01 13:22

Yes. You heard it here first on the Canada Connect Show. We are coming to Moorhead summer 2026. Thanks to everybody but watching. Teresa, if folks want to get in touch, if they want to buy from Unwind, where's the best place to send them?

SPEAKER_02 13:35

Um, you can send it to our website, yeah unwindedispensary.com.

SPEAKER_01 13:39

Perfect.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

And you can order online. Yes, you have to pick it up.

SPEAKER_01 13:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:43

We don't ship.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Okay, got it.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Uh but yes, and we are also getting into cultivation and manufacturing. Oh, yeah. So that's coming also, so keep in touch with us.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Great. Yes. If you're if you're interested in working with Unwind, reach out to unwindedispensary.com. There's a great team there. Teresa is their leader, but beyond that, they've got a solid footing. We'll see you next time on the Canada Connect Show.