The Hotbox with Dustin Hoxworth isn’t your polished PR interview. It’s me getting stoned and asking people the questions they probably aren’t ready for. These aren’t cold reads or copy-paste Q&As; I sit with my guests, usually multiple times, and I’ve likely met them in person, which gives me a window to learn who they really are before I ever send the questions. By the time the words hit the page, it’s smoke-thick honesty, not surface-level bullshit. These are cannabis conversations that showcase the voices, stories, and truths that won’t show up in the boardroom.
The Hotbox with Heidi Schultz
This week in The Hotbox, we sit down with Heidi Schultz, the Co-Founder and CEO of Rectitude Partners. Heidi is one of the most supportive, helpful, and problem-solving people I know. She does not waste words, she does not beat around the bush, and she always puts her actions and money where her mouth is. Fierce and strong in her leadership, Heidi is determined to see this industry succeed, and she backs that determination with real solutions for brands.
Heidi’s story starts in high finance, working for JP Morgan, before she left “green dollars” for green plants and never looked back. With Rectitude Partners, she helps cannabis brands ditch the fluff and get the hardware and packaging they actually deserve. Her company is built on transparency, integrity, and problem-solving, whether it’s navigating supply chain headaches, tariffs, or finding the right packaging for a product that matters.
She is also human to the core: based in Texas, a mom to an eight-year-old boss, wife to a 1% husband, a traveler who loves skiing in Taos and relaxing on beaches in Jamaica, and a professional hugger because, in her words, “hugs matter.” Heidi’s combination of strength, compassion, and no-nonsense leadership makes her one of my favorite voices to listen to in cannabis.
Hotbox Q&A: 5 Questions with Heidi Schultz
You left high finance for cannabis; what drove that decision, and how has it shaped the way you lead today?
I like to say I went from green dollars to green plants. My background was in high finance at JP Morgan, where success was often measured in numbers, performance, and deals closed. But I reached a point where I wanted my work to feel more aligned with who I am — transparent, human, and values-driven.
Cannabis offered me that opportunity. It’s an emerging industry where integrity isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential. There are so many gray areas — tariffs, regulations, supply chain issues — and I saw a need for leaders who could bring honesty and straightforwardness into the space. That’s why I co-founded Rectitude Partners: to build a business where trust and transparency are at the core.
That shift has completely shaped how I lead today. Instead of leading only by performance metrics, I lead with impact and relationships. I make it a priority to elevate others — my team, my clients, and even our competitors — because I believe integrity compounds. The financial world taught me discipline and rigor, but cannabis taught me humanity and courage. Together, those lessons drive me to lead with both head and heart.
Rectitude Partners is built on transparency and cutting through nonsense. So, what are the biggest myths or challenges you see brands dealing with when it comes to hardware and packaging?
At Rectitude Partners, we built our business on transparency and cutting through the nonsense, and that’s because there’s a lot of it in cannabis hardware and packaging.
One of the biggest myths I see is that all hardware is the same — that a cartridge, disposable, or pod is just a commodity. The reality is quality varies dramatically, and the wrong choice can cost a brand its reputation. Cutting corners on hardware almost always shows up later in clogged devices, leaking, or frustrated consumers.
Another challenge is around pricing and tariffs. Many brands assume that if they’re getting a ‘low price,’ they’re winning. But often those prices don’t include hidden costs — tariffs, shipping delays, compliance failures — that show up on the back end. What looks cheap can become very expensive when your product doesn’t meet compliance or your order sits in a port.
And finally, I think a big misconception is that packaging is just a box. In reality, packaging is one of the strongest brand touchpoints. It communicates quality, integrity, and trust before a consumer ever takes a hit. If it feels flimsy or generic, your brand feels that way too.
So our job is to simplify. We help brands cut through the noise, get clear answers, and make choices that are both compliant and consumer-first. When brands get it right, their hardware and packaging stop being a liability and start being a competitive advantage.
Cannabis still faces massive political hurdles tied to supply chains, tariffs, and compliance. A lot of these barriers come straight from federal gridlock, outdated trade policy based on stupidity, and state-by-state inconsistency. Do you think the government is helping or hurting this industry, and what political changes do you believe are necessary to keep brands moving forward without losing their edge?
Right now, the government is more of a barrier than a partner for cannabis. We’re operating in an industry that’s legal at the state level (40 states including DC) but still federally restricted, and that creates a patchwork of rules that make supply chains, tariffs, and compliance far more complicated than they need to be.
The federal gridlock has real consequences: brands are paying inflated costs because of outdated trade policies, products get held up at ports, and businesses are forced to navigate rules that were never designed with cannabis in mind. It’s not just frustrating — it stifles innovation and penalizes the very entrepreneurs trying to build responsibly.
The political changes we need aren’t radical. We need consistency: federal clarity that allows for banking access, standardized compliance, and fair trade treatment for hardware and packaging. If we had that, brands could focus less on putting out fires and more on building products and experiences that consumers trust.
Coming from Big Bank (JP Morgan) it was very clear working with business owners that the only way to grow was through a capital injection, which is something that continues to be a hurdle for our friends in Cannabis.
Until then, companies like Rectitude Partners are stepping in to bridge the gap. Our role is to simplify, cut through the nonsense, and help brands stay competitive even in an environment that feels stacked against them. We keep our pricing as low as possible and our timelines as fast as possible with the best quality in the business to ensure that our friends in Cannabis can still be successful. But long term, the government needs to get out of the way and let the industry do what it does best — innovate.
You are a fierce leader but also a mom, a wife, and someone who values connection. How do those personal roles shape your perspective on leadership in cannabis?
I think being a mom, a wife, and someone who values authentic connection grounds the way I lead in cannabis. This is a high-stakes industry — supply chains, tariffs, compliance, politics — it’s easy to let the pressure harden you. But at the end of the day, I go home to my family. I see everything through the lens of relationships and legacy, not just transactions.
Being a mom teaches me patience and perspective — I know that growth takes time and that people need support to thrive. Being a wife reminds me that true partnership is built on trust, respect, and honest communication, which I bring into every business relationship. And valuing connection means I don’t just lead from the head, I lead from the heart.
That combination — fierce discipline from finance, courage from entering cannabis, and empathy from my personal life — shapes me into a leader who’s not afraid to make hard calls, but who always puts people first. In an industry still fighting for legitimacy, I think that balance of strength and humanity is what builds trust. People over Profit Always WINS!
Looking ahead, what is your vision for Rectitude Partners and for cannabis packaging as the industry grows and becomes more global?
My vision for Rectitude Partners is to continue being the most trusted, transparent partner in cannabis hardware and packaging. As the industry scales and goes more global, I see packaging moving beyond compliance checkboxes to becoming a true differentiator — a way for brands to signal integrity, sustainability, and consumer trust in a crowded market.
I believe the future of cannabis packaging will be global supply chains that are smarter, leaner, and more sustainable. We’ll see more recyclable and biodegradable materials, less waste, and designs that travel seamlessly across state and international borders while still meeting local compliance.
Rectitude Partners will be at the center of that shift — helping brands cut through noise, navigate tariffs and trade policies, and make packaging decisions that aren’t just about today’s compliance, but tomorrow’s growth. For us, it’s about empowering brands to compete on quality and trust, not just price, and ensuring the cannabis industry grows up with the same level of sophistication and accountability as any other CPG sector.
We will always be committed to NEVER cutting corners, upholding what is right in every decision, and ensuring our customers are cared for with the highest level of integrity and service.
Heidi Schultz is proof that leadership in cannabis can be both tough and deeply human. She has carved out a space where brands can cut through the nonsense and get the quality, reliability, and honesty they deserve. She brings a mix of financial discipline, operational savvy, and fierce loyalty to an industry that often feels chaotic.
For me, Heidi is not just a business leader but a friend and ally who embodies the kind of authenticity cannabis needs to thrive. She cares about people, she cares about the plant, and she cares about building an industry that works the right way.
