Who is George Scorsis?

In his own words, George Scorsis says that he “Devises strategies and executes plans to excite the consumer, surpass the competition and achieve brand superiority”.

As a C-level CEO and leader from Toronto, Canada and as the Executive Chairman of WeedMD, a medically focused, federally licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis, George takes a constructive role in all business activities and rallies his team to excel, learn and contribute, setting high standards and forging a stimulating culture.

George Scorsis’ Background

George Scorsis is not new to heavily regulated industries. In fact, he worked with businesses in the energy drinks and alcohol sector, and more recently, medical cannabis. He has 25 years of experience as a leader in such industries and has worked in both in Toronto and Florida in the past. Prior to his role at WeedMD, George served as the President of Red Bull Canada and helped the company reach a total revenue of $150 million. He focused all his efforts in restructuring the organization, both from operational and geographical aspects. While working with Health Canada, he helped to regulate the guidelines for the energy drink category.

George Scorsis started his career in the alcoholic beverage industry while attending York University, completing his Bachelor degree in Administrative Studies and learning the ropes as a university ambassador for Bacardi Canada. He went on to earn his MBA at Queen’s Univeristy.

Leadership at WeedMD

While working in the cannabis industry, George Scorsis saw a tremendous opportunity with M&A and the consolidation of the industry. After the merger of Starseed and WeedMD, George Scorsis continued as the Executive Chairman with a combined transaction that led to a $25 million raise. This was followed by an additional $30 million credit facility to further expand both the medical and recreational platforms. The funds will increase the company’s working capital and provide the organization with financing to its commercial initiatives.

Founded in 2013, WeedMD owns and operates a 158-acre state-of-the-art greenhouse and outdoor processing facility located in Strathroy, Ontario as well as a fully-licensed 26,000 sq. ft. Aylmer, Ontario processing facility, specializing in cannabis extraction. WeedMD is dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners and furthering public understanding of the role medical cannabis can play as a viable alternative to prescription medication in relieving a variety of chronic medical conditions and illnesses.

Board Involvement

George Scorsis has acted as Chairman and Director of numerous private and public entities including the Board of Directors of Scythian Biosciences Corp., a research and development company committed to advancing treatment efforts for traumatic brain injury with its proprietary cannabinoid-based combination drug therapy. George founded and acted as Chairman of Tasilli Life Sciences which focuses on PTSD research. George is also currently the Chairman of AWAKN, an organization that integrates psychedelic medicine into mainstream mental healthcare located in the UK.

Charity Work

George Scorsis is an avid contributor to many charities through his personal and business efforts. For years he has been involved with The Agincourt Food Bank in Scarborough and has collaborated with other professionals to establish a major food drive to help the organization.


He continues working closely with the food bank today, most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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George Scorsis on his Biggest Accomplishment

“Ultimately seeing how many individuals and colleagues I have worked with that have continued at other organizations and have started their own businesses that have been successful. This is truly a feeling of accomplishment knowing that I may have contributed to someone’s success.”

Tips & Advice

Former executive in Florida, George Scorsis is a frequent writer and media source on issues of entrepreneurship, executive leadership, the importance of charity, regulated industries, and other business topics.

His advice for entrepreneurs and tips for young leaders — both existing and aspiring — have helped many professionals expand their thinking, their understanding of their industry, and hopefully their bottom line.

Focusing On Execution Of An Idea

While many non-entrepreneurs believe all a business needs is one brilliant idea for a product or service, the reality is far different, George Scorsis says. It’s much more about execution and staying the distance over the long-term.

It’s a common misconception that entrepreneurs come up with a great idea and then everything just works out great for them, George Scorsis said. Lots of people think that entrepreneurs find that new idea and then sit around drinking pina coladas and living the high life. Yet that is, of course, a completely idealized and false representation of what entrepreneurship is all about. We’re talking about people that are actually up before dawn and work longer weeks than almost anyone else. It’s not just to make money, either. The success or failure of their business has real consequences, for them, for their families, for their employees, and for their employees’ families. That’s a gigantic responsibility to bear, and if you’re aware of it — and want to do well — it’s absolutely imperative to take it seriously, and I think that most entrepreneurs absolutely take it seriously.

On Highly Regulated Companies

George Scorsis has led many companies to success in several highly regulated industries. How exactly does he advise entrepreneurs to learn about and deal with these government regulations? He says it’s important to include these factors into all business decisions in industries that have strict regulations that also change each year. Working within a highly regulated business environment often feels overly complicated, with high barriers to entry that can make innovation and growth difficult. But it’s also for those exact reasons that creative entrepreneurs can thrive within that space. That is often accomplished by viewing the regulator as a partner rather than an antagonist, George Scorsis said. Smart entrepreneurs will learn to become experts on both the business and regulatory aspects of their industry. That empowers them to not only succeed on the business side, but become experts that can aid regulators in developing common-sense policies. When entrepreneurs develop a business model that protects customers while simultaneously widening the possibilities of the industry — everybody wins.

What Does It Mean To Lead A Team

As many first-time entrepreneurs learn very quickly, fledgling businesses don’t succeed without intelligent management of the team supporting them. So what does it take to rally a team to excel while also supporting each other and aiming for higher standards and productivity? Many entrepreneurs working within highly regulated industries are facing segments of the economy still in their infant stage. From a leadership perspective, it’s important to foster an environment of trust, so that individuals feel empowered to make decisions with autonomy and know they can be trusted to generate good ideas. Equally, it’s crucial for managers to be present without necessarily micro-managing each detail. We’re talking about a soft touch here. Give employees the tools to be successful, explain how to use them when necessary, but also let employees know they have the skills to manage on their own. That dovetails with the need to set realistic goals and make sure everyone in the company — no matter the size — is accountable for results. And when they achieve those results, make sure there’s a reward for doing so.

The Importance Of Charity

Outside of his work in Florida, George Scorsis has been a donor to The Agincourt Food Bank in Scarborough for many years. His charity work, volunteer services and financial support of various initiatives have been a guiding principle throughout his personal and professional life. They don’t just make a difference in the world — they can help grow a business as well.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of growing a business. The cycle of growth and development never really ends for those keeping their eye on the ball. Which is precisely why it’s so vital to take a step back every now and then. And one of the best ways to do that is through volunteer and charity work. That gives a perspective on your business you won’t find in the boardroom or downtown. It’s especially powerful when that work overlaps with the same community of your business. Don’t think too big. Stay small and stay local. That habit reminds leaders of who they’re serving and why. And get your employees involved! Few things will fuel more growth in a company than the knowledge that employees are part of something bigger, and making a positive difference in the lives of their neighbors, friends and city.

Developing Solid Marketing

A successful marketing plan will include specific goals, timelines for achieving them, and metrics for determining how well they actually worked. George Scorsis has this to say on the subject. I’ve spent more than 15 years involved in the marketing campaigns for my businesses, especially those for a major energy drink brand. These campaigns are developed and implemented with very specific timelines broken down into weekly, monthly or quarterly goals. Those detailed marketing calendars define where the company is heading at any given moment and what it’s planning to do next. These initiatives must remain compliant with regulations regarding the marketing of products, while still resonating with the target demographic.