Old Friends

Long before Aubrey Amatelli and Chase Nightingale became colleagues at PayRio, they were neighbors in San Jose, California. In fact, Aubrey babysat Chase when they were younger!

After graduating from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Chase began looking for an opportunity where he could make a meaningful impact.

Around the same time, Aubrey was launching PayRio and building its first team. When she learned Chase was looking for work, she reached out. The timing felt almost kismet, and Chase soon became PayRio’s first contracted employee.

Chase initially had no idea the company served the cannabis industry. Once he learned more, however, he was ready to dive in.

“I have such an appetite for entrepreneurship and startups. I’ve never wanted to work at an established company and just be a cog in the system. I want my work to be important. I want to be part of something I actually care about and can grow with. PayRio checked all my boxes.”

Since joining the company, Chase has made a major impact on PayRio and the businesses it serves. That made him the perfect choice for our first Team Member Highlight.

I hopped onto a Google Meet with him, we sparked up some cannabis, and our interview began!

A Fresh Perspective on Cannabis and Ecommerce

Q: In an industry that places so much emphasis on experience and legacy, was it intimidating entering the cannabis space as a recent college graduate? How can you use your youth as an advantage?

“The lack of experience has definitely been a roadblock here and there. I’m newer to the workforce, I’m working for a startup, and the cannabis industry is a whole different world on top of everything. It has been a whirlwind of exciting opportunities and potential growth.

“I think one of the benefits of being young in this industry is that you come in with a fresh perspective. I haven’t been shaped by many of the past stigmas surrounding the plant. Cannabis is something I grew up around as a young person from the Bay Area. It’s part of our culture here.

“I’m entering the industry as a sponge. I’m taking my inexperience, turning it into an asset, and using it to learn from established people in this space. Hopefully, five years from now, I’ll be someone new people in the industry can come to for advice.”

Q: You’ve been focusing heavily on ecommerce. How has that been going?

“I had some experience with ecommerce in college, and Aubrey also had expertise in the space. I saw a lot of synergy there, especially because it was something I was already passionate about.

“Aubrey spent a lot of time vetting the right technology partners. We wanted to continue supporting high-risk industries because that was where we saw the greatest opportunity to help.

“We started with ancillary, non-plant-touching businesses. As I continued working in ecommerce, I noticed that CBD, alternative cannabinoid, and other health and wellness businesses were also in desperate need of reliable payment solutions.

“Some companies were accepting cash through the mail or relying entirely on cryptocurrency. I thought that was ridiculous. These businesses needed a compliant and scalable way to accept payments.

“We’ve since partnered with established CBD and high-risk processing banks that can properly underwrite these businesses. That allows us to help merchants build more compliant, scalable, and secure payment infrastructure.”

A Welcoming and Growing Industry

Q: What has surprised you most about working in the cannabis industry?

“Honestly, it’s the overall vibe of the people I interact with. I’ve had the opportunity to attend several cannabis events, with my first being MJBizCon.

“I was nervous and uncomfortable beforehand, but the people around me helped me loosen up. I remember standing outside the convention and seeing these huge clouds of smoke everywhere. I had more meaningful conversations out there than I did on the conference floor. I met people I still talk to today.”

Q: What has been your favorite part about working in cannabis?

“I get to be part of such a passionate and growing community. It makes me want to stay involved.

“I wake up every day knowing we’re helping businesses grow and giving high-risk companies access to platforms they may not otherwise have. We’re helping provide scalability, compliance, and security, which are pillars every business deserves.

“We’re beginning to see meaningful change in the industry, and I’m happy to be part of it.”

Wrapping Up

I try to keep these interviews to 20 minutes. See what I did there?

As my conversation with Chase approached the 20-minute mark, I asked him the same final question I posed to Aubrey in her Founder Feature:

Q: If you could choose two or three famous stoners to share a joint with, who would they be?

I ask the important questions here at For:20 Minutes.

“The first person who came to mind was Seth Rogen because I want to hear his laugh. His laugh makes me laugh.

“Then it would probably have to be Wiz Khalifa. He was one of the first rappers I remember who really represented cannabis and made it part of his image. I remember being younger and thinking Khalifa Kush was probably the strongest weed ever.”

The cannabis industry is constantly changing. It takes curiosity, resilience, and plenty of stamina to keep up, especially in the complicated world of cannabis payments.

Chase has embraced that challenge. He is committed to helping cannabis and high-risk ecommerce businesses find payment solutions that support long-term growth.

If your dispensary or ecommerce business needs help navigating payment processing, connect with Chase Nightingale. He genuinely cares about the businesses he serves and will help make the process easier to understand.