Mr. Downs was previously Director of Business Development for The Arcview Group, where he oversaw business and corporate development including revamping the structure of Arcview’s forums, spearheading Bridge and Series A financings, and the formation of FINRA registered broker-dealer Arcview Capital. 

Mr. Downs began investing in the cannabis industry in January 2015 as a Managing Director of MJIC (now Manifest7). He is an active investor and advisor to early-stage cannabis companies. John was Entrepreneur-in-Residence and voted a “Top 3 Mentor” of Gateway Accelerator in Oakland, previously sat on the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA) Legislative and Manufacturing sub-committees, and was a formation board member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA).

Prior to joining the cannabis industry, Mr. Downs was a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor for alternatives-focused boutique wealth management firm Euro Pacific Capital, where he advised on over $130M in assets for HNW clients and participated in dozens of corporate finance transactions for small-cap high-growth companies. In 2006, he founded and operated a multi-state wholesale mortgage lender, funding over $300M in loans in 18 months of operation. 

 

During his 20+ years in business, finance, and entrepreneurship, he has experienced firsthand the inflation and bursting of the telecom, dotcom, housing, and commodity bubbles, giving him a unique perspective on markets and investing. He is a certified yoga instructor and holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses.