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What’s the biggest challenge facing the cannabis industry right now, and how are you and/or your company addressing it?
Managing costs in the grow / production. Consumer pricing has historically been disconnected from this, causing growers to chase unrealistic margins. To help manage these costs requires access to clean, consistent, high-quality, affordable inputs at the start. As a partner to growers of all sizes, this is precisely what RX Green delivers.
Where do you see the most exciting opportunity for growth and innovation in cannabis?
I believe we need to do more to expand the universe of knowledgable consumers. There are still too many markets driven by price and potency when the plant offers so much more. A better informed consumer will not only appreciate some of the amazing products being offered today but also drive innovation to better suit their use cases in the future.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to break into the cannabis industry?
Do your diligence when evaluating opportunities. The cannabis industry combines three of the most challenging industries – agriculture, manufacturing and specialty retail. And, it does so under a regulatory regime that is not conducive to many of the practices that allow for success in those individual industries. Be flexible, be curious, be resilient and do not accept “well, it’s cannabis” as an answer.
What is the most important thing you have learned from your experiences in the cannabis industry?
The need for heightened levels of EQ and self-awareness in the industry. What your CV says is important, but this industry demands cohesive teamwork at every level and aspect. That translates to spending as much time explaining what is it we are trying to achieve and why and getting buy in as opposed to handing out endless SOPs. This is an emerging industry that attracts many newcomers, all of whom are capable of adding value under the right circumstances and with the right guidance.
What do you want your legacy to be as it relates to the cannabis industry?
My hope is to leave a legacy where business acumen and passion for the plant successfully meld and coexist. Far too often, we hear the “roots vs. suits” refrain as if it is impossible for both to exist in the space. The reality is that for this to succeed as a legal, regulated industry, both are necessary and helping find that symbiotic balance is where I spend most of my time and creativity.