Where to start… ?
1. Access to capital/funding (currently exacerbated by political “distractions” & possible impacts to capital)
2. How we work to solve: continuing growth of my network and providing valuable connections between investor connections & operators seeking funding
3. Team development (effective leadership of people & strong management of data/analytics to make business decisions for long-term/consistent growth & scalability):
4. How we work to solve: help operators build “Cultural Cadence & Signature Moves” that prioritizing consistently cultivating their people/teams (through the entirety of the employee life-cycle) with the same commitment we demonstrate to cultivating plants!
Where do you see the most exciting opportunity for growth and innovation in cannabis?
2 fold:
1. Continued Product Evolution: it’s not just “grandpa’s flower or joints” anymore – although those are still my favorite – distillates, edibles, beverages, topicals & so much more have already changed the game as we used to know it and it’s exciting to see how things will continue to evolve!
2. On-going Strategic Business Development/Evolution: data-based & fiscally sound decision making; more robust/intentional operating rhythms. Adapt & leverage proven business models to enhance/elevate operations.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to break into the cannabis industry?
1. Be a student of the industry … educate yourself (networking groups, webinars, podcasts, newsletters)
2. Make BOLD moves! (connect/reach out directly to industry players)
What is the most important thing you have learned from your experiences in the cannabis industry?
1. Be vigilant, be scrappy, & be compliant! In pretty much any area of our industry – financial, social, political, regulatory – we face nuances that can present challenges that other industries may not face (or don’t face as stringently) & we also hold an unequivocal responsibility to commit to compliance (job #1: get the license; job #2: operate in a way to keep it).
2. Do not take short-cuts; that only gives dissenters fuel to negate the entire industry because of the actions of a few bad players.
3. Also, be an educated & proactive/creative problem solver! Building winning & successful businesses is absolutely doable – it is possible to find “yes’s” in, what can seem like, a world of “no’s”.
What do you want your legacy to be as it relates to the cannabis industry?
1. Unapologetic commitment to ‘People 1st’ leadership! “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”.
2. Helping operators grow high performing and highly engaged teams.
Do you have a comment for Jessica?
