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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?
One of the biggest challenges is helping the industry mature beyond old stereotypes and overly simplistic ways of thinking about cannabis. For a long time, the conversation has been dominated by THC percentage, price and outdated assumptions about who cannabis consumers are. But cannabis is much more nuanced than that. Different products, compounds and formulations can serve very different purposes for different people.
At Kite, we are working to evolve the industry by creating products that are thoughtful, consistent and experience-driven. We want to help consumers choose cannabis based on the outcome they are looking for, whether that is relaxation, recovery, creativity, social connection or simply enjoying life a little more fully. We also believe cannabis should enhance life, not become an escape from it. That belief influences how we think about our products, our brand and the role we want to play in the market.
Where do you see the most exciting opportunity for growth and innovation in cannabis?
I think the most exciting opportunity is in product development and consumer education. The industry is still in the early stages of understanding how different cannabinoids, terpene profiles, formats and formulations shape the consumer experience. As people become more educated, I think they will start looking for products that are more specific, more reliable and more aligned with how they want to feel.
There is also a major opportunity to bring more craftsmanship into the category. Consumers are starting to care more about quality, sourcing, formulation, and the overall experience a product delivers. To me, the future of cannabis is not just stronger products. It’s smarter products, better products and more intentional products.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to break into the cannabis industry?
Don’t come into cannabis thinking it will be easy. It’s an exciting industry, but it’s also highly regulated, operationally complex and constantly changing. You need to take it seriously as a business, not just as a passion or lifestyle.
That said, passion matters. The people who last in this industry usually care deeply about the plant, the products and the people they are serving. My advice would be to build real relationships, stay humble, learn as much as possible and focus on creating long-term value instead of chasing short-term wins.
What is the most important thing you have learned from your experiences in the cannabis industry?
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that relationships matter tremendously.
Cannabis is still a relatively young industry, especially in markets like Connecticut. Your reputation, your ability to collaborate and your willingness to do what you say you’re going to do carry a lot of weight.
I’ve also learned that the plant means different things to different people. For some, it’s about relaxation. For others, it’s creativity, recovery, sleep, social connection or a deeper sense of presence. That variety is part of what makes cannabis so interesting. The more you respect that complexity, the better positioned you are to build products and a company that actually resonate with people.
What do you want your legacy to be as it relates to the cannabis industry?
I’d like my legacy to be that I helped build something meaningful and lasting in the cannabis industry.
With Kite, I want to create a company known for quality, integrity, creativity and intentionality. I want people to feel that we respected the plant, respected the consumer and contributed positively to the evolution of cannabis in Connecticut and beyond.
On a deeper level, I’d like to help show that cannabis can be part of a healthy, productive, connected and intentional life. Not as the center of someone’s identity, but as a tool that can help people feel more present, more creative, more relaxed, or more connected when used thoughtfully. If Kite can play even a small role in moving the industry in that direction, I’d be proud of that.