A Note from One of Our Founders: Going into Business with Buds.

Dive into the invaluable insights gained from our daily interactions in the ever-evolving cannabis industry. As we network and engage with like-minded industry professionals, we uncover a wealth of knowledge that shapes our understanding of this ever-evolving landscape.

Through these conversations, we witness firsthand the pulse of the industry, learning about emerging trends, regulatory shifts, and consumer preferences. Our founders share their experiences, from navigating hiring trends and staffing challenges to highlighting strategies for attracting and retaining talent amidst industry growth and evolving workforce.

Join us as we explore the dynamic world of cannabis, guided by the insights and experiences gained from our interactions amoung the industry.

A Note from One of Our Founders on Going into Business with Buds

Graydon Welbourn, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, White Ash Group

“I might ruffle some feathers with this one.

The cannabis industry needs to get away from building teams, and thus companies, based on chummy friendships and people you get along with and run into at conferences.

Just because you’ve shaken some hands doesn’t mean you deeply know the qualifications and abilities of a person and if they’re going to make a good hire/teammate.

They might make a great industry friend (which is awesome and makes this industry more enjoyable) but going to battle with someone is different.

And yes, getting along with your teammates and the people you hire is important.
However, if your hiring practice is as follows:

- Mindset/Attitude: “I know lots of people.”
- Strategy: “I’ll just meet people along my travels and if I like them I’ll hire them.”

Then….

You’re doing yourself a disservice and you’re likely going to experience a lot of problems down the line.

Your hiring process is a microcosm of how you do business, a window into the inner workings of your company. If you’re haphazardly approaching hiring with no intentionality, there is going to be a negative ripple effect.

A vague strategy creates vague results.

Create a robust strategy prior to beginning the actual hiring process that includes a beginning, a middle, and an end, all with benchmarks, a proper cadence and timeline, and documentation.

If we are going to mature as an industry, we need to take hiring seriously. It's important for us to collectively push forward and evolve, especially when it comes to team building.

The companies doing this are the ones succeeding now.”