Transitioning Legacy Cannabis Talent: What CEOs Must Consider
Vetting Candidates From the Legacy Market
Integrating talent from the legacy cannabis market demands careful consideration during the hiring process. While these candidates bring valuable experience, it is essential to exercise due diligence and thoroughly vet them, just as you would with any other potential hire.
These are the steps we consider taking to determine whether your legacy candidate is the right fit:
Inquire about their full work history in cannabis, both legal and legacy. Get specific details about the types of positions they’ve held and their responsibilities and assess whether their experience matches your current job requirements.
Inquire about their cannabis knowledge and skills. Do they have expertise that would benefit your company, like cultivation, extraction, supply chain or customer service? Ensure they understand both the plant itself as well as the nuances of the legal industry.
Find out if they are genuinely excited about the new legal frontier of cannabis.
Discuss their experience with documentation and process. Given that many legacy candidates may have limited exposure to this aspect of the legal industry, it’s in your best interest to determine their ability to embrace and adhere to established processes, procedures, and documentation standards.
Discuss their views on health, safety, and compliance. Employees from the legacy market may need extra training to adapt to the regulations of the legal industry. Gauge how much they appreciate the importance of following protocols and whether or not they have a willingness to learn.
Consider doing background and reference checks. While legacy market experience can be valuable, you need to ensure candidates will be safe, ethical, and legal employees. Checking their background and speaking with former employers or associates can provide insights into their character and work style. Safety of your current employees as well as the environment they work in should be your top priority.
Provide thorough onboarding and comprehensive training. Avoid assuming that candidates from the legacy market will seamlessly transition into the legal cannabis industry solely based on their previous cannabis experience. Your onboarding process should encompass your company's culture, policies, and specific role requirements. Additionally, consider implementing ongoing training to ensure continuous growth and development. Timely reminders throughout training sessions will help your legacy hires effectively adapt to the corporate environment.
With the right vetting and support, talent from the legacy cannabis market can become valuable team members. CEOs must go into the hiring process with a sense of understanding and openness, as well as appreciation for the legacy market and legacy experience. By verifying each candidate’s previous work experience, assessing their skills and mindset, and providing comprehensive onboarding, you’ll find the best of both worlds and set these employees up for success.
Understanding the Differences Between Legacy and Corporate
As a hiring manager or senior leader, it’s crucial to empathize with legacy cannabis talent when integrating them into your team. The cannabis industry they come from vastly differs from the regulated, corporate environment you're accustomed to.
Firstly, the products are not comparable. Illicit cannabis often had inaccurately advertised THC levels and might have contained unauthorized pesticides. Your new hires will need to adjust to strict regulations concerning potency, testing, quality control, and the importance of meticulous documentation.
Moreover, the business models also diverge significantly. Legacy operators faced constant threats of police raids or robbery, while legal businesses navigate shareholder expectations and quarterly reports. Despite evident dissimilarities, these candidates often possess valuable inherent skills in cultivation, customer service, creative thinking, and optimizing small spaces. Embracing these strengths can be highly beneficial for your organization.
There are also plenty of differences in culture. The “outlaw” mentality that once prevailed and still plagues the legacy market will not mesh well in the newly legal workplace. However, a passion for the plant and desire to help customers can be channeled productively. Look for candidates open to new ways of doing things and an excitement to “go legal.”
By providing appropriate training and effective management, legacy cannabis talent can flourish in a regulated market. As a leader, it's essential to comprehend their backgrounds, establish unambiguous expectations, and allow a transitional period. Strive for a balanced approach by fostering an open, collaborative company culture that appreciates their knowledge and experience. Mastering this balance will reward you with committed employees possessing profound industry expertise, contributing significantly to your company's growth.
Benefits of Hiring from the Legacy Market
Knowledge and Experience
Legacy operators have been growing cannabis for decades and have accumulated knowledge that simply can’t be matched by someone who has simply studied plant theory in university. They understand the intricacies of cultivating particular strains and maximizing yields. Hiring from within the legacy market means tapping into years of expertise that gives your company a competitive edge. These growers can help troubleshoot issues, improve techniques, and pass on their knowledge to new employees.
Established Genetics
Numerous legacy growers have dedicated years to developing and stabilizing exclusive strains, and hiring them presents an opportunity to access these genetics, serving as the bedrock to craft signature cannabis products. Nevertheless, it's important to be aware that this advantage may come with a considerable cost, often surpassing initial expectations. However, customers will flock to your brand for the chance to purchase strains unavailable elsewhere, and providing these exclusive, top-notch strains becomes the crux of distinguishing yourself in a competitive and saturated market.
Marketing
In today's consumer landscape, people seek products with deeper significance beyond their physical attributes. Demonstrating your proud association with the legacy market to the public can create a perception of authenticity and genuineness for your brands and products, setting them apart from competitors. By showcasing your commitment to hiring from the legacy market, consumers are more likely to resonate with your brand, believing in the greater value and purpose behind the products you offer and enabling your marketing efforts to go further than they otherwise would.
Valuable Mentors
Once legacy growers are well acclimated within your company, they can serve as mentors to train new employees. Years of hands-on experience have allowed them to develop an intuitive sense of how to nurture cannabis plants. New growers will learn proper techniques and how to spot issues early, and gain an appreciation for the nuances of cultivation under the guidance of a seasoned mentor. A knowledge transfer program led by legacy employees helps to quickly scale up operations with qualified staff.
Legacy talent offers benefits to cannabis companies looking to gain a competitive edge. Their knowledge, experience, genetics, and mentoring abilities are resources that simply can’t be matched. CEOs would be remiss not to consider hiring from within the legacy market. While regulations and technology have changed, the fundamentals of cultivation remain the same. Legacy operators offer a connection to the roots of cannabis that will strengthen the foundation of any commercial operation.
Possible Risks of Hiring from the Legacy Market
Risk of Discrimination and Harassment Claims
As CEO, hiring from the legacy cannabis market means you inherit the baggage of that industry's past. Discrimination and sexual harassment were rampant in the underground and unregulated cannabis trade, and certain hiring practices can perpetuate that culture in your company.
Be extremely vigilant in your hiring processes. Conduct thorough background checks and carefully screen candidates for any history of misconduct. Make it clear that discriminatory behavior and harassment will not be tolerated – this should go for all hires, regardless of their background or experience, legal or not.
You'll also want to pay close attention to workplace dynamics after hiring from the legacy market. Monitor for signs of tension between employees from different cannabis industry backgrounds. Provide sensitivity and inclusiveness training to help foster a respectful company culture where people from all backgrounds feel valued.
Being proactive about addressing these matters from the start can prevent expensive legal disputes in the future. Lawsuits concerning discrimination and harassment have the potential to significantly harm your company's reputation and financial performance. As a prominent player in the legal cannabis industry, upholding stringent ethical principles is paramount for achieving enduring success.
Resistance to Rules, Process, Regulation and More
Individuals transitioning from the legacy market may possess limited familiarity with regulations, processes, rules, standards, or any structured system. While some may embrace the essential guidelines with enthusiasm, others might struggle to adapt fully. This resistance or disdain towards accepting policies and procedures could potentially lead to cascading issues, spreading like a virus within your organization. Make sure to thoroughly vet for these tendencies during the hiring process to mitigate potential challenges.
Maintain an open mind when tapping into talent from the legacy cannabis industry – while there are inherent risks, these individuals often possess valuable expertise that can translate effectively to the legal market.
Approach recruitment with care and deliberation by conducting thorough due diligence in vetting potential candidates while acknowledging the potential for personal growth and change. Seek out those who exhibit a genuine commitment to adhering to the rules of the regulated market and display enthusiasm about the industry's transition to legality. Offer mentorship and training to facilitate their successful adaptation.
For existing legacy employees, be transparent about the significant differences in operating within the legal framework. Provide comprehensive education on compliance, standard operating procedures, and workplace policies. Encourage them to ask questions and address any concerns.
With well-structured support systems in place, legacy cannabis talent can become valuable contributors. They simply need to adapt their expertise to align with the legal requirements. When you identify the right individuals, the rewards of their experience and insights can far outweigh the investment in onboarding.
In conclusion, be open to candidates from the legacy market, but exercise caution in your approach. Seek out those eager to operate within the legal landscape and provide the necessary resources to facilitate their transition. By fostering patience and understanding on both sides, the transition can be seamless and mutually beneficial. The cannabis industry has deep roots, and finding ways to leverage them without compromising your business or the law is key.
