The cannabis industry is full of challenges and problems. We’ve spent countless months screaming them from the rooftop. The “secret sauce” in the industry is the individuals inside. As we do each month in this Cannabinoid Playbook, we break down the various challenges hindering the cannabis industry and try and uncover precisely what it means.
One aspect that is massively undervalued and overlooked is the incredible people who work and operate inside of it.
In cannabis, the opposite exists, and everyone is currently fighting to survive.
Capital markets are in the dumps. Limitations, challenges, stigmas, and fragmented markets are all around us. Washington, DC, continues to use cannabis as a pawn. This industry has endless obstacles and challenges.
Everyone from the largest MSOs to the smallest mom-and-pop operators is struggling. I assure you that there are no bean bag chairs here.
This feeling is different from any of the previous jobs I have had. In my previous life, people were more closed off and more status quo. Industries like technology, oil and gas, and pharma have been around for a while, with individuals having careers in those spaces.
The people inside the cannabis industry are different. In the technology industry, most start out with a cushy six-figure salary with incredible perks like yoga, cooking classes, and bean bag chairs everywhere.
The most impressive and underrated aspect that hasn’t been taken away is the feeling of comradery.
Individuals in this industry are warm, friendly, and open. It’s the unspoken truth of recognizing that you are doing hard shit, and I am doing hard shit. Respect.
Cannabis is different.
Suppose you have worked in cannabis for ten years. You have an entire career. One year in cannabis is equal to a dog year.
Before going to Las Vegas for MJBIZCON, I wondered what the sentiment would be. It’s another year without safe banking and legal interstate commerce and with ongoing issues with NY rollout.
Most cannabis companies are not thriving. It would be easy for people to be slightly down.
Instead, what I witnessed was the complete opposite: incredibly warm, excited, friendly people were there to reach their hand out to introduce you or connect with you.
The industry is still so new, and the ones pushing forward have a resiliency and openness different from traditional industry.
That feeling of comradery is why some of us pushed our limits and stayed out until the wee hours of the next morning. Because we genuinely care about each other. We recognize and appreciate the time together. We know that tomorrow will be challenging, and many of us have already decided this fight isn’t for us.
The cannabis industry is unique, and the main reason is because of the people in it. The cannabis industry is certainly not perfect, but as we continue to grow and evolve, the individuals behind the various organizations, from legacy to legal, are the sole reason why I continue to be massively bullish on the cannabis industry. Thank you for being you.
Editors’ Note: This is an excerpt from our Monthly Playbook. If you would like to read the full monthly playbook and join the thousands of others you can sign up below.
