We Are the Industry is an ongoing series featuring Dutchie employees with deep experience in the cannabis industry. Dutchie's employees care about the industry because we are the industry.
Where have you previously worked in cannabis?
I started in cannabis working for Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Control Program, where I led a team that operationalized the state’s eLicensing application and Metrc. While there, I developed a great relationship with the Metrc team and joined after the MMCP was up and running. I was the API program manager, where I was first point of contact with integrators and I met James Minutello, and joined LeafLogix.
What did you like most about working with cannabis?
From a professional standpoint, I like the fact that we are all building a new industry. Cannabis is an amalgamation of agriculture, medicine, consumer goods and technology. This is still in its infancy and we are all charting a course hour by hour. From a personal standpoint, I love the fact that we are changing public thought and conversation around not only cannabis as beneficial, but opening the door for further conversations on psychedelics as not just alternative treatments but primary ones.
What have you learned moving from plant touching work to tech?
I’ve always been in tech so it’s the plant I learned about. I was a regular consumer when I was younger and knew that cannabis treated all sorts of ailments but the level of information available now is amazing.
What’s your advice for those starting out in cannabis?
This industry isn’t for the faint of heart and offers no guarantees, so come into it with patience. When you run out of patience, find more. This industry is and has been working uphill both ways, in 6 feet of snow yet somehow we’ve been finding ways to move forward; be prepared to work harder than you ever have.
