5 Good Reasons to hire Cannabis talent

It's no secret that cannabis is being hit just as hard as other industries right now, and many companies are resorting to lay offs and dramatic cost cutting to stay afloat. As a hiring manager, you're probably flooded with applicants right now, and it's making your choices a little more difficult.

Mixed in with those ex-Meta and ex-Amazon taglines, you'll probably find quite a few "recovering" cannabis professionals as well. It might be super easy to lean into your bias and assume that cannabis employees reflect the old stigmas of stoners...let's all say them together:?

Lazy.?

Unreliable.?

Addicts.

Unmotivated.

.... the list goes on.?

But, let's catch up! It's 2023...

Let's remember for a moment to check our biases, especially the outdated and discriminatory ones. Let's see the true reality of cannabis advocates--

We are relentless hustlers who bring a whole lot more to the table than just a bag of good weed.

So here are 5 reasons you should hire a cannabis professional for your team:

1. We are used to HEARING NO and SAYING YES!

Think of the most difficult job you've had in your career. Maybe it was scaling a company faster than they could keep up with. Maybe it was being an innovator trying to launch something that has never been done before. Maybe it was something disruptive that challenged the social status quo. Or maybe it was just being downright scrappy and having to do more with less.

Imagine all of those things at once, and oh by way....also being FEDERALLY ILLEGAL:

Welcome to cannabis.

You need a system or program to help with that? No, we don't work with cannabis companies.

You need a loan to invest in future growth??No, we don't lend to cannabis companies.

You found the perfect location for your storefront? No, we don't rent to cannabis companies.

Imagine hearing this many NO's, and still getting out of bed every morning and pushing through.

Now also imagine someone coming up to you wanting to do something against the grain, and you automatically and enthusiastically say YES.

There's a new system that just came out and they are the only ones willing to work with cannabis, so you say YES.

Required by the state to do this very specific process even though it's not efficient, practical, cheap, or easy? Guess what...you're giving them a big fat YES.?

This is the reality of cannabis professionals-- we hear no and say yes every day. It's EXHAUSTING, and it challenges both the emotional and logical side of your brain at the same time. It checks your reflexes, your thoughts, and your ideas at every turn. But, we are resilient. We try again. We run a thousand miles per hour in one direction just to turn around and run back the other way.

But, THIS is what creates the catalyst for curiosity, ingenuity, and true change.?This is what makes cannabis professionals so impactful.

So it goes without saying, someone who hears no but is always saying yes might have a hard time balancing their work and finding solutions...which brings me to my next point:

2. We are CREATIVE and RESOURCEFUL

...because we are in constant survival mode!

We make something out of nothing. We do "more" with "less". We build from scratch. We find workarounds to daily obstacles and hurdles that none of us have ever seen before because none of us have ever built a federally illegal cannabis company before.

We work hard because we have to! And we drive results even when we lack resources and precedence. Yes, that means no historical data, no oranges to compare to our oranges, and no studies to rely on. We are always going after moving targets, and we are experts at navigating the grey. We know how to hurry up and wait. We are anxiously patient. We have a million hoops to jump through in order to do any one little thing, but we jump in head first even when we don't know what's on the other side because no matter what, we will figure it out!

Which is yet another perfect segue into my next point:

3. We are true PIONEERS.

We are unafraid to do something that has never been done before. We are unapologetically looking into the future and leading the charge for change. We are confronting the unknown and actively paving the way so that others can follow in our foot steps.

Like I said before, we aren't afraid of the hard work! The person who walks through a field first has the hardest job and the least amount of visibility, but it makes it easier for the others to follow in their footsteps and improve the path along the way. Or looking at another way, it's much more difficult to build the machine in the first place than to just maintain it or do the fine tuning. It takes guts, it takes hard work, it takes perseverance, it takes resiliency, and it takes an incredible amount of detail and diligence.

We are comfortable being uncomfortable, embracing change and innovation. We don't shy away from what is unfamiliar, we tackle it head on. And we usually do this with little to no preparation or insight because, as a reminder, IT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE!

This is truly unchartered territory, and we're just caulking our wagon and floating it without hesitation and fear.

The word BRAVE comes to mind, and that's something we can all be proud of.

Speaking of being proud:

4. We are deeply PASSIONATE and LOYAL.

Many cannabis professionals found themselves willing to take a step back in compensation, benefits, and overall job security to work in this industry because there is no such thing as a Fortune 500 cannabis company.......yet. Which means (for the most part) we are here doing the hardest work we can find without the reward of high wages, robust benefits, or the security and stability of more mature organizations. So why would anyone in their right mind take this risk? Because we believe in the mission, and we believe in our companies' visions. We are LOYAL to the core, and ambitious enough to keep chasing a brighter future.

We have stayed on this roller coaster through the ups and downs, which are usually very high highs (no pun intended??) and some very...very...low lows. For me personally, I haven't gotten off this ride in 4 years, and TRUST ME when I say that my mind and body can feel it.

But alas, resiliency and perseverance are driving us to keep going, to keep pushing, and to keep believing. Ever heard someone say it shouldn't feel like work if you love what you do? Well, we LOVE what we do and we LOVE what we do it for...but this still feels like work because IT'S HARD, DANG IT!

But we believe in the greater good, we believe in what we are doing, and we are using this industry to impact change and pave the way for other companies to follow in our footsteps. This passion and loyalty make us highly influential and inspirational.?

So how are we influencing and inspiring other companies? Glad you asked.?

5. We are setting new standards for DE&I.

Cannabis was born out of disparate impact that negatively and disproportionately affected minorities and underserved communities. Which means that we, as an industry, have a ton of work to do in order to right some of those wrongs that prohibition caused. It means that there is no room and no excuse for us to build a company or industry that doesn't reflect the communities in which we serve.

It means that not only do we care about our individual companies, but we care about the diversity, equity, and inclusion of ALL companies and ALL people within this space. It means that both as individuals and as companies, we are advocates for equal opportunity, for minority representation, and for inclusivity. It means that we want our products to cater to all walks of life, we want our vendors to be as diverse as our brands, and we want our employees to feel a sense of belonging no matter the color of their skin, how they wear their hair, where they came from, what they wear, or who they love. It means we are LIVING the ideologies of DE&I, not just trying to avoid an unsavory Dept of Labor or EEOC audit.

This is a new wave of what it means to truly be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive employer. It broadens that definition to include a greater sense of social responsibility, and giving back to the communities even in ways that don't make us profitable. This mindset is SO INCREDIBLY valuable for any employer because it creates change organically, which will in turn help us all truly embrace the ideals of DE&I that create a positive culture, a thriving community, and a profitable business.?

This also means there's a good chance that the individual coming from cannabis is part of (or at least supportive of) those marginalized communities, which is another DANG GOOD reason to put them at the top of the resume pile.

Ok so really quick sidebar here, let me peel back the curtain for just a moment and let you all in on a little secret about why cannabis employees look through a different lens.

What you may not know is that most states require companies to have approved licenses to operate. There is often a limited number available, so they are very selective during the process. Most of these applications are approved based on certain commitments and promises, and it's beyond just profit for the city or state. They take many factors into account to determine what company will most benefit the communities that host them, including things like:

-Diversity quotas

-Diversity or Resource Groups

-Robust training and development programs

-Social Equity initiatives?

-Community Service

-Neutrality towards labor unionization?

So, not only do companies make these commitments in order to receive the licenses, but they have to make good on the promises in order to keep these licenses. That means we have no choice but to be a responsible employer.

Not only that, but this approach to DE&I is contagious and has been spreading into other areas outside of just hiring people who look different. I can confidently say that I believe DE&I has risen so much in recent years partly because of the buzz that cannabis is creating, and that is something we are all very proud of.

One quick disclaimer before you run out and hire every person that has cannabis on their resume:

Much of this specifically applies to the folks who have put in the time and effort in this industry, and who have seen it grow and stuck around to be a part of it. There are folks who have landed jobs in cannabis because they were chasing that employee discount or just thought it was cool to be able to tell their friends that they work with weed. But they quickly realized it was not all fun and games and decided to hightail it out of there. There are a plenty of these because (and this shouldn't be a surprise by now) cannabis isn't for everyone! So those with a 4 month stint as a cultivation agent back in 2021 may not have earned these impressive cannabis stripes.

And let me be clear, this is NO SHADE to them. I don't blame anyone who didn't have fun working in cannabis and stepped away from the chaos. I've said it a thousand times, and I will say it a thousand times more: CANNABIS IS HARD. It's scary. It's exhausting. It's uncomfortable. And it's OKAY not to want that in your professional life. I just can't guarantee they embrace the attributes I just ranted and raved about. ??

But, if they've lasted for years, if they've kept fighting the good fight, if they've stayed afloat...then odds are that they are resilient, successful, and bring a whole lot to any organization.?

So next time someone's resume includes cannabis, give it another look and imagine how these amazing qualities could positively impact your team.

AND TAKE A CHANCE ON THEM.?

Have you worked in cannabis, and do you agree with these strengths? Have I missed any?

Have you hired someone from cannabis and do you agree with the value they bring?

Share your thoughts below!