Hydrolife Magazine December 2017/January 2018 [USA EDITION]

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MARIJUANA GOES MAINSTREAM
As an example, while California contains the most long-standing marijuana-based economy in
the US, the industry is now undergoing a complete overhaul due to the passage of Proposition
64 and the opening of a recreational marketplace. These changes will bring with them strict
government regulations on cultivation operations and dispensaries, creating thousands of jobs
that include W2 forms and income taxes. California is an absolute boon for cannabis industry
professionals and hopefuls, as cannabis businesses in the Golden State now must develop
branded products that must compete in a normalized, regulated marketplace.
Colorado, as well as eastern states, have their own challenges with respect to employment
opportunities in the cannabis space. Residents and politicians of Colorado had the foresight
to develop and encourage an industry that is now fully accredited and functional, while
providing respectable jobs for a large portion of the population. While the Colorado
cannabis job market is no longer experiencing the sort of growth seen in other areas, there
are still excellent employment opportunities throughout the state. Finally, looking at
novel markets in East Coast states such as Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, industry
frontrunners are suit-and-tie businesspeople focused on professionalizing the cannabis
space in a fashion akin to mainstream medical facilities. Currently, the East Coast
marijuana job market is moving along at a crawl, hand-in-hand with slow-moving
legislation in states like Massachusetts and Florida—competition is fierce and job
opportunities are slim
At Hydrolife, we feel that the best way to gain an understanding of the cannabis job
market is to contact industry professionals working within emergent arenas of the
industry. To this end, market research shows that both cannabis-focused technology
companies and ancillary sales businesses are currently experiencing growth. To
further our insight into these job sectors, Hydrolife contacted two Colorado-based
businesses for a short Q&A session. We reached out to Phil Schmitten, co-founder
of software company Brytemap, to shed some insight into technology-related
positions. Secondly, we spoke with Aaron Perlman, vice-president of sales for the
Colorado Grow Company (CoGrowCo), about the ins-and-outs of ancillary sales
roles in the cannabis space.
HYDROLIFE:
Could you please tell us a little about your business and the
company’s place within the emergent cannabis market?
PERLMAN: CoGrowCo was originally conceived by its two owners,
Adam Gifford and Jason Barker, as a recreational dispensary in Durango,
Colorado. Operating in the cannabis space, we quickly saw a demand for
knowledgeable consultants and salespeople relating to ancillary products
in lighting, insurance, technology, etc. Gifford and Barker brought me
on board to spearhead a sales team focused on turn-key services for
dispensaries and cultivation operations, which is now our primary focus.
SCHMITTEN: Brytemap is the cannabis industry’s most secure,
advanced, and comprehensive cannabis ERP software solution from
seed-to-sale. We offer a fully integrated resolution for cannabis growers,
processors, and dispensaries. All-in-one secure ERP package. Our goal
is to reduce labor costs within cultivation centers and dispensaries by
streamlining point of sales (POS) and seed-to-sale programs.
“
The marijuana business in general is lacking organized
professionals in both sales positions and as project managers.
We need some real professionals to come in and lay the bricks of the industry.”
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