Living the Dream: Matt Janz

While times have certainly been challenging, there are a number of inadvertent positives to be grateful for. These unprecedented times are conducive to innovation, efficiency maximization and consumer connection, and in generating opportunities to help our community. The cannabis industry is in a constant state of flux; we’ve grown accustomed to ever-changing regulations, newfound marketing hurdles and supply chain intricacies. Navigating the grievous waters of this pandemic has been no different.

Seemingly overnight, our hard-working, passionate teams were able to construct an entire new arm of our business through our new in-house delivery service, a process that included the implementation of a new point-of-sale system, fleet management and a digital menu platform. Every department worked tirelessly to better serve our community, all while managing dynamic (and often daily) changes from our state’s governance. The spirit of innovation drives our industry, and we’ve seen that principle amplified amongst the daunting pressures of this pandemic.

To protect the safety of our communities, our governor released an emergency directive that moved all dispensaries to delivery-only. As a result, there hasn’t been the typical volume that brick-and-mortar dispensaries normally have. This necessitated a deep dive into organizational efficiencies, lean operational strategies and resource maximization.

I’ve taken on a number of my team’s responsibilities, from complete omnichannel management to content creation and website development. I have nothing but gratitude for these opportunities; becoming more hands-on has allowed me to isolate and repair the cracks in our proverbial marketing ship, recalibrate channel strategy and, moving forward, I’ll be able to share my newfound insights to help my team grow.

Driving down the desolate Las Vegas strip is heartbreaking. The thought of so many of our neighbors and friends out of work, battling health issues and struggling during these times is sobering and inspires a call for community action. Brands typically stick to their strategic voice and tone; marketing teams across the country work arduously to develop content strategies, campaigns and messaging framework. But with empathy toward the hardships our community is facing, we’ve adjusted our approach to be more human and more importantly, helpful.

Unfortunately, at the start of this pandemic my grandfather passed away. Being enmeshed in the struggles of our community, I felt compelled to create content that could help my peers positively cope and nurture healthy habits. Across our channels, we’ve deployed content with tips on self-quarantine, information on maintaining positive mental health during isolation and ways to stay connected while social distancing. Every little bit helps and we’re proud to be a part of a community committed to the wellness of one another.

Our industry is working harder than ever to keep cannabis in the hands of the people and connect with our customers. Now is the time to reflect on the positives and use them to grow.