This story was originally published in the November 2017 issue of Marijuana Venture, on sale now.
Danielle Rosellison
Co-owner
Trail Blazin’ Productions
Bellingham, WA
Employees. How can it be this tough? All I want is intelligent, reliable, laid-back, tenacious, knowledgeable, attentive, motivated perfectionists who are willing to work for a fraction of what they are worth. Is that so much to ask for?!?
Seriously though, we have learned so much about hiring and who we are looking for. At Trail Blazin’, we were blessed to already have experience in growing cannabis, running a business and following compliance, albeit at a much different level than we’re at today. So, when we’re looking for employees, we’re in the somewhat unique position that we can teach everything we need them to know.
What we look for is personality. And it’s not just a personality that we like; it has to be a personality that jives with everyone else in the department.
For instance, we had a retired DEA agent apply. Much to my surprise, she was one of my FAVORITE applicants ever. However, her experience requires her to be in charge of a division.
Do you know what kind of mutiny we would face if the new trim lead was retired DEA? Unfortunately, we can’t take the risk of a mass exodus, even though her personality and living situation made her an exceptional candidate.
As a matter of principle, following instructions is imperative to a good employee. Our job-seeking ad always includes “Send us your resume and cover letter in PDF format.” That is a test. It’s a simple one, but a test nonetheless. If an applicant sends any other format, we won’t even open the attachment. You would be dumbfounded to see how many people can’t follow that simple instruction.
With fewer than 50 employees, we’re still considered a small business, but as we continue to grow it’s imperative that we get the right people, with the right mindset. Working for a startup company, especially a mom-and-pop, means three things:
- You must be malleable. Rules and regulations are changing all the time, as are our standard operating procedures, while we grow and develop. Flexibility is key;
- You must be reliable. If you’re not here, all the extra work falls on your team. There isn’t anyone else to cover, so attendance is imperative; and
- While the media would have you think the cannabis industry is rolling in gold coins, the truth is that most startups are broke. If you’re in the cannabis industry thinking you’ll get rich quick, this is not the place for you. However, if you’re here for the long game, value happiness over materialism and like to laugh, then this may be the place for you. Happiness is key.
It’s taken three-plus years, but I think we’ve finally refined our hiring practices to find the right employees. We need happy people. People who get it. And while I personally like more of the candidates than we actually get to hire, I know finding the right team is imperative. They are out there — unicorns we call them. We just have to ask the right questions to find them.
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