Living the Dream: Sharon Ali

In November 2018, I became a regional general manager for New York-based Acreage Holdings, Prime Wellness’ parent company. In this role, I took on management for Acreage’s assets in Maryland, including the company’s dispensary in suburban Baltimore, The Botanist. My job is a daily juggling act across three states, but being present and engaged at each location brings the entire seed-to-sale operation to life, which helps drive and accelerate growth.

Case in point: I was recently in New York for two days of meetings with corporate colleagues and fellow general managers from across the Acreage ecosystem, discussing topics that impact my businesses in Pennsylvania and Maryland to help inform my strategic planning for 2020.

Next, it was on to Pennsylvania, where I met with my production and sales and marketing management teams to discuss and align on our business plans for the remainder of 2019. I ended the week in Maryland, where I met with my dispensary manager and patient care specialist team to discuss our performance, inventory, merchandising approach and opportunities to continue ratcheting up the quality of our customer service to outperform patient expectations.

While my schedule is sometimes challenging to keep everything moving forward, I wouldn’t change it. One day I’m overseeing flower being cultivated and then trimmed in Pennsylvania, and the next I’m seeing products merchandised and sold at our dispensary in Maryland, while observing patients and tracking their product preferences. I believe my ability to view everything up close and personal better prepares me to meet challenges head-on and operate more effectively.

I am motivated by the team of experts I have the privilege to work with — in the end, they are key drivers of our success. Our nimble, high-performance culture — combined with an abundance of resources — is foundational in supporting our growth agenda. As 2020 approaches and more competition enters these markets, we must be careful not to become complacent or satisfied with the status quo, but instead remain laser-focused on staying proactive, nimble and always ahead of the curve.

I joined this industry to become part of a new frontier and grow along with it, and my experience continues to be transformative. I am blessed to be doing what I absolutely love: bringing so many patients the life-altering benefits of medical cannabis.