005 Curaleaf's Johnstown Cultivation Facility

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Ronnie Richardson is a Cultivation Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the alternative medicine industry. Ronnie works at Curaleaf, a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to improve lives by providing clarity around cannabis and confidence around consumption. Today, Ronnie joins the show to discuss best cultivation practices, the Ohio cannabis market, and what makes cannabis ‘craft.’ Ronnie shares his journey to the cannabis industry, advice he would give to those looking to break into the industry, and how he curated his leadership style.

Key Takeaways

00:00 – Michael introduces today’s guests, Cultivation Manager at Curaleaf, Ronnie Richardson, who shares his background in cannabis

06:35 – Ronnie speaks to the Curaleaf facility, staff, and global presence

09:44 – What Curaleaf is doing differently to maintain a high level of quality

13:10 – The ‘Ohio Tenth’

15:58 – Curaleaf’s most popular products and how they decide what to grow

22:03 – Where Ronnie curated his mature leadership style

32:35 – Passionate people helping people through cannabis

41:01 – Ohio: A non-combustible state

47:05 – Restrictive products in the cannabis industry

50:47 – The importance of HVAC systems and what makes cannabis ‘craft’

59:07 – Ronnie’s educational and career journey

1:07:29 – The early days of Curaleaf and the different brands under the Curaleaf umbrella

1:13:27 – What the future holds for Curaleaf

1:15:15 – Advice Ronnie would give to those looking to enter the cannabis industry

1:17:28 – Michael thanks Ronnie for joining the show

Shareable Quotes

“Everyone in the back comes from different walks of life across the board. But the one common denominator is that everyone is passionate about cannabis. We have a team back there that’s very like-minded in that regard. Everyone is passionate about the same thing. They love cannabis and they see the medical benefits that it provides for its patients. They take a lot of pride in what they do back there, and it shows in their work.” (06:07)

“It’ll definitely be more of a hybrid approach. There’s always going to be different things growing in different states. It would be really challenging to standardize the same amount of strains across the board.” (21:23)

“Everything starts with your people. There’s a lot of value in the people in your organization. Without great people, you don’t have an organization.” (24:09)

“When I started learning about the endocannabinoid system, it really intrigued me. And I wanted to learn more about it. And I wanted to be part of changing that stigma around it.” (38:17)

“A lot of people ask, ‘What makes cannabis craft? What dictates it? Is it because you’re hand watering your crop? Is it because it’s organic? What makes that craft? For me, it’s just cultivating with intent. It’s about putting that quality above the quantity aspect.” (51:50)

“Whether it be a medical-driven state or rec-state, the same amount of care and passion goes into cultivating the same thing.” (1:09:20)

“Curaleaf is on a mission to be the world’s leading cannabis company through education, accessibility, and customer satisfaction through high quality products backed by science.” (1:13:38)