I'll start by saying I may ramble on and vent occasionally in this, I'll try to keep it brief and to the point, but here it goes
After teaching my self the ropes in prohibition land in the early 2000s I expanded to the point that I wanted to be legal. I moved to Colorado and took a job as a trimmer making minimum wage (hey I was living the dream... I thought)
A few months in, I'm now the assistant grower. A few months later I'm the head grower for a 6000 plant count multiple greenhouse grow ( that was falling to pieces). I'm now making $17hr, not bad but not good for working 24/7. After a year, I'm now running this farm. General Manager, HR, and head grower. I'm up to 60k a year. Finally, I'm back to my salary when I was in prohibition land.
The guys who own the farm stop in once a month sometimes once every two months if there on vacation for the 6th time that year (I don't blame them, I would enjoy that kind of money also). I saw the greediness of these guys escalate month by month for almost 3 years. Keep in mind, I'm running this place as it's my own including p&l. I'm cutting checks to these guys for close to a half million per month PROFIT!! They would not repair the facility when it was needed, I had a heater go out in November and they would not pay for a new one. I was told to find a way to fix it. I spent my money to have a hvac guy come out and he told me it was dead we needed a new heater. Still....wasn't allowed. That harvest sucked with almost no yield. I was growing in Colorado and you need a heater in winter. My temps were fluctuating down to 40°. I was chewed out for this yield.
In our busiest season I was told to cut staff for "budget cuts" . I went from almost 40 employees to 18. And I had part time people I did not want and those who caused drama. I had to keep them. I felt I was being set up to fail..... we kept up for a little bit, luckily i had some really good guys that worked really hard. I was not allowed to bump my A team up from minimum wage. Btw there still taking home a half million a month and taking vacations to the Bahamas.
There is so much more I could go into detail about. Faking THC% , screwing good people over for the greediness of the owners. Eventually I left, I took a job in Michigan for a new company, 80k per year. After a month in, I realize it's the same thing, it's the corporate world and corporate people who don't give a damn about the plant, the patients, or there employees.
Now what, I just moved my wife and I to this place that we know nobody and I'm done with this job.... I receive a call from Massachusetts, 120k a year, I've never made that much in my whole life.... but I'm wondering, is it the same thing..... after a week, I decline the offer. I move back to prohibition land which is now medical. I take my savings and open up a small legal grow with my father who is a pastor..... crazy I know... he's not your typical pastor. Marine, biker, old school type of guy you know. Our first harvest will be in a few months and I'm back to loving cultivation.
Theres so much more I want to add but this is long already. If anyone has questions please ask. I don't know where the cannabis industry is going, but I do know that when the corporate world gets involved. Its only good for the top few people at the company. If I ever need employees, I will NEVER treat people the way I saw people being treated.
