Hello all, I am a graduate student wishing to jump head first into the medical cannabis industry after I graduate. Ohio recently legalized medical cannabis. I have read all of the bill. It is controversial even among cannabis advocates and some details are yet to be determined. Nonetheless, I plan to be apply for a cultivators license ASAP (I cannot find language in the bill that states if one can hold both a cultivators and processors license, does anyone know about this?). I would love to have a conversation with an experienced cultivator. I would love to be taken under someones wing, so to speak. I am also interested in established businesses having some stake in my own. This post is about the process of starting a cultivating business, with a focus on financing. The way I understand things is that banks do not finance such businesses. It appears that I would need a private investor. Does anyone have experience with finding private financing for their business? Do any cultivators have words of advice for a young entrepreneur? P.S. Sorry if this thread is in the wrong place.
Out of curiosity what's your inspiration for following this endeavor? I'm asking because my personal journey with cannabis has been such a roller coaster I can't imagine pursuing it as a business currently. At one point in my life I would have thought it was a dream to be involved with the medical marijuana business, but I guess I'm uncertain about it now. Do you have prior experience cultivating? I'm curious because I have some, and my perspective is different.
I would say that my inspiration is being my own boss, creating a successful business model which focuses on sustainability and a small carbon footprint, and becoming an early part of the cannabis industry in Ohio. I do not have cultivating experience (SWIM may have had small projects in the past, but nothing large scale). Why do you say you are uncertain about it? I am interested in your experience and perspective. Thank you for the reply.
Im also in ohio n wud love to hear more on this.the cultivation part i def get,(always can learn of course so obviously dont kno everything or want to claim i do)but def an expericed grower going on my 12yr of gorilla grows,indoor hydro..personaly think doing it illegaly makes u better grower n some ways,but wud love to quit looking over my shoulder since i have a family.
I wud love to hear more on buisness side also tho..i have a 40×20 garage already set n place,18acres on same pc of land...im ready besides knowing what one would b up against as far as jumping threw the hoops of paper wrk,etc
My long term goal is to run a commercial grow. The biggest obstacle I see is finding financing. The state law says banks are protected from the law, but we all know the federal situation. No federal bank will finance an operation. I believe my options are exclusively private investors. I really want to get in contact with someone growing in a state with medical cannabis to get some insight.
lol...its still early days, just like the wine industry, of which many aspire this market to be? will have its ups and downs with many gains and huge looses at the outset if I were hiring right now I'd be looking for a horticulturalists degree with a minimum of 5 years experience in a similar market, multi -lingual, and multi ...everything and no criminal record the Dutch grads are going very cheap, and the Dutch schools all talk quality over quantity unless it tulips ..lol you need to ask wheres this gonna be in 5 -10 years time and be there good luck
hahaha @vostok i wonder?... ...was OP born in 92 or is OP 92 yrs old? brings a great image to mind either way
Need to get yur hands n the dirt mastermind...i gues i just now read yur post all the way threw(i smoke alot,ha)yur just asking for cash??no offense but start small n if yur good you will have the cash..i dont need cash its just every farmers dream to go legit wen yur literaly risking freedom everyday like me..my gf has a masters n buisness and after i talkd to her she says samething as said above..its a risky buisness..specialy wen there stil producing laws n regulations for it in ohio.nothing is set in stone here...n she said same as said above horticultural degree is whats wantd not buisness,unless you want 2 fill an an app out at an already estiblished company n b head of there h.r. dept...
I'm not trying to sway your journey, but it is a long and arduous one. The way I see it's only logical to be uncertain about the cannabis industry unless you've got the experience or reason to prove otherwise. The market is still very grey, and I wouldn't bank my career on it personally. However, the industry is still in its infancy so there's room for you to innovate and make a name for yourself if that's what you're setting out to do. Cultivating is something I've recently had the pleasure to experience on a small scale, and I can definitely see it becoming a lifelong passion and hobby for me. It's strengthened my understanding and relation with cannabis in a way I never imagined previously. With that said though, a commercial scale grow is a totally different story, and I don't think I'd have the confidence to pursue it like you do. All finances aside there's still an endless number of ever-changing factors that come with caring for cannabis properly, and that alone is something worth considering. You could probably dedicate your entire life, and never stop learning more about it. The industry is growing so there's certainly room for you to grow along with it. If that's where your heart is then much respect Bottom line is you can pursue what you want, but you shouldn't just wake up and decide to finance a new business in an industry you aren't familiar. I think that's how bankruptcy works Some of us are even younger than that.. there's no age restriction to horticulture. I'll be pulling my first harvest before I reach the drinking age; needless to say I'll have a happy birthday
my uncle mark taught me to gro in 92 and theres guys on here been growin since the 60's all you youngsters need to at least understand what yer up against
You say this as if we're competing with one another. The beauty of it is that all generations can gather to exchange advice and discussions regardless of their background. Also, keep in mind that I may be a 'youngster,' but I've been a member and lurker of this community for over 5 years now. There are no boundaries on knowledge
I dont mean "us" (blades) OP is talkin bout goin "pro" ie industrial n those guys are SERIOUS (shit bro we was all young growers at one time) BLESSINGS bro may yer grows be dense, heavy, potent, and leafless