Season 2, Episode 06 | Benjamin Matsuda (Grow Pros Solutions): Building Smarter Cultivation Facilities

What separates a good cultivation facility from a great one?

According to Benjamin "Bench Plug Benny" Matsuda, it starts long before the first plant goes into the room.

Recorded live at CannaCon, Stephen Eigenmann sits down with Benjamin Matsuda of Grow Pros Solutions for one of the most in-depth cultivation conversations we've had on The Canna Connect Show. As a second-generation grower and one of the industry's leading cultivation consultants, Benny shares the mindset behind designing facilities that are built to succeed from day one.

The conversation goes far beyond lighting. Benny explains why HVAC and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) are often more important than growers realize, how automation should complement experience rather than replace it, and why successful cultivation comes from understanding how every system works together.

They also discuss:

• Designing cultivation facilities from the ground up
 • Why Grow Pros became a full-service solutions company
 • Vertical integration and reducing production costs
 • Minnesota energy rebates for cultivators
 • Crop steering, sensors, and environmental control
 • Greenhouse innovation and spectrum-controlled lighting
 • Lessons from California, Oklahoma, and emerging cannabis markets
 • Why listening to cultivators drives better product innovation

Whether you're building your first cultivation facility or looking to improve an existing operation, this episode is packed with practical insights from someone who's spent years helping growers solve real-world problems.

Special thanks to our partners:
• Center for Energy & Environment 
• Local 49 
• Trailhead Cannabis Company

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Transcript

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Welcome back to the Canna Connect Show, season two, episode two.
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I'm here with Bench Plug Benny from GrowPro Solutions, Benjamin Matsuda.
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We are live from Canna Con. This is what?
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Third year coming into the Minnesota market.
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Yeah, third year.
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You're not new to cannabis by any means.
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Nope.
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Second-generational grower. Bench Plug, tell me where that
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name comes from.
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Honestly, just working at GrowPro, started selling a lot of benches,
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started plugging people up with their whole grows and from start to finish.
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Yes.
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So it was kind of synonymous, and then my boys started calling me,
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"Hey, Bench Plug Benny."
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Yeah.
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And then it started to just catch on.
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So it became my Instagram handle.
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GrowPro... That's right, benchplugbenny on Instagram.
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GrowPro sells benches, but they sell a lot more than that.
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What is a bench plug?
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It's someone who's going to set you up from your top and bottom, from the floor.
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Yes.
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So about going into grows, a lot of these spots that we build out now, it's full
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construction as well.
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Right.
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So GrowPro is about providing solutions.
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Right.
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We started as a lighting and racking manufacturer-

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Right
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... in the top light world and all LEDs.
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Traditional LEDs as-
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Yes, sir
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... we know it these days, but the company just grows and grows and grows, huh?
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Yeah.
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Because you're providing solutions, which is the right way to approach clients.
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Yes, sir.
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Hey, everybody, Steven with Canna Connect.
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Taking a quick minute to shout out today's sponsor, CEE.
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That is the Center for Energy and Environment.
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If you're not familiar with CEE, they're your one-stop shop for all lighting
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rebates. If you are in Xcel Energy territory and you're a microbusiness,
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CEE is somebody that you need to talk to.

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Give Brad a call, give Tony a call, go online.
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One-stop shop, LED lighting rebates.
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They'll help take care of up to 60% of the cost associated with your grow and your
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build-out with the lighting. Really nice people, great people to work with.
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Huge sponsors of Canna Connect, and give them a shout.
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That's CEE,
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Center for Energy and Environment.
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Yeah. So our CEO, John, started in the commercial LED industry.
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Okay.
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Then he stepped down, sold his shares from that. Then he started GrowPro.
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Okay.
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So his family was always synonymous with weed the whole time.
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Wow.
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So think, he's growing and making regular LED fixtures, and they're like, "Yo, I
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need grow lights. I need grow lights."
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Yeah.
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"I need grow lights."
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Yes.
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And he's like, "No, no," trying to stay on the straight and narrow.
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And he was like, used to be in weed and used to be in cannabis, and then
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fully got his life into the CEO world.
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Okay.
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So he was always like, "No, no, no."
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Right.
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And then it came full circle. He stepped down, sold his shares of his company
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that he was the CEO of for the LED commercial lighting-
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Right
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... then started GrowPro with his manufacturing experience.
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Okay.
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The first two years, he then went and he grabbed his other partner who was
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at the LED facility with him, and they did all the manufacturing.
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So then he grabbed his partner, who did all the manufacturing.
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Yeah.
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Our guy Jackie. We call him Dragon, and he's the best.
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He's the best manufacturer in the LED space, honestly, in the world.
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Right.
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And I deal with all of them and have dealt with all of them.
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So the first two years was us contract manufacturing like everybody else.
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We were white labeling-
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Yep
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... building the whole brand.
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Yeah.
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Just sourcing lights from everybody else.

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Yeah.
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Then we saw the volatility of the market and how dangerous that is with the no
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QA, QC-
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Yep
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... you not being able to make changes fast that your boys are asking for.
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Right.
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So then John took all of his money once again and doubled down, and he bought two
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floors of our manufacturing. And so, we say we are the
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manufacturer, but we own two floors of our manufacturing. We employ the employees.
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We source all the raw material. We're literally doing the plastic molding.
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Yeah.
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We're doing the whole assembly with our team, our employees, our
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QA, QC oversight. So that's what really separates us from the industry.
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And then being able to control those price points, and then also being able to make

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fixtures that fit into these boxes for rebates.
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Yes. What all goes into a cultivation facility
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from GrowPro's perspective? Where do you like to
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start when a cultivation facility is coming online?
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I like to start from the design, from the MEP standpoint.
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Yeah.
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So we now do MEPs in-house, mechanical engineering and plumbing designs.
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Okay.
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We'll also do the architecture design as well.
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Right.
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Get them all stamped. We do all 50 states.
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Right.
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So we can get a state stamped in any state.
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Okay.
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Then off of that, we're able to build all your quotes out.
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And then our partners like Grow Generation-
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Yep
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... who are a public IPO company-
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Okay
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... they're able to source all the consumables.
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They're able to source everything at such a cheap price, even for dehumidifiers,
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X, Y, Z, right?
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Yeah.
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We also sell HVAC in-house, whether we use our partners at Grow Gen or we use
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our own in-house at Daikin, whatever.
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Yeah.
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We will source the client with whatever HVAC solutions they want.
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Yep.
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Whether it be as crazy as Easy Roots or it be as simple as Daikin.
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So we're handling everything in between.
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Trane carrier, four pipe hydronic with Jesse Porter, fully
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integrated system. So we started to fully encompass the
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solutions.
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Yeah.
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So we like to start in the beginning phase-
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Yeah
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... quote everything out, and we will do the construction.
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We have our GC license in-house as well.
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Wow.
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So our other partner, Jack, there's Jack and Jackie.
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Okay. Two different-
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Our other partner-
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Yeah

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... Jack, he's the CFO.
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Okay.
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And he has his GC license and has had it for the last 10 years.
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Wow.
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And it wasn't really being utilized, and we were doing GrowPro as a manufacturer.
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Right.
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Then we got tired of waiting on all these other general contractors-
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Right
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... just to be able to get our lights and benches in these clients' facilities.
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So that's where GrowPro's construction comes into the mix?
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Yes, sir.
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Okay.
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Every company we started, it was really because we got tired of waiting on somebody
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else.

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Yes. One thing I noticed within the cannabis industry, and I've noticed this
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even back in the hemp side of the industry as we-- That's where Minnesota kind of
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got its start with the CBD side of things.
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But ultimately, every company aims to become more vertically integrated.
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Yes, sir.
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I noticed that, and I don't think that's unique to cannabis as it is to
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just it allows you to control your costs, your timing,
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your employees, things like that, which I think GrowPro does an excellent job at.
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And your clients' success.
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Yeah.
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Right?
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Because you're able to look at the operation more holistically-
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Mm-hmm
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... versus just serving one aspect and having to fit in.
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It's like when the five Power Rangers come together, and then they're able to
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create a much larger-
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Right
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... Transformer-type-
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Yeah
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... machine. And that, to me, I think is an example.
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I think GrowPro is a great example of- Understanding that even on the ancillary
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side, it pays to be vertically integrated.
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Very well.
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And you guys aren't afraid of putting your brand out there.
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I think that's one thing that I really respect from Grow Pros as a brand is
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that you're very aligned when you're outward facing.
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It's not just internally where you're connected, but you're also externally
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pumping up all aspects of the Grow Pros brand.
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But I think it's interesting when you compare vertically integrated facilities and
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vertically integrated ancillary companies, and how at the end of the day,
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it pays to be vertically integrated if you can afford it and if you're organized
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enough. Talk a little bit about the success you've seen with vertical integrated
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operations from a client side.
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Yeah. Guys that are able to run their whole facility
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all the way from
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seed and genetics all the way through retail, right?
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Yeah.
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It's the most important because as you know, you're handing away margins every
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single time.
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Sure.
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Right?
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Right.
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And

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whether it's beneficial for you because of deal velocity or whether it's beneficial
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for you to just do it in-house-
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Yeah
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... to then speed up deal velocity if that starts to slow you down-
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Yeah
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... and also be able to control the margin and your client success, right?
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Yeah.
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It's very important.
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And so when it comes to cultivation, guys that don't have to go
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source genetics from other places, right?
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Right.
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And don't have to know whether if they have a
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viroid, or they're clean or dirty, right?
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Yeah.

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That's going to be the beginning of it.
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And then into cultivation, if you're not having to source labor, you have a
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community that you can trust-
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Yeah
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... that brings their price per pound down, right?
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Yeah.
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Of you having to cultivate. Even you having in-house trim teams, labor, X, Y,
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Z, right?
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Yeah.
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That's some of the differences we were talking about that night with
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minority communities, honestly, with non-minority communities, right?
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Mm.
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Because the sad part is the non-minority communities, a lot of
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them treat it just like a Chad type business, right?
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But then that makes their price per pound so high to then
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cultivate, right?
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Right.
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If you're having to source all this labor, everything outside-
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Externally
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... externally. Whether if it's my cousin, my little cousin, my little brother, my
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family, my grandma, my auntie trimming for me.
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Sure.
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Right? And it's a whole community, and doing the labor, the deleafing, the
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transplant. That also brings their price per pound down.
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Buying at a-
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And then those guys honestly have had other businesses, right?
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And so they know how to source products, right?
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Where to go to the right guys and not be white labeled, how to
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find the manufacturer.
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And then with us, how to source whole containers at one time, right?
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So they're sourcing their grow, and then once you get to a container standpoint
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with me, it becomes cheaper, right?
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Yeah. And you're talking about a container full of parts, a container full of
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equipment.
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00:08:57.196 --> 00:08:57.266
Yeah.
249
00:08:57.536 --> 00:09:01.376
Talking about what you see online when Grow Pros is shipping out semi-trucks full
250
00:09:01.436 --> 00:09:02.076
of products.
251
00:09:02.276 --> 00:09:06.176
Yeah. And even those ones that you see me post online, those are coming out of our
252
00:09:06.216 --> 00:09:08.556
warehouse. That's everything out of our stock.
253
00:09:09.076 --> 00:09:10.476

Right. That's stock. That's where you keep-
254

00:09:10.936 --> 00:09:11.036

That's no-
255

00:09:11.056 --> 00:09:11.606
... finished goods
256
00:09:11.676 --> 00:09:15.016
... that's no big projects. All the big projects are coming directly from our

257
00:09:15.056 --> 00:09:18.026
manufacturing, touching port, then they're going straight to the client.
258
00:09:18.056 --> 00:09:18.725
Shipping straight to the client.
259
00:09:18.736 --> 00:09:22.136
Instagram doesn't see them till the client's posting it arriving.
260
00:09:22.276 --> 00:09:25.355
Right. Port Authority doesn't run with Grow Pros' Instagram account.
261
00:09:25.676 --> 00:09:29.396
You know? And then so all those trucks you always see me post, that's just stock.
262
00:09:29.406 --> 00:09:31.445
That's great. Those are calls from...
263
00:09:31.516 --> 00:09:34.526
Now, that's something I wanted to talk about, is how a company can scale up with
264
00:09:34.536 --> 00:09:35.725
Grow Pros, right?
265
00:09:37.516 --> 00:09:40.816
Minnesota is in the nascent stage very early on.
266
00:09:40.856 --> 00:09:44.256
We've got about 240 total licenses approved right now through the
267
00:09:44.296 --> 00:09:44.856
OCM.
268
00:09:44.896 --> 00:09:45.636
Yep.
269
00:09:45.756 --> 00:09:49.216
How do folks get started with Grow Pros, and how can you offer scaled up solutions?
270
00:09:49.236 --> 00:09:52.916
Because not everyone is ready to do a full

271
00:09:52.936 --> 00:09:54.496
build-out with Grow Pros, right?
272
00:09:54.505 --> 00:09:54.505
Yep.
273
00:09:54.556 --> 00:09:57.356
So let's talk about Doc Dabs, for example, a friend of the show.
274
00:09:57.716 --> 00:09:59.996
So how does a micro get started with Grow Pros?
275
00:10:00.076 --> 00:10:02.136
Yeah. Shout out to Dr. Dabs. I
276
00:10:04.036 --> 00:10:05.776
believe he's in Excel territory, right?
277
00:10:05.956 --> 00:10:08.436
So he was able to utilize our friends at CEE.
278
00:10:08.576 --> 00:10:08.976
Sure.
279
00:10:09.076 --> 00:10:10.976
And utilize those lighting rebates, right?
280
00:10:11.236 --> 00:10:11.436
Sure.
281
00:10:11.516 --> 00:10:11.586

And so-
282

00:10:11.596 --> 00:10:15.535
Lighting rebates are a huge part of purchasing from a company like Grow Pros.
283
00:10:15.636 --> 00:10:16.656
A huge part, right?
284
00:10:17.836 --> 00:10:21.236
And then also with his under canopies, we're getting him spectrally controllable
285

00:10:21.296 --> 00:10:25.236
under canopies next, right? But to be able to help those guys out is to be
286
00:10:25.296 --> 00:10:27.816

able to utilize these programs that weren't taught to us-
287

00:10:27.916 --> 00:10:28.156
Yeah
288
00:10:28.176 --> 00:10:29.486
... who come from the industry, right?
289
00:10:29.536 --> 00:10:29.616
Sure.
290
00:10:29.956 --> 00:10:32.716
These rebate programs, a lot of these guys don't even know exist.
291
00:10:32.836 --> 00:10:32.976
Yeah.
292
00:10:33.176 --> 00:10:36.816
Right? And then when I'm telling them, "Hey, as a manufacturer for us, especially
293
00:10:36.856 --> 00:10:39.616
out here in this market, I will throw you the lights, and I'll wait for the check."
294
00:10:39.796 --> 00:10:40.016
Okay.
295
00:10:40.236 --> 00:10:40.396
Right?
296
00:10:40.466 --> 00:10:40.466
Right.
297
00:10:40.496 --> 00:10:41.536
I'm taking no money down.
298
00:10:41.776 --> 00:10:41.976
Okay.
299
00:10:42.256 --> 00:10:43.576

Right? We're just going to do paperwork.
300
00:10:43.596 --> 00:10:45.276
We're going to get the rebate assignment agreement done.
301
00:10:45.316 --> 00:10:46.596
We're going to get your pre-approval done.
302
00:10:46.696 --> 00:10:46.816
Yeah.
303
00:10:46.936 --> 00:10:49.876
Pre-inspection done with Tony and Brad at CEE, right?
304
00:10:49.966 --> 00:10:49.986
Yeah. Absolutely.
305
00:10:49.996 --> 00:10:51.136
Our partners over there.
306
00:10:51.196 --> 00:10:51.336
Right.
307
00:10:51.596 --> 00:10:54.536
Then I'm going to send the lights. Once Brad gives me the okay, I'll send the
308
00:10:54.556 --> 00:10:54.836
lights.
309
00:10:55.196 --> 00:10:55.376
Sure.
310
00:10:55.396 --> 00:10:55.596
Right?
311
00:10:55.676 --> 00:10:57.056
Once it's stamped by CEE.
312
00:10:57.096 --> 00:11:00.846
Yes, sir. Then we install. CEE will walk through there for a post inspection, then
313
00:11:00.876 --> 00:11:01.876
they cut us a check.

314
00:11:01.956 --> 00:11:02.056
Yeah.
315
00:11:02.156 --> 00:11:04.476
Right? And it was $0 out of pocket the whole time.
316
00:11:04.556 --> 00:11:04.856
Wow.
317
00:11:04.936 --> 00:11:05.616
Right? For the client.
318
00:11:05.666 --> 00:11:05.666
That's crazy.
319
00:11:05.676 --> 00:11:09.016
And we're cutting 300 to $500,000 off of their lighting bill.
320
00:11:09.156 --> 00:11:09.236
Yeah.
321
00:11:09.356 --> 00:11:11.016
Off their pro forma, their business plan, right?
322
00:11:11.076 --> 00:11:11.215
Right.
323
00:11:11.536 --> 00:11:15.156
So then it's like, what does that help these clients and these micros be able to do
324
00:11:15.196 --> 00:11:16.716
with operational costs at that point?
325
00:11:16.756 --> 00:11:17.076
Right.
326
00:11:17.136 --> 00:11:20.916
Because it sucks. Lighting may be your second or third
327
00:11:20.976 --> 00:11:24.176
biggest cost in the facility outside of HVAC, rent, labor-

328
00:11:24.316 --> 00:11:24.476
Okay
329
00:11:24.496 --> 00:11:27.816
... things like that, but as just equipment, we're probably number two or three.
330
00:11:28.316 --> 00:11:29.716
Why does HVAC matter so much?
331
00:11:30.436 --> 00:11:33.316
HVAC, VPD's king. I'm a lighting and racking
332
00:11:33.476 --> 00:11:37.316
manufacturer, and I'll say this right now, HVAC and VPD is
333
00:11:37.396 --> 00:11:37.536
king.
334
00:11:37.596 --> 00:11:37.856
King.
335
00:11:38.236 --> 00:11:42.136
Vapor pressure deficit is the tip of the
336
00:11:42.196 --> 00:11:44.276
triangle. For us, it's all about a triangle, right?
337
00:11:44.376 --> 00:11:44.516
Right.
338
00:11:44.756 --> 00:11:47.076
And every point of that triangle has two sides.
339
00:11:47.556 --> 00:11:49.996

So the top point of that triangle is VPD-
340

00:11:50.196 --> 00:11:50.536
Okay
341
00:11:50.616 --> 00:11:51.596
.../airspeed.
342

00:11:51.836 --> 00:11:52.056
Okay.
343
00:11:52.316 --> 00:11:52.496
Right?
344
00:11:53.376 --> 00:11:56.076
Let's say another corner point would be us, would be lighting.
345
00:11:56.156 --> 00:11:56.286
Lighting.
346
00:11:56.336 --> 00:11:58.476

It would be PPFD, which is how much light-
347

00:11:58.716 --> 00:11:58.876
Yep
348
00:11:59.296 --> 00:12:02.956
... right? Photosynthetic flux
349
00:12:03.156 --> 00:12:03.636
density.
350
00:12:03.776 --> 00:12:03.976
Okay.
351
00:12:04.116 --> 00:12:04.356
Right?
352
00:12:04.456 --> 00:12:04.656
Mm-hmm.
353
00:12:05.356 --> 00:12:09.106
How much light, PPFD/spectrum. Then the other
354
00:12:09.216 --> 00:12:12.866
corner would then be volumetric water content/composition,
355
00:12:12.976 --> 00:12:13.436
NPK.
356
00:12:13.696 --> 00:12:13.836

Okay.
357
00:12:13.916 --> 00:12:17.826
Right? So it's VPD, airspeed, PPFD, and spectrum, and then
358
00:12:17.876 --> 00:12:21.416
BWC/composition, NPK.
359
00:12:21.536 --> 00:12:21.696
Wow.
360
00:12:21.916 --> 00:12:25.636
Right? So all of those triangles, all points of that triangle, they have to be
361
00:12:25.776 --> 00:12:26.206
aligned.
362
00:12:26.276 --> 00:12:26.576
Okay.
363
00:12:26.636 --> 00:12:26.836
Right?
364
00:12:26.886 --> 00:12:26.886
Yeah.
365
00:12:26.886 --> 00:12:30.836
So you can't, raising the PPFD
366
00:12:30.896 --> 00:12:32.706
if your VPD is completely off.
367
00:12:32.736 --> 00:12:32.916
Wow.
368
00:12:32.956 --> 00:12:35.636
Right? Your stomata's closed, your plant's not going to transpire.
369
00:12:35.656 --> 00:12:38.786
I don't care how perfect the spectrum, and the PPFD, and the composition, and
370
00:12:39.296 --> 00:12:42.766
you're hitting all your volumetric water content starting points for the day, but

371
00:12:42.816 --> 00:12:45.596
your plant's not going to uptake throughout the day like it's supposed to.
372
00:12:46.192 --> 00:12:49.352
Where are you at as a second-generation grower when it comes to
373
00:12:51.132 --> 00:12:54.932
managing all of these things remotely with technology
374
00:12:55.032 --> 00:12:58.772
versus being hands-on in the grow, observing the plants, watering the plants?
375
00:12:58.872 --> 00:13:00.692
And I understand there's a spectrum within this, right?
376
00:13:00.732 --> 00:13:00.832
Yeah.
377
00:13:01.152 --> 00:13:04.542
As a non-commercial grower and someone who's
378
00:13:04.572 --> 00:13:08.512
never had a full harvest by any means, so there's a lot of
379
00:13:08.552 --> 00:13:12.382
technology in this space. Where do you land when it comes to automation versus
380
00:13:12.432 --> 00:13:13.852
hands-on?
381
00:13:13.892 --> 00:13:16.712
Yeah, I'm definitely going to lean towards automation always, right?
382
00:13:16.732 --> 00:13:19.092
But I'm also the generation that grew up with it, right?
383
00:13:19.712 --> 00:13:21.412
So it's different when I saw the
384
00:13:22.492 --> 00:13:24.672
OGs and all the older guys and all my-

385
00:13:24.792 --> 00:13:24.842
Yeah
386
00:13:24.842 --> 00:13:28.592
... all my mentors growing, and the sensors came out, and they had no sensors.
387
00:13:28.992 --> 00:13:32.572
But they were so good at feel, they were so good at driving those plants and their
388
00:13:32.612 --> 00:13:34.032
systems for 20 years.
389
00:13:34.052 --> 00:13:34.912
They had a knack for it.
390
00:13:35.072 --> 00:13:37.872
They had a knack for it, but it's still not optimal, right?
391
00:13:37.902 --> 00:13:37.902
Right.
392
00:13:37.912 --> 00:13:40.412
But they were driving safely. They never crashed.
393
00:13:40.472 --> 00:13:43.612
They were driving the car with no headlights, is what I like to say.
394
00:13:43.792 --> 00:13:44.892
Driving the car with no headlights.
395
00:13:44.922 --> 00:13:44.922
Right.
396
00:13:44.952 --> 00:13:45.752
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
397
00:13:45.792 --> 00:13:49.372
And so they're driving the car with no headlights, but they haven't crashed, right?
398
00:13:49.452 --> 00:13:49.602
Yeah.
399

00:13:49.632 --> 00:13:52.472
They might drive slow, they might drive not as fast as they could.
400
00:13:52.812 --> 00:13:53.812
Doesn't mean it's a good car.
401
00:13:53.822 --> 00:13:56.352
Right. Doesn't mean it. And then let's say you add sensors now.
402
00:13:56.412 --> 00:13:56.712
Okay.
403
00:13:56.792 --> 00:14:00.502
Right. Sensors, now you have the floodlight on top, now you have your
404
00:14:00.502 --> 00:14:01.872
headlights, and you're able to see.
405
00:14:01.952 --> 00:14:02.322
Yeah.
406
00:14:02.372 --> 00:14:02.612
Right?
407
00:14:02.622 --> 00:14:02.622
Right.
408
00:14:02.632 --> 00:14:04.362
And you're able to actually see what's going on in real time.
409
00:14:04.392 --> 00:14:06.172
It's never going to replace the touch and feel.
410
00:14:06.832 --> 00:14:08.592
As we know, sensors can be off all the time.
411
00:14:09.282 --> 00:14:09.282
Yeah.
412
00:14:09.332 --> 00:14:09.452
And
413
00:14:10.632 --> 00:14:13.832

now I believe the new problem, so that was the first problem of the early
414
00:14:13.952 --> 00:14:14.792

2020s-
415

00:14:14.992 --> 00:14:15.312
Okay
416
00:14:15.322 --> 00:14:16.732
... is getting everybody onto sensors.
417
00:14:16.812 --> 00:14:19.432
Like Internet of Things, connectivity within the cultivation.
418
00:14:19.482 --> 00:14:22.042
Getting everybody onto sensors, learning crop steering, right?
419
00:14:22.112 --> 00:14:22.312
Right.
420
00:14:22.392 --> 00:14:26.292
All different forms of it, right? Irrigational, VPD, and spectrum crop
421
00:14:26.352 --> 00:14:30.012
steering, right? So then learning those different forms of crop steering, that was
422
00:14:30.052 --> 00:14:33.912
the early 2020s. Then after that, I truly believe that people
423
00:14:33.952 --> 00:14:35.372
got too reliant on sensors.
424
00:14:35.452 --> 00:14:35.592
Yep.
425
00:14:36.032 --> 00:14:38.692
Right? And then everybody believed that they could just run their grows from
426
00:14:38.752 --> 00:14:39.262

computers-
427

00:14:39.612 --> 00:14:39.752
Yeah

428
00:14:39.812 --> 00:14:42.772
... and their four in one is off, right, and they think they're in VPD.
429
00:14:43.312 --> 00:14:47.192
Maybe their temperature's off a couple degrees and their humidity's off a couple
430
00:14:47.232 --> 00:14:47.652
percent.
431
00:14:47.872 --> 00:14:48.132
Okay.
432
00:14:48.352 --> 00:14:51.992
Right? But now let's say you look at your CCMS, you look at your
433
00:14:52.052 --> 00:14:53.472
TrollMaster, you look at your controller,
434
00:14:54.332 --> 00:14:57.292
and you think that flyer's supposed to be at 1.0 to 1.3.
435
00:14:57.712 --> 00:15:01.682
You're like, "Okay, I'm at a 1.25, I'm good." And you walk through the room, and
436
00:15:01.752 --> 00:15:03.562
maybe you're not doing all your checks like you're supposed to, you're just
437
00:15:03.612 --> 00:15:05.652
checking your TrollMaster from online, right?
438
00:15:05.752 --> 00:15:08.052
But virtually shutting the door and walking away.
439
00:15:08.412 --> 00:15:10.412
This happens to guys who are even in the facility.
440
00:15:10.852 --> 00:15:14.132
Look at the TrollMaster, shut the door, walk away. Right?
441
00:15:14.352 --> 00:15:14.432
Yeah.

442
00:15:14.672 --> 00:15:18.192
But then, oh, they see everything is saturated, da, da, da, da, da.
443
00:15:18.312 --> 00:15:21.832
But they could be at a 1.25 on the TrollMaster but really be at a
444
00:15:21.932 --> 00:15:22.562
1.6.
445
00:15:22.792 --> 00:15:22.882
Mm.
446
00:15:23.192 --> 00:15:26.072
And now they're six weeks in, and they were never in VPD the whole time.
447
00:15:26.292 --> 00:15:26.712
Wow.
448
00:15:26.772 --> 00:15:29.492
Right? And they're like, "Why do my plants look like this?" X, Y, Z.
449
00:15:29.612 --> 00:15:29.862
Right.
450
00:15:30.072 --> 00:15:32.792
Then you walk in with a handheld, and you see that everything's off.
451
00:15:32.832 --> 00:15:33.412
Yep.
452
00:15:33.432 --> 00:15:35.562
Then you're like, "Well, you've been out of VPD for six weeks."
453
00:15:35.652 --> 00:15:35.852
Right.
454
00:15:36.152 --> 00:15:36.342
Right?
455
00:15:36.342 --> 00:15:38.412
You can't rely 100% on technology.
456

00:15:38.772 --> 00:15:38.782
Yeah.
457
00:15:38.852 --> 00:15:41.772
Or measure twice, cut once. You've got to be careful.
458
00:15:41.812 --> 00:15:42.872
As my grandma says, right?
459
00:15:42.992 --> 00:15:43.291
Okay.
460
00:15:43.432 --> 00:15:47.372
And even talking about volumetric water content.
461
00:15:47.432 --> 00:15:50.932
You think things are at saturation or X, Y, Z, and the sensor's off, and you go
462
00:15:50.972 --> 00:15:53.232
lift the plant up and it's bone dry. Right?
463
00:15:53.292 --> 00:15:53.472

Or-
464

00:15:53.752 --> 00:15:53.981
Nice
465
00:15:53.992 --> 00:15:54.632
... vice versa.
466
00:15:55.192 --> 00:15:55.202
Nice.
467
00:15:55.552 --> 00:15:59.412
It's usually vice versa. You think you're good, but it's actually a
468
00:15:59.452 --> 00:16:02.012
little bit too under, it's a little too oversaturated. Right?
469
00:16:02.032 --> 00:16:04.332
And you're pushing too hard in your first 21 days.
470
00:16:04.372 --> 00:16:04.792

And so-
471

00:16:04.812 --> 00:16:05.642
Sure. Sure
472
00:16:05.992 --> 00:16:09.352
... that's the problem with people that are relying on sensors too much.
473
00:16:09.552 --> 00:16:10.912
What were you doing before GrowPro?
474
00:16:11.492 --> 00:16:15.152
I was managing cultivations. I was the director of cultivations in Oklahoma.
475
00:16:15.252 --> 00:16:15.532
Okay.
476
00:16:15.732 --> 00:16:17.552
I was working for my cousin Derek at Planta.
477
00:16:17.912 --> 00:16:18.152
Okay.
478
00:16:18.372 --> 00:16:21.792
And then before that, I was running a 200,000 square foot
479
00:16:22.272 --> 00:16:24.792
automated greenhouse up in California in Sacramento.
480
00:16:24.892 --> 00:16:25.452
Wow. Wow.
481
00:16:25.512 --> 00:16:29.472
So we had multiple managers. There's a director of cultivation
482
00:16:29.532 --> 00:16:30.012
above me.
483
00:16:30.252 --> 00:16:30.372
Yeah.
484
00:16:30.422 --> 00:16:32.572
And then I believe there's like 130 employees, so-

485
00:16:32.612 --> 00:16:32.712
Okay
486
00:16:32.952 --> 00:16:36.172
... that was me getting my PhD and learning it, and then I just went off into the
487
00:16:36.192 --> 00:16:38.892
real world and stopped making money for everybody else. Yeah.
488
00:16:38.912 --> 00:16:42.012
Sure. Hey, speaking of PhDs, what can you talk about when it comes to the
489
00:16:42.032 --> 00:16:44.552
University of Minnesota and the Minnesota cannabis industry here?
490
00:16:45.172 --> 00:16:48.052
I think you guys are setting the whole market, and you guys have been ahead of it
491
00:16:48.112 --> 00:16:49.512
for three years, and nobody knows.
492
00:16:50.812 --> 00:16:54.672
Honestly. Professor Allens at University of
493
00:16:54.712 --> 00:16:55.312
Minnesota,
494
00:16:56.412 --> 00:16:57.472

Jordan B. over there-
495

00:16:57.612 --> 00:16:57.682
Yeah
496
00:16:57.892 --> 00:17:00.012
... everybody, Dr. Dabs, Clement Dabney.
497
00:17:00.252 --> 00:17:00.372
Yeah.
498
00:17:00.532 --> 00:17:02.172
We even have Brian Jones.

499
00:17:02.192 --> 00:17:02.872
Brian Jones.
500
00:17:03.212 --> 00:17:05.802

Everybody who's been involved in that from the beginning-
501

00:17:06.011 --> 00:17:06.093
Yeah
502
00:17:06.113 --> 00:17:06.113
...
503
00:17:06.932 --> 00:17:09.623
it honestly gives me goosebumps on how far ahead they are.
504
00:17:10.133 --> 00:17:13.333
I have spectrum controllable greenhouse lights that we've been testing for the last
505
00:17:13.353 --> 00:17:13.972

year and a half-
506

00:17:14.012 --> 00:17:14.392
Yeah
507
00:17:14.402 --> 00:17:18.012
... over there, and we made a four-channel greenhouse light to see what pairs best
508
00:17:18.052 --> 00:17:21.682
with the sun. Because I don't care what, and per time of year as well, that's why
509
00:17:21.692 --> 00:17:22.853
it has to be spectrum controllable.
510
00:17:22.892 --> 00:17:23.412
Okay.
511
00:17:23.532 --> 00:17:27.162
So then it's going to connect to the LASSI system, the longitude
512
00:17:27.412 --> 00:17:31.282
shade integrated system, and then so it tracks where the sun angle is
513

00:17:31.312 --> 00:17:32.642
per your longitude and latitude.
514
00:17:32.692 --> 00:17:33.212
Okay.
515
00:17:33.252 --> 00:17:37.152
Then you having sensors in that greenhouse and being able to adjust per
516
00:17:37.252 --> 00:17:37.692
canopy.
517
00:17:37.872 --> 00:17:37.992
Okay.
518
00:17:38.012 --> 00:17:40.732
Because I don't care how perfect that light spectrum is, when you throw it up in
519
00:17:40.752 --> 00:17:41.302

the greenhouse-
520

00:17:41.332 --> 00:17:41.632
Right
521
00:17:41.652 --> 00:17:43.952
... what is it at canopy after the sun washes it out?
522
00:17:44.252 --> 00:17:44.382
Hmm.
523
00:17:46.372 --> 00:17:48.322
So you've got indoor cultivation,
524
00:17:49.132 --> 00:17:51.852
outdoor cultivation, you've got greenhouse in the
525
00:17:51.912 --> 00:17:55.272
middle. What have you seen from a success
526
00:17:55.292 --> 00:17:59.272
standpoint? Is there room for all three markets in California,
527
00:17:59.432 --> 00:18:02.972

in Oklahoma, in Minnesota? Is that true across state to state markets?
528
00:18:03.812 --> 00:18:03.952
And
529
00:18:04.912 --> 00:18:08.892
break it down for me a little bit. Some folks say greenhouse is the best of
530
00:18:08.952 --> 00:18:09.532
both worlds.
531
00:18:09.552 --> 00:18:09.712
Yeah.
532
00:18:10.412 --> 00:18:13.372
So how does GrowPro lighting work within a greenhouse space?
533
00:18:13.772 --> 00:18:16.472
So all of our trials that we're working on right now, right?
534
00:18:17.252 --> 00:18:20.212
But then we also have greenhouse fixtures that have controllable RED.
535
00:18:20.732 --> 00:18:24.152

I just dropped a new greenhouse fixture actually right now-
536

00:18:24.212 --> 00:18:24.222
Okay
537
00:18:24.222 --> 00:18:25.292
... we're making a prototype.
538
00:18:25.332 --> 00:18:25.362
Wow.
539
00:18:25.412 --> 00:18:29.372
I have a client in California with a million square feet of greenhouses,
540
00:18:30.032 --> 00:18:33.612
and I made my first prototype for him. We tested it.
541
00:18:33.672 --> 00:18:35.382
He wanted to make some tweaks to the spectrum-

542
00:18:35.472 --> 00:18:35.542
Yeah
543
00:18:35.552 --> 00:18:39.452
... and then I just tweaked the spectrum and sent him the second prototype
544
00:18:39.492 --> 00:18:39.742
again.
545
00:18:40.012 --> 00:18:41.632
So it's a lot about dialing in, huh?
546
00:18:41.672 --> 00:18:43.832
You're very receptive to your clients' feedback.
547
00:18:43.972 --> 00:18:47.772
Have to be. And the guys that don't listen, I
548
00:18:47.832 --> 00:18:51.772
love the feedback. Right? Because a lot of guys don't like it because
549
00:18:51.892 --> 00:18:55.612
they'll get all defensive and internalize it because they can't make a change.
550
00:18:55.812 --> 00:18:56.032
Mm.
551
00:18:56.232 --> 00:18:59.312
The biggest thing about me is I can literally walk out of this meeting and hop on
552
00:18:59.332 --> 00:19:00.492
the phone with China right now.
553
00:19:00.822 --> 00:19:00.862
Wow.
554
00:19:00.862 --> 00:19:03.092
Well, it's nighttime over there, but I'll wake them up.
555
00:19:03.452 --> 00:19:03.612
Yeah.

556
00:19:04.332 --> 00:19:05.711

And hop on the phone with Dragon-
557

00:19:05.812 --> 00:19:05.862
Yeah
558
00:19:06.272 --> 00:19:07.142
... and Jackie over there.
559
00:19:07.172 --> 00:19:07.182
Yeah.
560
00:19:07.182 --> 00:19:09.152
And I can make a change to our design right then and there.
561
00:19:09.252 --> 00:19:09.362
Sure.
562
00:19:09.402 --> 00:19:11.592
The next container that comes, everything can be changed.
563
00:19:11.732 --> 00:19:11.992
Wow.
564
00:19:12.092 --> 00:19:15.592
Right? So like all of our top lights, they have waterproof data cables now.
565
00:19:15.912 --> 00:19:16.022
Okay.
566
00:19:16.152 --> 00:19:19.772
Right? So it's like, why have all the waterproof power if the data was never
567
00:19:19.792 --> 00:19:20.952
waterproof, the RJ12.
568
00:19:20.992 --> 00:19:21.132
Mm.
569
00:19:21.432 --> 00:19:24.522
Right? It was just an internet plugin or a phone jack plugin, right?
570

00:19:24.532 --> 00:19:24.682
Mm-hmm.
571
00:19:24.752 --> 00:19:25.532
It wasn't waterproof.
572
00:19:26.132 --> 00:19:26.192
Yeah.
573
00:19:26.272 --> 00:19:28.662
Right? And so every light on the market had it like that, right?
574
00:19:28.672 --> 00:19:28.982
Okay. Yeah.
575
00:19:28.982 --> 00:19:32.512
And so also with the under canopy power cord, we added
576
00:19:32.552 --> 00:19:35.822
fuses to the power cord. We're the only company on the market with fuses in the
577
00:19:35.892 --> 00:19:39.702
power cord. It's going to limit your RMAs because it's the only cord and
578
00:19:39.772 --> 00:19:42.972
light on the market that puts a high voltage and the low voltage in one cord.
579
00:19:43.332 --> 00:19:43.412
Wow.
580
00:19:43.472 --> 00:19:47.112
Right? So it's dangerous to have 277 volts right next to a zero to 10 volt.
581
00:19:47.322 --> 00:19:47.492
Okay.
582
00:19:47.742 --> 00:19:51.352
Right? Because if anything, your arcs or anything happens, or that connection isn't
583
00:19:51.992 --> 00:19:52.632

tight to the light-
584

00:19:52.772 --> 00:19:52.872

Yeah
585
00:19:53.152 --> 00:19:56.292
... and that 277 jumps to the dimming, you lose control of your dimming.
586
00:19:56.312 --> 00:19:56.652
Mm.
587
00:19:56.792 --> 00:19:59.342
That's why you see the number one problem with under canopies right now, people are
588
00:19:59.352 --> 00:20:00.692
like, "Oh, I can't control the dimming.
589
00:20:00.832 --> 00:20:02.412
I just burnt out a light, XYZ."
590
00:20:02.432 --> 00:20:02.812
Okay.
591
00:20:02.852 --> 00:20:04.132
Well, we went through that honestly.
592
00:20:04.172 --> 00:20:04.332
Yep.
593
00:20:04.372 --> 00:20:06.812
We're the manufacturers like everybody else did in the industry.
594
00:20:06.932 --> 00:20:07.032
Yep.
595
00:20:07.292 --> 00:20:09.312
We've been at it for three years with under canopies.
596
00:20:09.412 --> 00:20:09.552
Okay.
597
00:20:09.772 --> 00:20:12.512
Right? And so when this started to happen, we made the change like this.
598
00:20:12.732 --> 00:20:13.152
Okay.

599
00:20:13.452 --> 00:20:16.492
Well, now you see, we're still, it's been a year and a half later and no one else
600
00:20:16.532 --> 00:20:17.232
has changed.
601
00:20:17.292 --> 00:20:17.592
Mm.
602
00:20:18.012 --> 00:20:21.212
And we're trying to make this a standard, and I truly believe that this needs to be
603
00:20:21.252 --> 00:20:22.392
a standard in under canopy.
604
00:20:23.372 --> 00:20:25.912
That's fascinating. You mentioned a million square feet.
605
00:20:26.932 --> 00:20:30.912
Minnesota, majority of licensees are in the micro category, which is
606
00:20:31.132 --> 00:20:31.891
5,000 square feet.
607
00:20:33.232 --> 00:20:35.882
Right now, I mean, that's just a crazy difference right there.
608
00:20:35.882 --> 00:20:36.052
Yeah, right.
609
00:20:39.332 --> 00:20:41.572
We could name, we'll try to keep names out of it.
610
00:20:41.672 --> 00:20:41.852
I mean,
611
00:20:43.292 --> 00:20:46.322

micro-business, 5,000 square feet versus like Glass House Farms-
612

00:20:46.532 --> 00:20:46.602
Yep

613
00:20:46.602 --> 00:20:47.152
... in California.
614
00:20:48.412 --> 00:20:52.262
Right now it works because it's a state-by-state market, but you're traveling
615
00:20:52.292 --> 00:20:55.812
internationally. You've got business in multiple countries.
616
00:20:57.612 --> 00:20:59.212
For the short term, we're safe.
617
00:21:00.312 --> 00:21:04.212
Cannabis isn't legally allowed to move across state lines, but what are you seeing
618
00:21:04.332 --> 00:21:07.292
internationally? You've been to Berlin, you've been to Spain this year.
619
00:21:07.452 --> 00:21:09.052
So you've been to Germany, you've been to Spain this year.
620
00:21:09.712 --> 00:21:12.872
What are you hearing, what's different on the international level versus on the
621
00:21:12.932 --> 00:21:14.952
local level, like when you're at a market like this?
622
00:21:15.652 --> 00:21:18.742
I think everyone's late. So America's sitting back right now.
623
00:21:19.532 --> 00:21:22.942
America's been sitting back, and they've been watching the whole market, the whole
624
00:21:23.072 --> 00:21:25.072
international market figure it out for them.
625
00:21:25.152 --> 00:21:25.332
Right.
626
00:21:25.652 --> 00:21:29.592
Right? And I mean, this can be my American bias, and I'll say this, but
627

00:21:29.692 --> 00:21:33.162
I truly believe that when this drops internationally and when we do
628
00:21:33.572 --> 00:21:34.302

start exporting-
629

00:21:34.452 --> 00:21:34.632
Yeah
630
00:21:34.992 --> 00:21:37.572
... it's going to be like cannabis comes from America.
631
00:21:37.772 --> 00:21:38.012
Okay.
632
00:21:38.032 --> 00:21:40.872
And weed comes from everywhere else. It's going to be like champagne.
633
00:21:41.012 --> 00:21:41.212
Ha.
634
00:21:41.492 --> 00:21:43.612
Right? It's champagne only if it comes from Champagne, France.
635
00:21:43.692 --> 00:21:44.132
Right.
636
00:21:44.192 --> 00:21:45.912
It's sparkling wine if you buy it anywhere else.
637
00:21:45.972 --> 00:21:46.872
Right. Absolutely.
638
00:21:46.922 --> 00:21:47.821

Right? You can buy the same thing-
639

00:21:47.872 --> 00:21:47.882
Right
640
00:21:47.882 --> 00:21:49.672
... but it's not champagne. Right?
641
00:21:50.092 --> 00:21:50.702

So I think-
642

00:21:50.712 --> 00:21:52.732
But California has had a lot to do with that.
643
00:21:53.092 --> 00:21:55.232
Yeah, and America in general, right?
644
00:21:55.372 --> 00:21:58.292
Like OGs come from Florida, all of America.
645
00:21:58.432 --> 00:21:58.592
Okay.
646
00:21:58.632 --> 00:21:59.252
Haze is in the
647
00:22:00.432 --> 00:22:02.792
East Coast, XYZ, all the way through, right?
648
00:22:02.832 --> 00:22:02.952
Okay.
649
00:22:03.012 --> 00:22:04.872

But California definitely has their stamp on it-
650

00:22:05.152 --> 00:22:05.222
Right
651
00:22:05.272 --> 00:22:06.612
... of the cool culture, right?
652
00:22:07.032 --> 00:22:07.222
Right.
653
00:22:07.342 --> 00:22:10.472
And it's still being ran, and you see it as the guiding post internationally.
654
00:22:10.572 --> 00:22:13.882
People are still running up to you asking about Planta, asking about Doja, asking
655
00:22:13.892 --> 00:22:14.601
about Backpack Boys.

656
00:22:14.632 --> 00:22:15.112
Yeah.
657
00:22:15.212 --> 00:22:19.112
Right? And so they're like, still wizard cheese, willing to play that $500 an
658
00:22:19.192 --> 00:22:19.812
ounce.
659
00:22:19.892 --> 00:22:20.412
Yeah.
660
00:22:20.652 --> 00:22:22.082
600 euro an ounce, right?
661
00:22:22.172 --> 00:22:24.012
High-end Zaza as it's been known as.
662
00:22:24.052 --> 00:22:26.482
It's the leading point for the whole market in the world right now.
663
00:22:26.652 --> 00:22:27.032
Sure.
664
00:22:27.132 --> 00:22:29.232
Honestly, for how long? That's the question.
665
00:22:29.292 --> 00:22:32.722

I think we do have a gap, maybe a five-year run when we enter-
666

00:22:33.092 --> 00:22:33.192
Right
667
00:22:33.202 --> 00:22:35.272
... till the rest of the world catches up.
668
00:22:35.292 --> 00:22:37.332
But what about Canada? Do you guys deal in Canada?
669
00:22:37.532 --> 00:22:37.672
Yeah.

670
00:22:37.932 --> 00:22:39.172
Because Canada is able to ship
671
00:22:40.032 --> 00:22:41.172
out of the country it.
672
00:22:41.532 --> 00:22:43.792
And this is where it's a great point you brought up Glass House, right?
673
00:22:44.392 --> 00:22:48.372
I think internationally, this is where it saves us in our markets and our micros.
674
00:22:48.592 --> 00:22:48.792
Okay.
675
00:22:49.012 --> 00:22:51.892
I think coming back from Germany, you have two markets. Well, you do.
676
00:22:52.032 --> 00:22:53.122
Come back from Germany, you have two markets.
677
00:22:53.152 --> 00:22:57.052
You have the social clubs, which are able to sell, and they're able to
678
00:22:57.072 --> 00:23:00.492
grow, but it's only 300 kg, 300 kilos
679
00:23:00.952 --> 00:23:01.352
a year.
680
00:23:01.552 --> 00:23:02.912
Limited market, limited output.
681
00:23:03.132 --> 00:23:04.612
300 kg a year per club.
682
00:23:04.972 --> 00:23:07.141
That's like 660 pounds, something like that.
683
00:23:07.232 --> 00:23:07.571
That's it.
684

00:23:07.792 --> 00:23:07.932
Yeah.
685
00:23:08.032 --> 00:23:10.511
You could do that with like 42 lights a year or something like that.
686
00:23:10.592 --> 00:23:11.482
150 pounds a month.
687
00:23:11.482 --> 00:23:12.852
300 lights or some s**t. Yeah, something like that, right?
688
00:23:12.892 --> 00:23:13.332
Okay. Yeah.
689
00:23:14.452 --> 00:23:17.442
And so those guys, it's only 300 kg a year,
690
00:23:18.912 --> 00:23:21.212
but it's better strains, right? It's fresh.
691
00:23:21.552 --> 00:23:25.412
It didn't have to get shipped from Canada and sit in Portugal and go
692
00:23:25.452 --> 00:23:28.192
across seas, not environmentally controlled.
693
00:23:28.252 --> 00:23:28.772
Right.
694
00:23:28.812 --> 00:23:32.402
Right? Then it sits in Portugal for X amount of weeks, then it gets brought into
695
00:23:32.432 --> 00:23:33.492
the pharmaceutical market.
696
00:23:33.592 --> 00:23:33.732
Yeah.
697
00:23:33.792 --> 00:23:36.512
Right? Or it gets brought in a check, and it gets greenwashed in.
698
00:23:36.672 --> 00:23:39.392

Either way, however it's going into the German market, it takes time.
699
00:23:39.652 --> 00:23:39.872
Sure.
700
00:23:39.952 --> 00:23:42.532
So if you want something fresh, you want something that's now, and you want the
701
00:23:42.552 --> 00:23:45.092

good strains that the pharmaceuticals aren't just monocropping-
702

00:23:45.212 --> 00:23:45.312
Yep
703
00:23:45.552 --> 00:23:45.802
... right?
704
00:23:45.972 --> 00:23:46.152
Yep.
705
00:23:46.192 --> 00:23:47.992
You're going to have to go to social club and pay a little more.
706
00:23:48.172 --> 00:23:48.372
Okay.
707
00:23:49.312 --> 00:23:51.512
And it's also off the books, right?
708
00:23:51.532 --> 00:23:55.232
German people are very, like within their by the
709
00:23:55.252 --> 00:23:55.892
rules, right?
710
00:23:55.972 --> 00:23:57.232
Yeah. Ones and zeros, X's and O's.
711
00:23:57.332 --> 00:24:00.872
That's it. And then, excuse me, and then if you buy it from a pharmaceutical
712
00:24:00.932 --> 00:24:02.651
company, you have to have the

713
00:24:04.012 --> 00:24:07.852
medical pass, XYZ, then it affects your health insurance, yada.
714
00:24:08.452 --> 00:24:08.842

Literally all-
715

00:24:08.842 --> 00:24:10.471
Right. Truly tied into the medical system.
716
00:24:10.812 --> 00:24:14.672
Right. And then, but you're able to get it for five euro a gram all the way up,
717
00:24:15.232 --> 00:24:16.972
and it's a lot cheaper, but it's a lot worse.
718
00:24:17.012 --> 00:24:18.472
Because it's at a higher scale.
719
00:24:18.572 --> 00:24:21.172
Right. But this is what I go back to America. This is what I believe.
720
00:24:21.292 --> 00:24:22.162
Stick around.
721
00:24:23.272 --> 00:24:25.112
Mr. Cool Guy. This is what I believe is
722
00:24:26.232 --> 00:24:29.312
that it's going to go to two markets in America.
723
00:24:29.512 --> 00:24:29.672
Okay.
724
00:24:29.772 --> 00:24:33.372
You're going to have, for the short term, I think the big
725
00:24:33.452 --> 00:24:35.532
guys are going to be the first ones to go DEA,
726
00:24:36.852 --> 00:24:40.432
the DEA readiness program. They're going to be exporting through FDA or whatever,

727
00:24:40.492 --> 00:24:40.942
right? They're going to be exporting.
728
00:24:40.952 --> 00:24:42.192
Curaleaf, Trulieve.
729
00:24:42.232 --> 00:24:42.812
Glass House.
730
00:24:43.172 --> 00:24:43.682
Glass House, Verano.
731
00:24:43.752 --> 00:24:45.762
I think that stabilizes some of the markets
732
00:24:46.872 --> 00:24:50.562
because Glass House right now, obviously, but let's be real, they grow enough weed
733
00:24:50.572 --> 00:24:51.932
to supply the whole California market.
734
00:24:52.812 --> 00:24:53.052
Right.
735
00:24:53.172 --> 00:24:56.232

Okay? But now once you're able to take those big players out-
736

00:24:57.104 --> 00:24:58.224
And let them go export.
737
00:24:58.744 --> 00:24:59.444
Yes.
738
00:24:59.504 --> 00:24:59.824
Right?
739
00:24:59.884 --> 00:25:00.194
Yes.
740
00:25:00.924 --> 00:25:02.314
What happens to those markets?
741

00:25:02.404 --> 00:25:04.444
Allows for more room for more growth.
742
00:25:04.684 --> 00:25:07.044
I think so for a little bit. At least a little bit.
743
00:25:07.454 --> 00:25:09.884
And then I use the women's soccer analogy, right?
744
00:25:10.484 --> 00:25:11.904
Let's be real, the US
745
00:25:13.204 --> 00:25:16.744
women's team is only so good because our girls have been able to play sports here.
746
00:25:16.964 --> 00:25:17.224
Yes.
747
00:25:17.384 --> 00:25:17.524
Right?
748
00:25:17.724 --> 00:25:18.154
Yeah. Yes.
749
00:25:18.164 --> 00:25:21.084
They're able to play sports, and we have the feeder programs all the way through.
750
00:25:21.164 --> 00:25:21.244
Absolutely.
751
00:25:21.284 --> 00:25:22.384
That's why we're number one in the world.
752
00:25:22.524 --> 00:25:23.004
Absolutely.
753
00:25:23.104 --> 00:25:24.344
But then it's like any other sport.
754
00:25:24.384 --> 00:25:26.664
What happens when Africa starts letting their girls play soccer?
755
00:25:26.704 --> 00:25:27.624

What happens to all these other places?
756
00:25:27.644 --> 00:25:28.604
More training.
757
00:25:28.684 --> 00:25:31.684
Okay. I think that we have a little run on cannabis.
758
00:25:31.744 --> 00:25:33.004
Okay. I see.
759
00:25:33.044 --> 00:25:36.194
And I just got back from Germany, and I'm telling you, the natural,
760
00:25:36.914 --> 00:25:40.584
the average home grower is smarter than 70% of the commercial
761
00:25:40.624 --> 00:25:41.864
cultivators I sell to.
762
00:25:42.024 --> 00:25:42.384
Right.
763
00:25:42.424 --> 00:25:43.424
The average home grower.
764
00:25:43.644 --> 00:25:43.944
Right.
765
00:25:44.004 --> 00:25:45.944
I'm talking spreadsheets, tracking data points.
766
00:25:46.004 --> 00:25:49.464
I'm talking tracking node counts during flip, tracking inches during
767
00:25:49.844 --> 00:25:53.104
stretch, tracking millimeter size during bulk. They have it on everything.
768
00:25:53.124 --> 00:25:55.404
They're engaged, they're passionate, they care.
769
00:25:55.434 --> 00:25:59.244
They care. And then you go to guys that are running multi-million dollar businesses

770
00:25:59.284 --> 00:26:02.584
for other people, and they're, "I don't know, the spreadsheet?"
771
00:26:03.224 --> 00:26:04.284
Wow. You've seen that in real life.
772
00:26:04.764 --> 00:26:05.464
I see it every day.
773
00:26:08.024 --> 00:26:11.644
We were talking about home grow a little bit.
774
00:26:12.264 --> 00:26:15.964
It's not a CEE program, but XL Energy actually
775
00:26:15.984 --> 00:26:19.924
has lighting rebates for home grow cultivation.
776
00:26:21.084 --> 00:26:21.464
And
777
00:26:22.484 --> 00:26:26.324
let's tap in a little bit. Grow Pros has some light options for
778
00:26:26.644 --> 00:26:27.264
home grow.
779
00:26:27.324 --> 00:26:28.024
Yes, sir.
780
00:26:28.064 --> 00:26:28.924
Tell me a little bit about that.
781
00:26:28.944 --> 00:26:31.774
So we have multiple lights that would fit into that home grow market, right?
782
00:26:32.424 --> 00:26:36.324
All of our entry lights would fit very well into that CEE residential
783
00:26:36.334 --> 00:26:36.804
program.

784
00:26:36.884 --> 00:26:37.484
Yes.
785
00:26:37.784 --> 00:26:41.304
Then we also have a home grow company as well. So we have Alufa.
786
00:26:41.364 --> 00:26:41.764
Okay.
787
00:26:41.804 --> 00:26:43.764
Alufa is a very cost-efficient top light,
788
00:26:45.084 --> 00:26:48.884
under canopy. We do multiple top lights and under canopies for the home
789
00:26:48.904 --> 00:26:49.284
grower, though.
790
00:26:49.304 --> 00:26:49.784
Okay.
791
00:26:49.824 --> 00:26:53.594
Right. So this is another thing, is I believe that every home grow company
792
00:26:53.784 --> 00:26:56.804
started in home grow and then try to go attack the commercial space.
793
00:26:56.884 --> 00:26:57.104
Sure.
794
00:26:57.384 --> 00:26:59.324
Right? We all come from commercial cultivation.
795
00:26:59.544 --> 00:26:59.644
Yeah.
796
00:26:59.724 --> 00:27:01.284
We come from commercial manufacturing.
797
00:27:01.444 --> 00:27:01.584
Yeah.
798

00:27:01.764 --> 00:27:03.844
Then we went and we attacked that market.
799
00:27:03.884 --> 00:27:07.294
We believe we're top three in every single one of our categories that we're in,
800
00:27:07.384 --> 00:27:07.524
right?
801
00:27:07.563 --> 00:27:08.024
Okay. Yep.
802
00:27:08.204 --> 00:27:11.784
Then we're giving that same exact expertise and that quality back to the home
803
00:27:11.824 --> 00:27:15.704
grower. Instead of trying to rip them off and make our money off the home grower
804
00:27:15.724 --> 00:27:15.964

and go-
805

00:27:16.654 --> 00:27:16.654
Yeah
806
00:27:16.654 --> 00:27:17.944
... and attack the commercial market.
807
00:27:17.984 --> 00:27:17.994
Yeah.
808
00:27:18.004 --> 00:27:21.944
We started in commercial market, and we had to go be competitive in price
809
00:27:21.964 --> 00:27:25.724
points and XYZ, and we cut our teeth in it for six years as a company.
810
00:27:25.764 --> 00:27:26.084
Wow.
811
00:27:26.104 --> 00:27:29.314
Right? I've only been here for three, but John has had Grow Pros for six years and
812
00:27:29.324 --> 00:27:30.084

built this company.
813
00:27:30.124 --> 00:27:30.464
Okay.
814
00:27:30.504 --> 00:27:34.264
Right? And then finally, six years later, five and a half, we
815
00:27:34.364 --> 00:27:38.294
sit back and we give a company back to the commercial grower at a very affordable
816
00:27:38.304 --> 00:27:38.784
price point.
817
00:27:38.844 --> 00:27:39.614
Wow. That's cool.
818
00:27:39.614 --> 00:27:40.724
That's the story of Alufa.
819
00:27:41.024 --> 00:27:43.624
What's the culture like inside of Grow Pros?
820
00:27:44.434 --> 00:27:47.624
And how unique is it to any other cannabis company that you've been a part of?
821
00:27:48.144 --> 00:27:51.084
It permeates from the top down, man.
822
00:27:51.844 --> 00:27:55.184
I work for the hardest working CEO that there is in the whole industry.
823
00:27:55.264 --> 00:27:55.864
Wow.
824
00:27:57.324 --> 00:28:00.444
My partner, I'm blessed to call him my partner and not my boss anymore, but my
825
00:28:00.484 --> 00:28:01.624
partner, John, honestly,
826
00:28:02.584 --> 00:28:06.344
him, my other partner, Jack, and Jackie, the three partners, and Chuck.

827
00:28:06.404 --> 00:28:06.564
Yeah.
828
00:28:06.704 --> 00:28:10.524
I have four partners in the company, and those guys work harder than anybody I know
829
00:28:10.564 --> 00:28:11.204
in the whole industry.
830
00:28:11.244 --> 00:28:14.744
You can tell. You guys are online all times.
831
00:28:15.424 --> 00:28:16.804
And it's about being there for a cultivator.
832
00:28:16.844 --> 00:28:20.624
When your room goes out at 2:00 a.m., right, who can you call that really matters?
833
00:28:20.884 --> 00:28:21.264
Right.
834
00:28:21.324 --> 00:28:21.894
Right? And then,
835
00:28:23.304 --> 00:28:25.464
even, we sell electronics, s**t happens, right?
836
00:28:25.644 --> 00:28:25.784
Right.
837
00:28:26.024 --> 00:28:28.724
But then how is your RMA process? How is your warranty process?
838
00:28:28.924 --> 00:28:29.004
Right.
839
00:28:29.064 --> 00:28:30.324
How fast can you take care of me?
840
00:28:30.404 --> 00:28:32.784
Right. Uptime. Keeping people online.

841
00:28:32.984 --> 00:28:35.084

Am I making you wait 15 weeks to-
842

00:28:35.644 --> 00:28:35.654
Mm.
843
00:28:35.684 --> 00:28:39.294
... send something to China, and then 15 weeks to send it back or go through this
844
00:28:39.344 --> 00:28:42.624
whole long warranty process, and then still make you wait another 10 weeks?
845
00:28:42.884 --> 00:28:46.524
No. We're taking care of our guys because we understand that they have live plants
846
00:28:46.564 --> 00:28:47.284
in their facility.
847
00:28:47.344 --> 00:28:50.884
Absolutely. And when it comes to a new market like Minnesota, we're not going to be
848
00:28:50.924 --> 00:28:54.044
the new market forever, but what's your approach to tapping in?
849
00:28:54.124 --> 00:28:56.164
How do you enter in a new market?
850
00:28:57.564 --> 00:28:58.784
Invest time.
851
00:28:59.124 --> 00:28:59.284
Yeah.
852
00:28:59.464 --> 00:29:01.204
Time, time, time, friendships, bro.
853
00:29:01.344 --> 00:29:01.864
Yeah.
854
00:29:01.904 --> 00:29:02.824
That become brotherhoods.
855

00:29:02.884 --> 00:29:02.934
Yeah.
856
00:29:03.024 --> 00:29:03.544
Honestly, bro,
857
00:29:05.124 --> 00:29:06.594
I've been coming out here for three years .
858
00:29:06.644 --> 00:29:06.944
Yeah.
859
00:29:06.984 --> 00:29:10.254
When I came out here three years ago, nobody was ready, and
860
00:29:10.304 --> 00:29:14.124
I fought this fight for three years with you guys.
861
00:29:14.464 --> 00:29:17.244
And it's like I started a business out here as well.
862
00:29:17.304 --> 00:29:19.773
I have my partner, John Steinback, out here, right?
863
00:29:19.824 --> 00:29:19.924
Yeah.
864
00:29:19.944 --> 00:29:21.964
Within our group, we have a plethora of licenses.
865
00:29:22.084 --> 00:29:22.264
Yeah.
866
00:29:22.404 --> 00:29:25.604
Transportation, we have manufacturing, we have extraction, we have retail, we have
867
00:29:25.644 --> 00:29:26.224
cultivation.
868
00:29:26.284 --> 00:29:26.464
Wow.
869
00:29:26.984 --> 00:29:30.524

Right. So then out here, we're doing everything on that on my own, Benjamin's
870
00:29:30.604 --> 00:29:32.044
personal time, right?
871
00:29:32.164 --> 00:29:32.654
Sure. Right.
872
00:29:32.664 --> 00:29:36.614
But coming into this market for three years, I fought the fight with you guys,
873
00:29:36.644 --> 00:29:40.244
and I've seen and literally had the friendships of guys thinking that they're going
874
00:29:40.264 --> 00:29:42.524
to get online in a month, two months, six months.
875
00:29:42.744 --> 00:29:42.884
Yeah.
876
00:29:42.984 --> 00:29:45.904
And then, oh, OCM one year, this, that, and the licenses don't come out.
877
00:29:45.984 --> 00:29:47.404
Next thing you know, it's a year and a half.
878
00:29:47.484 --> 00:29:47.724
Right.
879
00:29:47.864 --> 00:29:50.604
Mezzos are putting money into fighting the micros to not come out.
880
00:29:50.624 --> 00:29:50.944
Mm.
881
00:29:51.044 --> 00:29:51.994
Let's touch on that, right?
882
00:29:52.014 --> 00:29:52.014
Mm-hmm.
883
00:29:53.024 --> 00:29:56.444
Let's be honest, you guys were supposed to have a two-year head start on micros.

884
00:29:56.544 --> 00:29:56.684
Yeah.
885
00:29:57.104 --> 00:29:58.504
Micros supposed to have a two-year head start.
886
00:29:58.644 --> 00:29:59.144
Yes.
887
00:29:59.404 --> 00:30:02.984
Right? And lobbying and money and XYZ pushed it back.
888
00:30:03.004 --> 00:30:04.333
They stayed the lottery,
889
00:30:04.424 --> 00:30:08.324
licenses were supposed to come out in November, they
890
00:30:08.364 --> 00:30:10.444
didn't come out till May of the next year.
891
00:30:10.954 --> 00:30:13.424

They threw the whole thing off because-
892

00:30:15.044 --> 00:30:17.064
... you're supposed to grow the plant before you sell the plant.
893
00:30:18.204 --> 00:30:20.804
And then they open up, then this is what they do to your market.
894
00:30:20.844 --> 00:30:22.924
Exactly, they open up all the retail first.
895
00:30:23.004 --> 00:30:23.344
Mm-hmm.
896
00:30:23.824 --> 00:30:23.864
Right?
897
00:30:23.874 --> 00:30:26.544
So they become hemp-derived gummy stores with tribal flower.

898
00:30:27.244 --> 00:30:27.624
And
899
00:30:28.624 --> 00:30:29.644
low quality, right?
900
00:30:30.764 --> 00:30:34.304
And low COA testing and long testing times, XYZ, right?
901
00:30:34.384 --> 00:30:37.004
No real lab, a couple labs, but not enough.
902
00:30:37.644 --> 00:30:39.304
And then the micros
903
00:30:40.144 --> 00:30:43.164
are allowed to come online in how long, right?
904
00:30:43.204 --> 00:30:44.904
And everybody comes online, all the retails.
905
00:30:45.384 --> 00:30:48.534
The micros are just now starting to build out, and you have mezzos that are already
906
00:30:48.604 --> 00:30:49.624
done.
907
00:30:49.664 --> 00:30:50.664
Yeah. A couple,
908
00:30:51.504 --> 00:30:54.704
right? Every market has its
909
00:30:55.424 --> 00:30:59.384
issues. The saving grace, I say, is that at least the Minnesota
910
00:30:59.424 --> 00:31:00.684
market never stopped.
911
00:31:00.724 --> 00:31:01.604
And never stopped
912

00:31:02.228 --> 00:31:06.208
And so it's the grinders that are willing to invest time month
913
00:31:06.268 --> 00:31:09.368
in, month out, to not lose tabs and not lose
914
00:31:09.728 --> 00:31:13.208
momentum, because it's a little bit of slow and steady wins the race.
915
00:31:13.268 --> 00:31:13.468
Yeah.
916
00:31:13.848 --> 00:31:17.288
You got to have a good turtle in this race because it is a slow pace.
917
00:31:17.928 --> 00:31:20.528
But how quickly do you think things will change?
918
00:31:20.788 --> 00:31:23.028
We're summer of 2026 right now.
919
00:31:24.488 --> 00:31:26.588
What do the next couple of years look like for Minnesota?
920
00:31:29.148 --> 00:31:31.788
People are saying two years of a high market. I don't see that.
921
00:31:32.568 --> 00:31:36.488
I personally don't. I see this market probably,
922
00:31:36.508 --> 00:31:39.108
and it's going to be a hard and fast crash, I believe, and it's sad.
923
00:31:39.588 --> 00:31:43.088

So, the Pro Formas that are built right now at 4,000 a pound-
924

00:31:43.508 --> 00:31:43.617
Yeah
925
00:31:43.617 --> 00:31:44.368
... they're not safe.
926
00:31:44.948 --> 00:31:45.038

Right.
927
00:31:45.108 --> 00:31:45.928
They're not safe.
928
00:31:46.088 --> 00:31:46.228
Right.
929
00:31:46.488 --> 00:31:49.968
Right. So, these guys that think they're going to be making this for X amount of
930
00:31:50.048 --> 00:31:53.108
years or time, I don't-- Look what happened to Boston.
931
00:31:53.148 --> 00:31:56.348
Look what happened to all of Mass. It was the fastest falling market in the
932
00:31:56.388 --> 00:31:56.748
country.
933
00:31:57.228 --> 00:31:57.288
Wow.
934
00:31:57.388 --> 00:31:58.188
Like this.
935
00:31:58.308 --> 00:31:58.468
Yeah.
936
00:31:58.688 --> 00:32:01.488
It went from the same thing, 5,000 a pound down to two.
937
00:32:02.328 --> 00:32:02.688
Right.
938
00:32:03.008 --> 00:32:04.668
And then so what happens is,
939
00:32:05.488 --> 00:32:07.488
I think that there's going to be compression in the market.
940
00:32:07.628 --> 00:32:07.808
Yeah.

941
00:32:08.088 --> 00:32:10.228
That always happens. These guys are going to get online.
942
00:32:11.088 --> 00:32:14.288
Then the other scary thing is I see a lot of places out here that are being built
943
00:32:14.728 --> 00:32:17.928
with millions of dollars, and they're like, "Hey, this is my best friend I've been
944
00:32:17.968 --> 00:32:21.168
buying weed from since I was in sixth grade," or whatever.
945
00:32:21.388 --> 00:32:22.328
Let's put him in charge.
946
00:32:22.628 --> 00:32:25.128
"And he's been growing six plants for me the whole time."
947
00:32:26.008 --> 00:32:29.308
And you think that guy that's been growing six or 600 plants is going to be able to
948
00:32:29.348 --> 00:32:32.588
go grow 60,000 plants or six million plants a year.
949
00:32:32.728 --> 00:32:32.928
Right.
950
00:32:33.328 --> 00:32:33.588
Right?
951
00:32:34.008 --> 00:32:37.528
Right. The 10X, 100X, 1,000X, it doesn't scale up.
952
00:32:37.688 --> 00:32:40.408
So, what makes a great director of cultivation?
953
00:32:41.108 --> 00:32:45.088
How much experience do you need to go from at
954
00:32:45.148 --> 00:32:48.728
home underground to above ground, all the lights on?

955
00:32:49.328 --> 00:32:52.648
I think the difference of a director of cultivation is
956
00:32:53.428 --> 00:32:56.728
I need to be able to see your business plans, I need to be able to see your
957
00:32:56.828 --> 00:33:00.708
cultivation plans, your labor plans, your data tracking sheets,
958
00:33:01.128 --> 00:33:03.468
your R&D sheets. What R&Ds are you running?
959
00:33:03.528 --> 00:33:05.248
I need to be able to see all of your data.
960
00:33:05.288 --> 00:33:05.808
Yeah.
961
00:33:05.868 --> 00:33:08.418
Then I don't care if you're tracking it, what changes have you made off of that?
962
00:33:09.388 --> 00:33:11.368
Yeah, you got informed decisions.
963
00:33:11.468 --> 00:33:13.517
I know guys that track a lot of data and make no changes.
964
00:33:15.048 --> 00:33:18.988
I see you run with the tagline, "Data rules everything around me."
965
00:33:19.068 --> 00:33:22.168
How do you utilize data within your role at Grow Pros?
966
00:33:22.488 --> 00:33:26.088
Man, it's all about, for me, it's markets, it's
967
00:33:26.488 --> 00:33:28.908
what are the most advantageous, what's building out, what's hot.
968
00:33:29.348 --> 00:33:32.408
Obviously, staying on top of our sales team on their own KPIs, right?
969

00:33:32.508 --> 00:33:32.688
Yeah.
970
00:33:33.248 --> 00:33:35.248
Then it's within the data of our marketing side.
971
00:33:35.308 --> 00:33:37.608
I'm wearing four or five hats right now.
972
00:33:37.668 --> 00:33:38.308
Okay.
973
00:33:38.428 --> 00:33:40.408
I help run our internal rebate side.
974
00:33:40.568 --> 00:33:41.088
I run
975
00:33:42.068 --> 00:33:44.128
the wholesale side of Grow Pro Solutions.
976
00:33:44.218 --> 00:33:44.388
Yeah.
977
00:33:44.668 --> 00:33:48.128
Then I'm helping in the construction side, partnered in that, partnered in the
978
00:33:48.168 --> 00:33:48.868
media company.
979
00:33:49.248 --> 00:33:50.028
Yeah.
980
00:33:50.108 --> 00:33:52.188

All of those companies, it's all about the data-
981

00:33:52.428 --> 00:33:52.538
Right
982
00:33:52.548 --> 00:33:55.318

... for me to be able to get that 10,000-foot view-
983

00:33:55.488 --> 00:33:55.768

Yeah
984
00:33:55.788 --> 00:33:58.028
... and help those guys be able to make the changes, right?
985
00:33:58.248 --> 00:33:58.428
Right.
986
00:33:59.288 --> 00:33:59.388
So,
987
00:34:00.228 --> 00:34:01.478
on Instagram, you're easy to find.
988
00:34:01.688 --> 00:34:04.748
How else can folks get in touch with you if they want to connect with Grow Pros?
989
00:34:05.488 --> 00:34:07.488
Benjamin@wegrowpros.com.
990
00:34:07.588 --> 00:34:07.728
Yeah.
991
00:34:08.649 --> 00:34:09.988
wegrowpros.com.
992
00:34:10.069 --> 00:34:10.078
Right.
993
00:34:10.089 --> 00:34:11.528

We're not hard to find. Instagram-
994

00:34:11.629 --> 00:34:11.638
Right
995
00:34:11.638 --> 00:34:11.908

... Twitter-
996

00:34:11.919 --> 00:34:12.058
Absolutely
997
00:34:12.058 --> 00:34:12.649
... Facebook.

998
00:34:12.708 --> 00:34:12.988
Yep.
999
00:34:13.748 --> 00:34:14.248
I'm around.
1000
00:34:14.468 --> 00:34:15.028
Absolutely.
1001
00:34:15.038 --> 00:34:17.328
If you find Steven from Canna Connect, I'll be somewhere close.
1002
00:34:20.848 --> 00:34:24.548
Words of advice for the Minnesota listener right now, whether they're on the
1003
00:34:24.589 --> 00:34:27.688
Grow side, the dispensary side. It's 2026.
1004
00:34:28.109 --> 00:34:29.428
They've been in this fight for a while.
1005
00:34:29.708 --> 00:34:33.609
I've been in the market, paying attention to the market since 2019.
1006
00:34:33.649 --> 00:34:35.388
We just were talking to Jim from Strains of the Earth.
1007
00:34:35.448 --> 00:34:39.348
I remember when he had a shop inside the mall seven years ago, and now
1008
00:34:39.428 --> 00:34:40.868

he's getting ready to put his-
1009

00:34:40.888 --> 00:34:40.899
Yeah
1010
00:34:40.908 --> 00:34:41.888
... cultivation up.
1011
00:34:43.208 --> 00:34:46.448
You've seen a lot of markets. You're not unfamiliar with Minnesota.

1012
00:34:46.888 --> 00:34:50.388
What's the word to the wise when it comes to where we're at right now?
1013
00:34:51.569 --> 00:34:52.928
Plan your business plans
1014
00:34:54.348 --> 00:34:56.569
at half of probably whatever you're quoting.
1015
00:34:56.669 --> 00:34:57.308
Sure.
1016
00:34:57.368 --> 00:34:57.588
Right.
1017
00:34:58.948 --> 00:35:02.438
And then also the number one thing for Minnesota is I would
1018
00:35:02.488 --> 00:35:06.388
attach that license as fast as I can to an address, as soon
1019
00:35:06.428 --> 00:35:10.348
as you can. So out here, as you know, all the licenses were let out after they
1020
00:35:10.388 --> 00:35:10.908
sued the state.
1021
00:35:11.248 --> 00:35:11.388
Yep.
1022
00:35:11.608 --> 00:35:13.288

But you got a year and a half or something-
1023

00:35:13.338 --> 00:35:13.338
Yeah
1024
00:35:13.338 --> 00:35:14.368
... to make it operational.
1025
00:35:14.428 --> 00:35:14.628
Yep.
1026

00:35:14.948 --> 00:35:18.808
OCM will give you that extension. I know guys that are ready to just give up right
1027
00:35:18.828 --> 00:35:22.748
now. But I also know guys that are attaching their licenses to
1028
00:35:22.828 --> 00:35:26.508
outdoor plots, attaching their licenses to something that's easy to go get.
1029
00:35:26.808 --> 00:35:26.948
Yeah.
1030
00:35:27.268 --> 00:35:28.988
Don't lose that license, guys.
1031
00:35:29.428 --> 00:35:29.628
Right.
1032
00:35:29.948 --> 00:35:31.588
Work towards it every single day.
1033
00:35:31.648 --> 00:35:32.888
Right. It's valuable.
1034
00:35:33.028 --> 00:35:35.508
It's valuable. Continue to find that plan.
1035
00:35:35.548 --> 00:35:38.728
The fact that you have that license, you're going to be kicking yourself in the a*s
1036
00:35:38.768 --> 00:35:40.288
in 10 years if you lose it.
1037
00:35:40.408 --> 00:35:40.868
Sure.
1038
00:35:42.808 --> 00:35:44.128
What do you have to say about Case God?
1039
00:35:45.368 --> 00:35:48.728
Case God. He's a blessing in my life, honestly, man.
1040
00:35:49.208 --> 00:35:51.168

He's a positive influence
1041
00:35:52.048 --> 00:35:55.408

of just energy, bro, and what he does for us in Grow Pros-
1042

00:35:55.488 --> 00:35:55.728
Wow
1043
00:35:55.848 --> 00:35:59.348
... not only on the energy side, but the marketing, the media marketing.
1044
00:36:00.448 --> 00:36:03.228
And then, I'll cut this, we just had a fire at Case God.
1045
00:36:04.768 --> 00:36:04.878
RIP Case God.
1046
00:36:04.888 --> 00:36:06.188
Just had a fire at Case God.
1047
00:36:06.468 --> 00:36:06.708
Wow.
1048
00:36:06.788 --> 00:36:09.148
And same day, we had to hire him as CEO.
1049
00:36:09.508 --> 00:36:10.568
Ah. On the media side.
1050
00:36:10.628 --> 00:36:12.687
Yes, sir. So that's what started our other company.
1051
00:36:12.768 --> 00:36:13.108
Cool.
1052
00:36:13.128 --> 00:36:14.788
We got tired of waiting on everybody else.
1053
00:36:14.888 --> 00:36:15.048
Yep.
1054
00:36:15.128 --> 00:36:16.308
Like I say, with all these companies-

1055
00:36:16.548 --> 00:36:16.708
Yep
1056
00:36:16.788 --> 00:36:17.928

... we go find the right guy-
1057

00:36:18.068 --> 00:36:18.248
Right
1058
00:36:18.448 --> 00:36:22.278
... put him in position, and give him the reins, and like John did with me, give
1059
00:36:22.288 --> 00:36:23.508
him the steering wheel and let him drive.
1060
00:36:23.568 --> 00:36:25.198
Yeah. You're a puzzle guy.
1061
00:36:25.578 --> 00:36:25.578
Yes.
1062
00:36:25.628 --> 00:36:27.708
You like to see the pieces and how they fit together.
1063
00:36:27.748 --> 00:36:28.188
Yeah.
1064
00:36:28.228 --> 00:36:30.268
I like to say we turn stars into constellations.
1065
00:36:30.468 --> 00:36:31.128
I love that.
1066
00:36:31.138 --> 00:36:31.138
Yeah.
1067
00:36:31.188 --> 00:36:35.048
I love that. That's it. Being able to surround yourself with great
1068
00:36:35.108 --> 00:36:37.548
people is the only thing that's going to make you better.

1069
00:36:38.188 --> 00:36:39.208
We appreciate your support.
1070
00:36:39.288 --> 00:36:39.928
I love you, brother.
1071
00:36:39.988 --> 00:36:42.888
It's been fun. Every time we get a little closer, every time we
1072
00:36:44.208 --> 00:36:48.168
dial it in a little bit more. We got Grow Pro Solutions officially on Canna
1073
00:36:48.228 --> 00:36:49.088
Connect season two.
1074
00:36:49.268 --> 00:36:49.478
My brother.
1075
00:36:49.528 --> 00:36:50.428
Benjamin Matsuda,
1076
00:36:51.488 --> 00:36:54.868
AKA Bench Plug Benny. Find him on Instagram, reach out to him.
1077
00:36:55.208 --> 00:36:57.058
Very approachable, very easy to find.
1078
00:36:57.128 --> 00:37:00.108
Grow Pros is doing great work in the community. Much love, bro.
1079
00:37:00.188 --> 00:37:02.388
Thank you. Much love. We have our after party tonight.
1080
00:37:02.468 --> 00:37:05.768
Yes. This isn't live, so we're not going to plug it too hard, but look for the
1081
00:37:05.788 --> 00:37:08.868
official recap coming soon. Grow Pros and Canna Connect, we're in the
1082
00:37:08.888 --> 00:37:09.968
building.