In a discussion with a colleague, she was puzzled how I could consider a move from Fortune 50 companies, global consulting and university administration roles to creating grow house solutions. From a distance (or my LinkedIn profile), I’m sure it seems very confusing. I’ve had the tremendous fortune of working for respected world leaders on cool things like jet engine development programs, nuclear reactor maintenance, pharmaceutical distribution and fraud detection. Over the past 2 decades, it has been quite the tour and learning experience.
What is my constant? Intersections! My career has been all about integrating methods or tools that seem disparate. That has included how to fix broken business processes and integrate technology to automate steps. The other major intersection has been translating raw data into meaningful information and automated actions. Whether I’ve been the hands-on analyst or Chief Data Officer leading large teams, I’ve never relaxed my focus on the intersections that help teams succeed.
But how does the leap to cannabis happen – especially for a non-cannabis user?
I’ve developed a fascination for medical cannabis. After my dad and oldest brother died horribly painful deaths from cancer, I found out that cannabis products can alleviate a lot of pain. Additionally, research is showing that THC can devour some cancer tumors. The reality is that my family members didn’t need to suffer as much and could have had a better quality of life. I’ve had an acquaintance nearly eradicate his opioid regimen required for pain management by moving to cannabis products. He went from bi-weekly trips to the hospital and living on his couch to running his own company again. More research is obviously needed, but we need to remove senseless regulations so that research can accelerate. How can I ignore the opportunity to help improve the lives of other people?
Hemp fiber is equally fascinating. With just some basic research, you can discover that hemp:
· produces at least 4 times more fiber per acre than trees
· provides that fiber volume in a few months rather than several years
· requires far fewer chemicals to make paper pulp
· can be recycled up to 8 times (instead of just 3).
That just covers hemp for paper production! We haven’t fully tapped the potential for clothing, shoes, plastics or biofuel. Much like the medical uses, we need to accelerate research, adoption and enable capital investment.
How did we get so disconnected on the use of such a foundational plant?
While researching the disconnect on cannabis and hemp use, I found my pivot point. The barrier is a mix of corporate greed, government malfeasance and a lack of understanding. The history is so rich, I can’t do it justice in this post. Please see the comments below for a link to the excellent article written by Curt Robbins on “How Cannabis Became Illegal”. In addition to being thorough and professional, you’ll have a refreshed understanding of how regulations can grow out of control due to a lack of understanding.
So, while states have started to move forward without federal support, we are left with a fractured financial system that is slowing research and innovation. Even equipment providers face ongoing scrutiny because they are supporting illegal products.
So where is my focus?
I’m turning my focus to intersections (the cornerstone of my career). In follow-up posts, I’ll provide a deeper dive into how I’ve been able focus my background (process, data, analytics and automation) to help improve the industry. I suspect people in the industry will appreciate that I refuse to tell them how to do their jobs better. My focus is on leveraging data and technology so they can improve their decisions and actions.
Before I jump into those details, check out my next post on the medical impact. It really sets a stronger foundation for my “why”.
