Cannabis jobs can be exciting at first and then turn into “just a job” where we don’t really feel empowered, trusted, motivated and ultimately fulfilled.
I’m creating this topic to discuss experiences, ideas, feelings, opportunities, realities with each other as we all seek to build our careers in this industry.
What’s been your WORST experience in the industry?
I think most women who have worked in this industry over the long haul have many horror stories and I am no exception to that, however the WORST has been the past few years. Both of my long-term employers, who were definitely more like family :), passed away within months of each other. I lost my home, my work, and connections all during the industry shift in California.
That’s a rough turn of events. Please accept our condolences on your losses. How have you been coping professionally and personally?
I’ve been giving this a lot of thought overnight and I want to ask that very question to the forum: @memberdirectory: what has been your worst experience in the cannabis industry?
Showing up in cold northern California to look for trimming jobs without experience or a car (before I was working fulltime as an event staffing specialist). I was traveling at the time, and all the world trotting hippies made it seem like a fast and easy way to make money. My friend and I found some experience and decent money, but not having a car was awful!
I would say finding a job is the hardest part the Companies are hiring degrees not knowledge or experience. Look at MASS they already have quarantines and buyouts from Colorado companies. They neglect the regulations and hire unqualified individuals that have ultimately shut down the within company they got hired within due to a 10 minute procedure. That they neglected to even bat an eye at the Regulations and trying to stay in compliance. Its sad for the people who have put in years of underground work risking their freedom to get experience knowledge and for what some college grad who has never even put salt on a cucumber to ruin a crop because BIOLOGY! lol it will change and it is I have seen the hiring processes and screening get much better throughout the last year or so. Just double check yourselves I hate to see the community or industry get a bad rep in the business world and medical industry as well. Thank you for reading. Any input is welcome!
I am so sorry to hear this!!!
Ugh so sorry! But as they say, the cream rises to the top, hopefully in the end, experience , dedication and conscientiousness as well as respect for the plant’s needs will win
Nothing like being trapped in weed country…especially with no car! It’s like a real-life scene out of Murder Mountain! No thanks! Glad you made it home safely, @rebecca!
I lived up there in the early 90s. I’m afraid to go back after watching that!
Thank you I have some really good opportunities in front of me right now but it has taken years and traveling to get where I want but I have never gave up through it all and I will not stop. Thanks for the support!
OMG I saw an ad for Murder Mountain! My eyes rolled back in my head. Thankfully I was standing next to my mother when we both saw that and got to reassure her that I was in the Cali side of the Sierra foothills, not Humboldt. And to think, we worry about traveling internationally…ha! Yes, it was quite an adventure of ride shares & ubers. Never again lol.
Losing 10k when a local dispensary “burnt down”. Us growers that made this place all lost our consignments… worst thing about it was I was on vacation out on a boat off of north captiva, FL watching some dolphins play around us when I got the call… I’ll never forget the feeling of sunshine and paradise going to an awefull pit in my stomach as I look at my children and fiancé thinking about what happened. Of course not telling them about it and ruining their experience. Rip 5 Star Meds
My last year in Mendocino was pretty disappointing , ranking among the worst . Grueling work and rough living conditions plus low yield resulting in no bonus at the end of harvest for me after being there all year . In the past someone in my position would receive a sizable bonus and percentage of the crop of at least $10,000 , usually more ! This is among the many reasons I do not wish to work at an outdoor grow especially in California. I’m looking to find my place with a cannabis company in Pennsylvania , my home state
hey joe let keep each other in mind as I’m from Michigan not too far from you !
2 years worth of hard learning experiences, tightened belts, and scraping by, from a complete paradigm shift in production methods. Ultimately, it was all for the best. I learned new tricks and how to live without being materialistic. Smooth sailing this year! 
Thank you. It’s been really rough. The losses were devastating in so many ways.
I’m barely scraping by these days, working two driving jobs. It took a long time to be able to rent a house since I was living on the land for so long, no rental history to speak of.
It’s been frustrating looking for work because my focus has always been on producing high quality medicine and using regenerative practices and the companies I have been interviewing with are at the other end of the spectrum.
In my free moments, I’ve been trying to seek out companies that fit my values for work. I’m also working on starting a regenerative consulting business. Never give up! 
Growing flower for sale (as opposed to personal home grow) can become grueling, especially under financial stress from management that don’t have any experience in growing. I am starting to think that shifting into more innovative industries like processing and extraction is a good idea to keep the mind limber/motivated and stay ahead of the curve from a business point of view. Not to say their aren’t innovations to be had in growing! Finding a company that works in the realm of science/logic based decisions and focused on customer/employee satisfaction not just $$$ is always a plus.
Thoughts?
It always helps to stay ahead of the curve and keep that mind limber. It also never hurts to learn a new trade or explore a new facet of the industry. Stay frosty
