Meet Hunter, he comes from our friends at GrowersNetwork.org and shares his experiences and knowledge of what’s happening behind the scenes on the grower side of the cannabis industry.
DCN: What obstacles have you faced in your journey?
Hunter Wilson: Oh boy, what obstacles have I not faced? The biggest challenge thus far is starting a company from the ground up! Growers Network started a little over a year and a half ago, and I joined the team last year. We built out our platform and launched it in December of last year. Since then we’ve been growing steadily with a lot of effort. I know that I personally have used almost all my skills building GN, and it’s been one heck of a ride. Not only am I acting as a writer, I’m also working as an editor, web designer, image editor, marketer, data entry, and lead generation. It’s a lot of hats, and I’ve had to be flexible to keep up with it all.
DCN: Why did you get into cannabis industry?
Hunter Wilson: I actually started in the cannabis industry with this job. My bachelor’s degree is in Biology, and my master’s degree is in Teaching. I had just recently left the education industry in Arizona (it’s in a bad state right now, and I needed to move on) when Nick found my resume online and we got started that way. I’ve learned a lot in just a few months.
DCN: What was your opinion of cannabis growing up? How has it changed?
Hunter Wilson: When I was little, I grew up in a conservative Christian mindset, which had the general vagary of “drugs are bad.” As I entered high school though and interacted with people who used cannabis on a more frequent basis, I started to realize that it wasn’t as bad as my religion or the DARE program had made it out to be. When I first tried it in college, I realized that it was kind of ridiculous that it was illegal in the first place. The effects were much more pleasant than alcohol, and I enjoyed it way more. Since then, I’ve gone on to recognize it as more than just a recreational drug — it’s a medicine, and the plant itself is useful for industrial applications as well.
DCN: How has your involvement with cannabis changed personal and career relationships?
Hunter Wilson: As somebody who belongs to the millennial generation, the job market as a whole has been bleak for most of my adult life. I’ve been through so many low-paying opportunities just trying to pay bills and get by. With the cannabis industry, I’ve finally had the chance to do more than just get by — I’ve formed relationships that I hope to cultivate and utilize for my career. In my personal life, I’ve also helped my extended family understand my point of view on cannabis as well. Much of my family is conservative, and it’s been great these past few years to see them open up to the prospect of legalized cannabis.
DCN: What are your hopes for entrepreneurship in the cannabis industry?
Hunter Wilson: Since a large portion of my job is keeping an eye on the industry as a whole and tracking down business contact information, I’ve come to recognize that the industry is incredibly volatile. I’ve seen many businesses enter the field only to disappear months later. Being naturally risk averse myself, I don’t plan on starting any businesses of my own any time soon, to say the least. That said, I do want to continue cultivating Growers Network and I hope to see it blossom into what I have envisioned for it.
To learn more about Hunter, and what’s he up to in the cannabis industry, check out Hunter’s page.