Brandon Wiegand, COO of Jardin Premium Cannabis Dispensary – Interview Series

Brandon Wiegand is the  Chief Operating Officer of Jardin Premium Cannabis Dispensary. For nearly the past decade, Brandon Wiegand has served on the Board of Directors or similar C-level positions and has reached significant sales and operations milestones for some of the most popular cannabis brands in Nevada. Originally entering into the cannabis industry through the interesting route of commercial real estate, Wiegand has utilized his years of experience in the cannabis industry in incredibly and legislatively useful ways, such as his recent trip to Washington D.C. to lobby the oftentimes stubborn Congress about hemp and cannabis-related legislation.

How did you first get involved in the cannabis industry and what attracted you about working in this still very tumultuous industry?  

I came from commercial real estate and development – the group I worked with ended up partnering with a group that was putting together a license application and needed a capital partner and someone that understood how to navigate the process and politics in Nevada. We were successful and were awarded 2x dispensary licenses, a cultivation, and a production license. I assisted with site selection and managing the build outs – as facilities became operational, the group needed executive talent and leadership, and it was at that point that I fully transitioned to cannabis.

As for what attracted me to cannabis, I think it was the opportunity to take part in the genesis of an entirely new industry. There were no road maps or directions – it was very much a startup environment and part of the fun was getting your hands dirty in so many different areas of the business and figuring it all out together. My mother used to tell me in high school that weed was a path to nowhere – I think there was a small part of me that also liked being able to prove her wrong!

How would you describe your first role in the cannabis industry, along with any common ups and downs, and how does the Las Vegas industry compare to other cities?

I stepped into an operations role with our production license, but as I stated above, it was a start-up and we were all hands on deck, which meant I was involved and exposed to every facet of the business allowing me to understand how everything needed to work together cohesively.

This business is still a roller coaster ride – we’ve been at it a decade, but things continue to rapidly change and evolve. That’s part of the fun and the challenge – it certainly feels as though every time you start to hit your stride and establish some stability – the ground movers beneath your feet. A regulatory change, new technology, the market changes… it’s the most dynamic business I’ve ever been a part of.

What are some of the most widespread issues facing the Nevada cannabis industry currently? And what do you believe would be the best course of action in minimizing the illicit market as much as possible?

I just got back from Washington DC lobbying Congress with ATACH (American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp) on behalf of the NCA (Nevada Cannabis Association) to close the 2018 Farm Bill loophole – I think intoxicating hemp products are an existential threat to the established licensed and regulated market. The D8, D10, and even “Farm Bill compliant THCa flower” (let’s just be clear – the same flower we grow as licensed operators all tests primarily as THCa – it’s just weed) – these products and the operators behind them are circumventing and undercutting the legal market – there’s no regulation, no testing, no age-gating or verification. We’ve made so much progress in this industry and my fear is that we’re one bad headline from setting all that back.

In Nevada specifically, I think the actions taken by the Nevada Resort Association to implement a 1500’ distance separation for cannabis, excluding cannabis delivery to the strip, and killing efforts to pass events consumption legislation and/or regs have paradoxically created a robust and thriving illicit market within the tourist corridor. The very thing the NRA says they want to avoid is blowing up because tourists come here looking for cannabis and expect it to be available – so they pop open their phone, look up cannabis near me, and a bunch of illegal delivery services show up. Tourists have no idea they’re illegal, but they offer cheap products delivered right to their hotel room doors. By pushing the legal market out, they’ve allowed the illicit market to thrive.

As a cannabis professional who’s held numerous C-level exec positions for some of the most notable brands in Nevada, what have been some of the most crucial roles with which companies and why do you feel that way?

I’m not sure there’s an easy way to answer this question – to clarify, I’ve never really viewed my roles as wholly different or independent of each other. While the titles and companies may be different, I feel as though I’ve been doing the same thing over the last decade in this industry. I’ve always viewed my role as a servant leader – my job is to prioritize and clarify our focus, point the team in the same direction, and then support them by moving the road blocks out of the way. The work each day may look different, but when you zoom out – it’s the same thing. Identify opportunities, solve problems, and hire and develop exceptional talent.

When it comes to a C-level exec/board of directors positions specifically in the cannabis industry, what are some common duties or issues that arise in those positions that the average cannabis consumer may not know about?

There is so much that goes into compliance – it literally touches every facet of the organization and it can be a moving target. I would imagine the general public thinks of regulations as pretty much set in stone and just back and white rules that must be followed – and that is just not the case. Whether due to poor language, operator AND regulator interpretation, and the evolution of the industry – not everything fits neatly into boxes. That can be frustrating for consumers – you were able to do something yesterday and you aren’t able to do that today or vice versa. It has gotten a lot better, but this industry is still new and still dynamic and it will continue to evolve over time.

What appealed to you about working for Jardin? In particular, how do you feel the operations and the dispensary itself of Jardin are doing differently or more successfully than other cannabis brands in Nevada?

I’ve always had my eyes on Jardín working in Nevada – I was always paying attention to them and what they were doing. I think a huge part of Jardín’s success has been their willingness to choose a side of the road and drive in their lane. I see a lot of brands struggle with that – they try to be all things to all people. They don’t want to turn anyone off and as a result, they don’t do anything to create raving fans. Jardín has been unapologetic about who we are and we know we’re not for everyone and we’re not trying to be.

Overall from your years of experiences with cannabis businesses and brands of all sizes, what are some common values that you’ve either witnessed or implemented in those businesses that lead to success?

Much like I described above, digging deep to understand who you are, what you stand for, and being able and willing to clearly articulate that to the market. I don’t think there are any “right” or “wrong” core values – it’s more important that you have core values that you actually believe in – not aspirational values, but really digging down and understanding yourself and the team you’ve created or are creating to understand what makes you unique. It’s kind of like the Michelangelo quote about sculpture, “The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”

When you get it right, you just know it – it’s not forced or contrived. It’s an “A-HA” moment – when you get it right, you realize that your core values have been there all along.

With federal rescheduling on the horizon, how do you see that major move impacting Nevada cannabis businesses and operators? Would that be a positive impact, a negative one or a mixture of both?

Rescheduling really only does one thing for licensed, legal operators in any state – it eliminates the 280e tax burden. There are a whole host of other benefits that rescheduling accomplishes, but when it comes to Nevada cannabis businesses and operators, that’s the only real tangible benefit – and it is a big one – but that’s about all it changes for us.

We still need SAFER Banking to pass if it gets rescheduled.

Thank you for joining us Brandon! If you want to stay updated on Jardin, please visit their very polished website.