Sarah Strickler, Co-Founder of Grown Rogue – Interview Series

In the decade since Oregon started recreational cannabis sales, the state industry has ballooned in size, with nearly 1400 licensed producers and over 770 licensed retailers. In a billion-dollar industry with so many operators and retail establishments, it can be difficult to stand out both within and beyond state lines. While difficult, it is not impossible, with companies that strategize correctly thriving.

To better understand how a company can successfully thrive in a well-populated market while expanding into other states, mycannabis.com had the pleasure of speaking with Sarah Strickler, Co-Founder of Grown Rogue.

What were the most useful or otherwise interesting courses that you took while studying communications at Southern Oregon University? When working and navigating the new and exciting world of the cannabis industry, what courses ended up helping the most?

Communications at Southern Oregon University gave me a foundation in storytelling, media literacy and public speaking. At the time, I thought I was going to be a sports broadcaster, so courses in journalism, writing and media ethics stood out. What ended up helping most in cannabis was understanding how to frame a message. In an industry with stigma and ever-changing regulations, clarity matters. You have to understand your audience and be disciplined in your messaging. Those early lessons in communication became critical when we were raising capital, working with regulators, or explaining our business model to community leaders. Being able to articulate who we are and what we stand for is a real advantage.

How did playing Division I basketball shape and influence your philosophy and strategies on teamwork and leadership?

Division I basketball shaped almost everything about how I lead. Engaging in sport teaches discipline, and that talent is not enough. You show up every day and do the work even when you don’t feel like it. You focus on fundamentals – a mindset that translates directly into operating in a volatile industry like cannabis. You also learn how to compete while still supporting the person next to you. You learn how to accept and grow from coaching and cultivate the ability to handle “game day” pressure. You learn how to lose, reassess, adjust and come back better. The Grown Rogue team talks a lot about controlling the controllables, which is from the athletics philosophy. You can control yield, quality, culture, and execution. You can’t control pricing cycles or market oversupply – just like you can’t control the other team’s play in sport. 

What roles did you work in prior to entering the cannabis industry? How did serving as a massage therapist deepen your understanding of how cannabis is a common part of holistic health and wellness?

Before cannabis, I worked as a sports reporter, a massage therapist and did bookkeeping for a local entrepreneur. Massage therapy was pivotal, as it shifted my focus toward holistic health, helping me understand the body, stress, recovery and healing. I saw firsthand how interconnected physical and mental wellness are. Cannabis is another tool in the wellness toolbox. Just like massage, acupuncture, or movement, it can support balance and recovery when used responsibly. We aren’t just growing a commodity. We are cultivating a plant that, for many consumers, plays a vital role in their personal wellness routine—and that responsibility drives the respect and discipline we bring to every harvest.

What stigmas and pushback did you when first creating the brand that would become Grown Rogue? What other struggles did you when the brand first launched?

In Southern Oregon, cannabis has a long history, but it wasn’t always openly discussed. When we decided to formally launch Grown Rogue, we had to step into the light in a way that felt vulnerable. We were initially denied entry into our local Chamber of Commerce. There was hesitation around whether cannabis was a “real business,” which was difficult, but it also reinforces why transparency matters.

Operationally, we launched into a heavily-saturated Oregon market. Prices were falling. Capital was limited and traditional banking wasn’t available. We were building indoor facilities while transitioning from medical to recreational production. It was intense, but we remained focused on building something we were proud of. We wanted clean facilities, strong compliance, disciplined cost control and quality flower that stands on its own.

In a state market that is heavily oversupplied and highly competitive, how has Grown Rogue and their products been successful in standing out against the competition?

In oversupplied markets, fundamentals matter. From the early days, we focused on building efficient indoor cultivation systems with high yields, tight SOPs and disciplined capital deployment. We believe that low cost doesn’t and shouldn’t mean low quality when it means operational excellence. At the same time, we stayed flower-first. We didn’t chase every product extension, instead focusing on building a reputation for consistent, high-quality indoor flower, at a price point that made sense for consumers and retailers.

In the many years since Grown Rogue has been around, how have you witnessed the Oregon cannabis industry change and evolve over those years?

Oregon went from excitement and rapid licensing to oversupply and price compression very quickly. Early on, there was a rush of new licenses, brands and entrants. Over time, the market matured and inefficiencies were exposed, leading to the struggle we’ve seen with operators who tried to do too much too soon. What I’ve noticed is a shift from enthusiasm to discipline. The operators who remain are the ones who understand cost, yield, and brand consistency. It’s less about being first-to-market now and more about being efficient. This evolution forced us to refine our systems and focus on what truly drives long-term value.

What all logistically went into the expansion into Michigan? How did the process of obtaining your license and starting up operations in Michigan differ from creating the brand in Oregon?

In Oregon, we were building the plane while flying it. In Michigan, we brought valuable experience from Oregon. We understood what works and what doesn’t. Scaling operations state-by-state always brings new challenges, but the biggest difference was experience. In Oregon, we were founders who had years of cannabis experience, but had to adapt to the regulated industry in real time. In Michigan, we were able to take Grown Rogue’s deeply-rooted culture and tried-and-true systems and controls we developed in Oregon and apply them to Michigan’s regulatory and consumer landscape. 

Based on your experiences, what are the largest differences between cannabis markets in the Pacific Northwest and cannabis markets in the Midwest? Do certain regions have benefits and advantages over others, or are there more similarities than one may think?

The Pacific Northwest has one of the deepest cannabis legacies in the country. Oregon consumers are educated, experienced and quality-driven. It’s a mature market with some of the lowest prices in the U.S. – often $3–$4 per gram, or $65–$90 per ounce. Years of oversupply created sustained price compression, and total market sales have softened since 2022. It’s competitive, efficient and disciplined.

Michigan is different. Medical cannabis was legalized in 2008, adult-use in 2018, with recreational sales launching in December 2019. Since then, the state grew  into a $3+ billion annual recreational market (2024), now one of the highest-volume cannabis markets in the country. At the same time, the medical market has nearly disappeared – down roughly 96% from its 2021 peak – as consumers shifted to the more convenient adult-use channel, despite higher taxes (10% excise plus 6% sales tax).

Pricing in Michigan is now comparable to Oregon with the difference being structural. Average recreational flower prices fell nearly 30% from February 2024 to February 2025, reaching approximately $65 per ounce. Michigan has fewer licenses relative to its volume and continues to grow sales, while Oregon operates in a more saturated, slower-growth environment. Across both regions, the constant is consumer behavior. People come back to brands they trust. Quality and price must align. Consistency wins.

Even in facilities as large as 80,000 square feet, the Grown Rogue team focuses on controlling the controllables. It starts with genetics – partnering with cultivars that perform consistently in yield, potency, and terpene expression – a grow philosophy that speaks to the stonerd consumers that are looking for top quality flower. From there, it’s systems: tight environmental controls, standardized feeding regimens, detailed SOPs, batch-level tracking, and data-driven yield analysis. Low cost and high quality are not opposites, and done right, they reinforce each other. 

What are some exciting future plans for Grown Rogue? As the cannabis industry expands and evolves, how does the brand plan on growing alongside the multibillion-dollar industry?

Our focus remains the same: state-by-state expansion anchored in low-cost, high-quality indoor flower that cannabis geeks keep coming back to. We’re not chasing every opportunity and we remain patient. We enter markets where we believe our operational model provides an advantage. As the industry evolves, capital discipline will separate operators. We plan to continue controlling what we can, like cost structure, team development, facility efficiency and brand consistency.

Thank you for joining us, Sarah! For more detailed information on Grown Rogue, please visit its website.