Jesse Channon
Chief Growth Officer of Columbia Care
What benefits do you see for patients throughout Florida within this space?
The cannabis industry is evolving really quickly. It’s a great time for patients to start exploring the power of the plant and all its various forms, whether they are actively medicating or just starting to learn more. I think one of the great things about the Florida market is how accessible medical cannabis is to patients. We have 14 dispensaries across the state that serve a growing number of patients.
What motivates you to be a part of the cannabis Industry?
The pace of growth of this industry keeps me excited. There is so much opportunity for innovation at every single level, and I love being part of teams that bring those ideas to fruition. I was thrilled to bring my tech background and apply it to an emerging industry where some of these advancements didn’t exist including our Virtual.Care platform for virtual appointments; Forage, the industry’s first cannabis product discovery tool which will be coming to Florida soon; and the CNC card, the industry’s first credit card.
What field are you in within the cannabis space?
In my role, I lead teams focusing on digital capabilities, dispensary growth and corporate branding, as well as launching new technologies and product commercialization initiatives.
How can people in Florida benefit from the company you represent?
The days of transactional dispensaries are over. Our new retail brand, Cannabist, which all of our Florida Columbia Care dispensaries will be converting to by the end of this year, was designed to elevate the patient journey by inspiring, informing, and providing quality products to consumers of all experience levels. We believe Cannabist will set the tone as the new industry standard and make sure the cannabis community feels supported and engaged every time they walk through our doors.
How did you get started within the cannabis industry?
I was recruited by Columbia Care in 2019 to leverage my strengths, experience and history of business growth. I was familiar with cannabis before I joined, but quickly learned that it is a far more complex and sophisticated science than I ever could have imagined. It’s been a really inspiring journey to see, from beginning to end, the process of growing such high-quality cannabis and sharing it with others who share in the passion or are just excited to try it for the first time.
Are you personally a MJ card holder?
No, we relocated to Georgia from New York and the medical program has not come online yet.
Do you see Florida moving forward with recreational Marijuana/cannabis and how will that affect your business?
I think a recreational program is on the horizon, yes. Patients and their medical needs will always be prioritized, but we are well positioned to support the influx of customers once an adult-use program comes online. Our Cannabist locations are designed to support patients (and eventually customers) of all experience levels. When Florida eventually goes recreational, I think we’ll see an increased demand for more ranges of products and brands, which we’ll be excited to provide.
