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This week, Matthew Shifrin, CEO and owner of Pioneer Interests, joins the Cannabis Equipment News podcast to discuss how he built one of the largest cannabis businesses in Colorado, and his plans to double down in the state.
Matthew Shifrin has worked in energy drinks, finance and healthcare, but he really honed his business chops in the spirits industry, specifically craft bourbon. He quickly learned that authentic brands require authentic people to scale because personal passion typically builds them up, and if you don't bring them along with you, you will be unsuccessful.
Shifrin was drawn to Colorado's emerging cannabis industry, in part, for personal reasons. He had a brother who died from a heroin overdose and a wife who struggled with mental health issues. He was drawn to cannabis as a treatment alternative, and he realized that he could leverage his expertise and skills in his home state's upstart industry.
Shifrin founded Pioneer Interests around 2018 and started with three stores and one small grow. Now, Pioneer is one of the largest suppliers of flower, live resin cartridges and live rosin as well as one of the largest premium retailers in the state.
Pioneer's interests include Natty Rems, the company's wholesale business, and Lova Canna, the retail division.
Pioneer's mission is simple: the company grows plants, people and community—and on this episode, Shifrin tells us how.
Jump around:
- Optimism despite tough market conditions in Colorado. (5:16)
- The company's fluid yet methodical growth. (6:47)
- What went wrong in Illinois. (8:35)
- Opportunities in Colorado and long-term multi-state ambitions. (10:54)
- Thriving as a culture-first business. (13:11)
- Cultivation that complements mother nature. (14:31)
- The Natty Rems acquisition. (18:34)
- Three A Light cultivation. (22:05)
- Planning for new equipment investment. (23:16)
- The use of robotics in harvesting. (29:43)
- The $500,000 sustainable upgrade loan to improve the Natty Rems facility. (31:34)
- Real opportunities to scale during Pioneer's second act. (44:08)
Please make sure to like, subscribe and share the podcast. You could also help us out by giving the podcast a positive review. Finally, to email the podcast or suggest a potential guest, you can reach David Mantey at [email protected].
