Authority Magazine: Interview with Sara Gullickson and Len Giancola
Authority Magazine: Interview with Sara Gullickson and Len Giancola
“Slow and steady wins the race. Often, people get caught up in the noise of the industry, rather than sticking to a business plan or strategy. One fatal flaw I see new people making is feeling like they have to do everything immediately. To combat this, I think it’s best to take a step outside of yourself and really analyze the industry opportunities available. Only then will you be able to pick out what is best suited for you or the company.”
As a part of my series about “the 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Leading a Cannabis Business ”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Sara Gullickson is the CEO of Item 9 Labs Corp., a national publicly traded cannabis company specializing in the development and manufacturing of innovative cannabis products and proprietary delivery platforms. Gullickson is also the owner of Strive Wellness of Nevada LLC, a medical cannabis cultivation and processing facility with distribution rights, and dispensary Strive Life of North Dakota. Prior to her executive level position at Item 9 Labs Corp., Gullickson served as the CEO and founder of Dispensary Permits, a nationally recognized cannabis consulting firm. Established in 2010, Dispensary Permits won multiple cannabis licenses across more than a dozen competitive state markets. In addition to application success, Gullickson has assisted in opening and operating cannabis facilities from the East to West Coast, helping multiple startups secure funding for new ventures. Gullickson has received multiple accolades as a cannabis industry leader. She was named to Marijuana Business Magazine’s Women to Watch in 2019 list, Herb Magazine’s Top Ten Cannabis Entrepreneurs, Benzinga’s Top 20 Women to Dominate the International Cannabis Space, and Phoenix Business Journal’s Top Forty Under 40. An industry spokesperson, Gullickson headlined cannabis tracks at the Real Estate Wealth Expos in Los Angeles and Toronto, and the XLive Conference in Las Vegas. Gullickson has also presented at MJBizCon, World Medical Cannabis Conference & Expo, Dispensary Next, Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo, MJAC Investorshub International Conference, Women Grow Leadership Summit, and other large-scale business events. Gullickson believes it is her duty to help the industry evolve successfully. She has assisted in the development of regulatory frameworks and cannabis application processes in the United States, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand. She has also volunteered her time to advocacy efforts, attending multiple political gatherings to raise medical cannabis awareness, both at Lobby Days in Washington, D.C, and at the Phoenix Capitol.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you share with the ‘backstory” about what brought you to the cannabis space?
An opportunity presented itself. Being a creative, out-of-the-box thinker, I seized the opportunity. A year or so into it, I had fallen in love with the plant, the industry, and my place in it. I haven’t looked back since. Sure, some days I want to quit, but I think about how I have the chance to reshape the worldview on cannabis, educate others and change lives. Having the ability to make an impact is powerful and cannabis is my vehicle to leave my mark on the world.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
I guess the cannabis industry is pretty interesting on a daily basis, but I think one of the more compelling stories of my career is that I was able to start my business with $3 as a young woman and eventually grow it into the top 3% of women-owned businesses. Recently, I made the decision to sell my business to a public company and in turn become the CEO of that company.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I always go back to the same one. When I first started working in Chicago, I didn’t understand how the industry had shifted (wall street and hedge funds getting involved) so I was under-dressed and under-prepared for a meeting and was wearing a very casual west coast type outfit. My client showed up in a three-piece suit and started flaunting his private jet, that’s when I knew I had to step up my game.
Are you working on any exciting projects now?
Yes, always. I guess my most exciting project to date is the dispensary in North Dakota. This project is the culmination of many ambitions because the dispensary is based on my model. The fact that it’s about to come to life in its first market is extremely rewarding. The project encompasses a really nice balance of business, standard operating procedures, as well a little bit of creativity in marketing, branding, and interior design.
Source: Authority Magazine
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