prescription medications, made it an easy decision to get involved. When recre- ational opened up, it gave us the opportunity to lever- age our team’s strengths and build a brand that customers recognized and trusted. HT: What was your vision when you started Native Roots? JG: At the beginning, it was simple. Build something real in a space that had very little structure and help change the perception of what a dispensary could be. At the time, most people still associated cannabis with an Amsterdam-style coffee shop. We wanted to create a true experience that people could trust, even while the industry was still finding its footing. A place where you could bring your mom and not only would she feel com- fortable, but she would see cannabis in a completely different light. HT: What has changed about the cannabis industry in Col- orado since you started? JG: Almost everything. Ear- ly on, it was about survival and figuring out how to op- erate day to day. Today, it is a much more mature and competitive retail environ- ment where consistency and execution matter most. Being early is no longer an advantage. What matters now is being good and delivering the experience customers are looking for. The winners today are the best operators, not the first ones. HT: What did it take to sur- vive in those early days? JG: A lot of patience and a willingness to adapt. There was no roadmap, so you
had to stay steady through constant uncertainty and solve problems as they came. It really was the wild west, and we had to evolve in real time alongside reg- ulators and the industry as everyone worked to figure out how to best support customers with education and confidence in their pur- chases. HT: Was there ever a moment where you thought, “This isn’t a real business”? JG: There were definite- ly moments where it felt uncertain, honestly al- most every day. We were constantly adapting to shifting regulations, in- consistent guidance, new markets opening, ongoing price compression, and a tax structure that did not allow standard business deductions. The challenges were nonstop. At the same time, you could feel it tak- ing shape into something real, even if it was not fully formed yet. HTL What’s something about those early days people wouldn’t believe now?
How little infrastructure and guidance there was. No banking, unclear rules, constant change, and no one to learn from. It took a lot of creativity just to oper- ate day to day, and in many ways we were building the blueprint as we went. HT: What part of your per- sonality helped most and what created the most chal- lenges? JG: Staying steady and committed probably helped the most. Having the confidence that we could overcome any chal- lenge thrown our way while never having to look back at all of the stuff we had been though. At times, pushing too hard or mov- ing too fast created chal- lenges, but those are part of learning and refining as you go. HT: What advice would you give someone building a cannabis brand today? JG: Focus on the basics. Build something sustain- able, take care of the cus- tomer, and stay disciplined with your numbers. This 19 HIGHTIMES LOCAL ▶
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