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This guest column is from Colin Decker, owner and founder of 7 SEAZ, New York’s first legacy-to-legal adult-use cannabis brand, and owner of Hudson Valley-based Sensei Growth Consulting. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of NY Cannabis Insider.
I have been operating in the cannabis space for over 17 years. A lot of that time was spent in the legacy market, but I’ve also existed within the legal market since founding New York’s oldest cannabis consulting agency, Sensei Growth Consulting, in 2018.
Legacy wasn’t always a wonderful existence. A lot of time was spent avoiding prosecution from authorities for simply providing access to safe quality product (flower) that consumers desired.
I am a cultivator by trade and like many others had to live in the shadows to continue on with that profession and lifestyle, all because of my love for this plant. No matter what occurred, I never gave up on the dream or the belief that cannabis would be the future; that this plant would help so many families, including mine, live a better, more fulfilled life. And that one day, it would be legal – at least here in New York, where I have lived my entire life.
In January, I founded the first legacy-to-legal cannabis brand in the state called 7 SEAZ to represent the culmination of my life’s work with the plant, my love for the ocean, its symbolism of endless opportunity, and to continue on with what I had been a part of for so many years.
The transition to legal meant leaving behind my legacy past and looking entirely to the future. My brand launched on the shelves of Housing Works Cannabis Co. on Feb. 24, 2023. History was made and a bar was set for product quality that consumers could count on, along with a brand true to the community that they could support. We are still – to my knowledge – the only brand on store shelves that works with a nonprofit helping others.
Many people from the legacy community reach out to me looking for advice on entering New York’s legal cannabis market and walking away from legacy to breathe easier.
Those that do not have legacy experience ask similar questions, and I know there are entrepreneurs awaiting their chance to cultivate legally still, to process product into finished packaged goods, and more who haven’t yet had their chance to enter the market.
I wanted to provide insight into ways that a truly unique brand could be shaped; how products can be envisioned to make them stand out amongst the crowd; and how to survive this ever-changing landscape.
I also hope that this helps breathe some life into the stale nature of what’s currently offered across every dispensary menu.
Relationships. I see so many brands treat store owners with the “you need me more than I need you” mentality, among other terrible business practices. Many of these people will not be around for the long term.
For me, my retailers are family, and I mean that. The 7 SEAZ family of retailers is strong and will continue to grow as we lift each other up and support one another’s families and businesses on this journey together. I am grateful for those who have given me the opportunity to work with them and support my legacy-to-legal journey.
Authenticity. You can’t fake the funk. I founded the first legacy-to-legal cannabis brand in New York State history to sell legal product on the adult-use market. I lived the life; I have been a part of the community since I was 13-years old, advocating for the plant and its magic, teaching others how to grow properly, and how to succeed in this industry.
I have earned my stripes. I know cannabis, the community and the industry extremely well. You have to live the life to be able to translate those experiences into your brand and products. Paying a marketing team to come up with your brand is one thing, being able to have that translate into sales, longevity and culture doesn’t work most of the time.
Passion. If you are in this solely for the money you will fail miserably. I’ve been saying this for over 10 years. A lot of people get into this “green rush” thinking they will become millionaires and fail. I don’t care how much money you have – if you don’t have passion or an understanding of the culture, the industry, and the plant, your product will always be soulless and easily forgotten by consumers because they cannot connect with the message you are trying to convey.
That’s why our motto at 7 SEAZ Premium Cannabis is “People over profits.” We live it. We breathe it. We are it. The people will always come first to us.
Fire in, fire out. Leave the mids and boof behind. Focus on making a really good product for those who will be consuming it. It all goes back to the streets. If your product is subpar, it doesn’t matter if it’s a “value brand” or not. It’s still a subpar product, just for a cheaper price.
Consumers don’t enjoy a bad product even if it costs a “value price.” Sell someone a bad bag one time and they won’t be back. Yes, you made the sale, but you also lost a customer in the process. That’s what we call a one-hit wonder. I focus on quality over quantity and will always maintain that mindset for 7 SEAZ Premium Cannabis and my products.
Don’t add to the problem. I am meticulous about every detail of my product and always will be. That’s why, to do my part, 7 SEAZ Premium Cannabis utilizes 100% ocean reclaimed plastic packaging made in the USA. I don’t want to see my products adding to the problem of useless waste further hurting our oceans and marine life.
Look at packaging as more than just a visual. It’s also a way for you to support a helpful cause. Look at its function, where does it originate from. Always look at every part of your product as a multi-faceted way to do something better.
Learn the rules. This matters more than anything. Whether it’s baseball, soccer, hockey, or motorcycle racing, you should know the rules and regulations. Regulations are the bumpers in the bowling alley. Let them guide you the same way.
Knowing the rules allows for you to maneuver and operate efficiently instead of asking someone like an attorney every day, and incurring costs or living in doubt. It also shows that you take this seriously and you have respect for not only your own compliance but for others you work with, as well. I can’t tell you how quickly someone’s lack of experience shows during a conversation when they don’t know the rules to play, yet still own a license and operate a business.
Don’t be boring. Can we all be done with “blueberry muffin” already? Source some unique genetics like those bred by Ziplock Seeds that have been tested here in the New York environment. Move away from the auto flowers and grow full-term photoperiod plants that actually have some terps to them.
This market is boring enough as it is. Create something you’re proud of.
Be different from the rest. Formulate something unique, look to other markets that are non-cannabis and see what innovative products are making customers happy. Disrupt the normalcy of it all yourself and break through to the other side. There must be over 50 different gummies at this point on store shelves and they’re all the same chewable with the same distillate and some different flavoring added in. Mylars and more Mylars. Endless amounts of mylars. Alibaba must be benefiting the most from the New York market printing all these bags.
Invent your own marketing style. You have to get creative about how you market yourself and your products. Consumers are constantly glued to phones these days and with cannabis being the most hated product by social media companies, it feels like you have to get crafty about how you get your message out to the masses.
I heard a radio ad the other day for a CGS in Orange County. I’ve seen newspaper ads run by Just Breathe. Instagram works, but don’t stop there. Word of mouth and in-person marketing help, too. But beyond all of those things, guerilla marketing strategies and implementation of new-age marketing techniques with old school business practices can surely yield favorable results.
Give back to the community and those in need. Following in my mother’s footsteps of helping underserved communities and those in need, I founded the NY Small Farmer Fund nonprofit. The nonprofit provides financial assistance to struggling small farmers across New York State cultivating commercial non-subsidized crops including cannabis.
One of the ways it is funded other than from donations by the public is through a portion of the proceeds from my brand 7 SEAZ Premium Cannabis. I understand the struggle and plight of the small farmer and know what it takes to make ends meet. Use your platform to elevate those who need a voice and help your community prosper and grow. Your brand can do so much more than just sell products and make money; it can make a huge difference in people’s lives outside of the benefits that come from the plant.
Tell your story. Embrace your truth and identity. This is where the corporate brands put together with focus groups and market research get separated from the brands that are full of life and spirit, run by solid families and small businesses. What story can a corporate company truly tell about the pectin gummy they are making in 15 different flavors and colors other than some spin marketing to show how it’s maybe got less sugar then competitors’ products, or that it is made with real fruit flavoring?
Make people excited to buy your product because they want to support your cause and mission.