“I was looking for something to take my cannabis education and knowledge to the next level. This was essentially a chance to learn from the greatest minds on cannabis.”
Name: Matthew Snell
Location: Chicago, IL
Ganjier Graduating Class: May, 2022
Favorite Cultivar: Black Cherry OG (Cross between Cherry Pie and OG Kush)
What was your position before joining Ganjier? Senior Risk Management Consultant for Stone X Inc. (Fortune 100, publicly traded commodities brokerage and consulting company). Consulted directly with consumers and producers on mitigating their exposure in the commodities markets. Included about 150 clients, and covered about 1 million acres of crop land, and several large consumers such as Papa Johns, Nestle, Kellogg.
What is it now? Sales Associate for Columbia Care. Working directly with consumers on finding a cannabis product that is right for them.
What was your primary ambition/motivation for joining the cannabis field? I want to own and run a consumption lounge and dispensary. My goal is to normalize cannabis and create a community where like-minded people can enjoy cannabis and help our fellow people. Basically in a world that is so divided, we are creating a community for people from all walks of life to be together.
Why did you choose the Ganjier program? I was looking for something to take my cannabis education and knowledge to the next level. This was essentially a chance to learn from the greatest minds on cannabis. I knew these were the people who have been in the legacy market and these are the people we need to keep cannabis from becoming just another product for the MSO’s to sell.
What did you expect going into this course? I expected to learn everything about cannabis and the ins and outs of the science and history.
What did you find? I found it was all that and more. I’ve never been a part of a community like this.The learning part is great and very straightforward, but the Ganjier community is something I never realized was so big (and growing). Everyone is extremely passionate about cannabis, everyone is a good person, and everyone wants to help if they can. It was essentially the exact community I would like to build in Chicago.
Was there a game-changing “A-ha” moment for you during the course? Just realizing that this course doesn’t end when you pass or take the in-person portion. I am able to communicate with everyone on a weekly basis and talk about assessments. I have endless connections that will be very valuable in the future. And just realizing this is the community I want to build and be a part of.
What skills/knowledge/philosophy have you been able to take away and apply to your cannabis career? I use the customer interaction protocol (CIP) and my knowledge on history and terpenes, etc., on a daily basis. Longer term, I want to educate consumers on the benefits of biologically grown and outdoor cannabis, and work to save the legacy farmer!
What impact did the Ganjier training have on your cannabis career/future? It helped jumpstart my career, gave me credibility at the interview to show I wasn’t a novice on cannabis or service. Most importantly, it has given me connections and opportunities (and friendships) that will last forever.
To those considering the course, what advice would you give? There are no guarantees in life, and this program isn’t going to just give you a job. However, if you are looking to step up your knowledge on cannabis, learn from the greatest cannabis legends in the world, and join a community that will support and help your future endeavors then this is the right one for you. Words can’t describe how much this community means to me and how much it has driven my passion and made me realize I’m in the right place and doing the right thing for myself. The future is bright and the connections and reach of the ganjier community are only growing bigger and bigger.
