Name: Dan Wittmers
Location: Los Angeles, California
Ganjier Graduating Class: May, 2022
Favorite Cultivar: Jack Herer
What was your position before joining Ganjier?
Principal, Head of Venture, Digital Phoenix Consulting
What is it now?
VP of Marketing, Big Oil Co. & BEAR Labs
What was your primary motivation for joining the cannabis field?
I’m a California native, so I was lucky enough to see the cannabis industry come to life right before my eyes. However, growing up in the D.A.R.E. era, I had always kept cannabis at arm’s length. It wasn’t until I moved to Colorado for a few years after college that I discovered my passion for the plant. When I moved back to California, I began my career in the media industry, working at global agencies on Fortune 500 brands. I always knew I wanted to become a marketing executive for a brand, but the path just hadn’t presented itself yet. When Prop 64 passed in 2016, cannabis brands were already starting to break through, and it was at that point I realized my career and my passion for the plant were destined to collide.
Why did you choose the Ganjier program?
In my career, I’ve always been a perpetual student in whatever industry I was working. When I first began working in cannabis, I realized I knew next to nothing about the plant I had been consuming for nearly 20 years. So, I decided if I was going to be successful in this industry, I needed to educate myself. It was then that I discovered Green Flower. I had already taken their Fundamentals of Cannabis and CBD courses when I saw the announcement for the Ganjier Program on LinkedIn. It was in the middle of the pandemic and I [like everyone else] had a considerable amount of free time on my hands, so I figured I’d check it out. After spending a good 30-45 minutes combing through the website it was clear to me that this wasn’t just another online certification. This was something so much more. I signed up that day!
What did you expect going into this course?
I wasn’t totally sure what to expect. I had an idea of what the online training’s framework would look like, as I had already taken a couple of the Green Flower certifications, but I had no idea what to expect from a content and education perspective.
What did you find?
I found the Ganjier program to be painstakingly in-depth from a knowledge perspective and engaging from a content perspective. The videos were easy to get sucked into and, by the end of it, I felt as though I had created a friendship with Derek and the other councilmembers; even though we hadn’t yet met in person.
Was there a game-changing “A-ha” moment for you during the course?
Now that I’m thinking about it, there were several, but the first and biggest “A-ha” moment came about 10 minutes into Frenchy’s second video on the origins of hash. I stopped the video and the only thought in my head was, “How am I going to remember all of this!?”. I’m pretty sure there was an expletive [or two] in there somewhere, but it was both a humbling and inspiring moment all at once. Then again, how could anyone NOT be inspired when Frenchy’s waxing poetic about hash?
What skills/knowledge/philosophy have you been able to take away and apply to your cannabis career?
The biggest thing I took away from the program was that knowledge, much like a finely rolled blunt, is better when it’s shared with others. The structured Ganjier program leading up to my certification was just a launching point. Now that I’ve been certified, it’s on me to stay curious, continue my education, and to share what I learn.
What impact did the Ganjier training have on your cannabis future?
I firmly believe it has changed the trajectory of my career. Not only do I now have the knowledge I need to take control of my future in cannabis, but I also have a quickly expanding network of amazing and intelligent individuals [much smarter than myself] that regularly provide me with both knowledge and support. The future of my career gets clearer every day, and it is all tied to my decision to become a Certified Ganjier.
To those considering the course, what advice would you give?
Get off the fence and get in the game. This is an investment in your future you simply can’t afford not to make!
