Selfless Leadership

As anyone involved in hiring can attest, it can be difficult to find the right people for your team.


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Photo by Ken Blaze

Companies in industries from hospitality to landscaping report they are struggling to find employees, despite offering incentives such as sign-on bonuses and higher pay. As anyone involved in hiring can attest, it can be difficult to find the right people for your team.

And when you do find those incredible individuals, generally the goal is to do everything you can to keep them happy and on board, whether that be through increasing pay, benefits, creating an inspiring company culture, or all the above.

But great, selfless leaders also know when it’s time to let amazing employees go.

That’s what Jushi Holdings Inc. Vice President of Cultivation Josh Malman, one of the six professionals who will be presented with a Cannabis Leadership Award during a special ceremony at the Cannabis Conference in Las Vegas this month, did for Aaron Vickles. As detailed in the Cannabis Leadership Awards supplement included with this issue, Vickles started as a trimmer at Colorado-based The Clinic and worked with Malman. Vickles says Malman “took me and molded me from the ground up,” and mentored him as Vickles was steadily promoted to different roles in the company.

Then, Malman heard of an opportunity at another company that would be perfect for the up-and-coming Vickles to continue his career trajectory. Malman knew Vickles was reaching his peak in his current role, so he encouraged him to take the job. (And their professional relationship doesn’t end there.)

Another Cannabis Leadership Award recipient, Kevin Kuethe, had a similar experience as Vickles, when Kuethe’s former manager supported Kuethe’s decision to leave his first-ever cannabis industry job, one step that propelled him to his current role as chief cultivation offer at Lume Cannabis Co. in Michigan. “I took that with me, and I still apply that today to ... employees I have,” Kuethe details in the Cannabis Leadership Awards profile. “The last thing I want to do is to hold somebody down. Even if that means at the end of the day they’re going to work for someone else, that’s okay.”

The selflessness these and other recognized leaders exhibit extends beyond putting their teams first. They also each prioritize giving back to their communities, whether by donating money to local schools or supporting social equity initiatives. They have persevered through various challenges, including relaunching businesses that weren’t performing well or were devastated by wildfire. They know how to pivot, even in the most dire circumstances, and they foster a better cannabis industry for all. We are pleased to have the opportunity to recognize them and to share their inspiring stories.

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Michelle Simakis, Editor, [email protected] | 216-393-0275

As the cannabis market continues to evolve and grow, nurturing employees and helping shape them into future leaders will become even more essential to strengthen the overall fabric of the industry. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats, and having new ideas and great people at the helm is beneficial for all.

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