Continue to Site »
Site will load in 15 seconds

How The Real McCoy’s Chad McCoy Works: Cannabis Workspace

In this installment, CBT presents an up-close look at the tools and habits behind the Nevada-based operation.

The Real Mc Coy Cannabis Workspace Graphic
Headshot courtesy of The Real McCoy

Name: Chad McCoy
Location: Minden, Nev.
Title: Owner/Cultivator, The Real McCoy
One word to describe your cultivation style: Hydroponic

Indoor, outdoor, greenhouse or a combination: Indoor

Can you share a bit of your background and how you and your company got to the present day?

I have always been passionate about growing. I benefited medicinally from cannabis and knew that I wanted to learn as much as I could about this plant. My wife and I became caregivers for a very special lady and ultimately saved her life, helping her get off pharmaceutical pain medications (OxyContin, fentanyl and sublingual morphine drops) using only cannabis. We were asked what we wanted to do long term and our answer was to be able to help people on a larger scale.

Licensing became available in 2018 and we were approved for both medical and recreational cultivation and production. I built this state-of-the-art facility with our partner, as we have 60 years combined building experience. It took seven months for the plans to be approved through the building department, and it took us six months to build the 12,000-square-foot facility from the ground up. We officially opened in August 2019.

What tool or software in your cultivation space can you not live without?

The software that I cannot live without in the facility is the climate control system by Hoogendoorn. 

What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your business in the last six months?

The purchase that positively impacted my business that cost less than $100 is pH Calibration Solution to keep all our pH sensors running smoothly. 

What cultivation technique are you most interested in right now, and what are you actively studying (the most)?

I am most interested in dialing in crop steering and that is what I have been studying the most right now.

How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a “favorite failure” of yours?

I have had a few failures over the years changing up growing mediums. All those failures led me to understanding the science behind rockwool. After dialing it in over the last 15 years, it has set me up for the quality and productivity that I am now experiencing. 

What advice would you give to a smart, driven grower about to enter the legal, regulated industry? What advice should they ignore?

I would tell a smart, driven grower to think about entering the legal, regulated industry in a state that limits permits so that the market is not oversaturated by the time you go online. Ignore the people that tell you it is too hard and you won’t make it.

How do you deal with burnout?

I avoid burnout by turning my dreams into reality. I grow cannabis for a living; in my mind, it doesn’t get any better than this.

How do you motivate your employees/team?

I keep my employees motivated by teaching them everything I know and moving them around to different tasks to avoid burnout.

What keeps you awake at night?

Nothing keeps me awake at night. Absolutely nothing.

What helps you sleep at night?

I sleep well at night knowing I am providing people with a better quality of life through cannabis. It is rare that the owner is also the grower. I am in a unique position and both humbled and honored to be growing at this scale for the state of Nevada.

More in Interviews & Opinion
Page 1 of 50
Next Page