In Arizona’s adult-use cannabis market, Sonoran Roots has made it a point to place its employees at the heart of its operations. We spoke with CEO Michael O’Brien to learn how the company has navigated a dramatically steep growth curve—landing a top spot on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America list—and how corporate leadership keeps employees in the spotlight.
On favorite questions to ask when interviewing candidates:
Michael O’Brien: We typically look for people who are really self-starters. Especially on the production side, cultivation, you can stay busy all day if you're the right kind of person. There's always something to do, whether it's cultivating, jumping into packaging, cleaning. People who like to stay busy tend to be better employees. There's less opportunities for drama, because they're working hard. When you enjoy what you do, and you're working hard, it's a good recipe. So, I usually ask what are three characteristics about you that you think make you a desirable candidate? And there's no right answer to that, obviously, but I like to have people say, “I'm hardworking, I'm always looking for something to do.” Those kind of personalities tend to thrive in our environment. We’ve got a lot of hardworking individuals.
On how industry-veteran employees connect with greener staff members:
O’Brien: The first thing we're going to do [with new employees] is use an online platform for training that starts even before they come on. We assign some lessons and say, “Hey, these are things you should check out that'll be helpful for your job function.” For me, one of the worst parts of onboarding a job was the first couple days where you felt like you weren't doing anything. So, we try to minimize or eliminate that as much as possible. And then we're going to pair them with somebody who is a veteran in the industry for at least the first two weeks and just kind of say, “Hey, you don't really need to do anything on your own. For the first two weeks, you're in the buddy system and you're going to be paired with this individual who will be able to help you. Feel free to ask questions, even if you think they're stupid. This is the time to figure it out. Let us know if you're struggling with anything.” We really try to set people up for success by investing that time upfront, rather than waiting for them to fail or make a mistake and then having to correct it.
On maintaining a sense of connection and cohesion amid rapid company growth:
O’Brien: We were the 10th fastest-growing private company in America in 2023, not just cannabis. We were ranked No. 10 on the Inc. 5000 [at 24,397% growth over the past three years]. Our growth rate has been tremendous, but it does not come without its challenges. The thing that sets us apart is that I’m the CEO, and I'm also a co-owner of the company. All of the C suite, we're all co-owners of the company. We have that ownership mentality where if someone's not getting it done, it's our responsibility to make sure it gets done. So, we’re in the facilities, and we're present. People know us, they have our phone numbers. We're talking on the phone, texting, meeting in person regularly, and just making sure that we're not losing the touch and feel of the facilities because that's how problems snowball into disasters—when you're not there or people don't feel comfortable communicating with you. It's our job to make sure that people feel comfortable communicating all the way up to the top.
The other thing that we're doing is we're really empowering our mid-level managers and investing in them and saying that we really want everyone to have an ownership mentality all the way down. So, quality control is everybody's responsibility. Compliance is everybody's responsibility. And we want people coming up with new solutions and novel ideas and realizing that if you see a problem you can bring us a solution. We’re always open to hearing that, so please don't be bashful. We've implemented dozens and dozens of employee ideas that have resulted in major positive operational changes. We have a culture committee that we implemented at the beginning of 2023, where there's a representative from each facility, a non-executive, non-HR representative, who people can feel comfortable asking questions and sharing ideas with.
On reaction to making the 2023 Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America list:
O’Brien: We knew we were growing fast. I did some calculations, and I knew it would be pretty high on the list. The reaction of the team, including all the way down to staff, was one of extreme pride. And I think the thing that we're most proud of in that is that we've been able to maintain that positive work culture and low turnover, the touch and feel with the employees, even with that growth.
On 2024 goals for the company:
O’Brien: A goal for us in 2024 is to really figure out our optimal retail growth. Last year, we only had one retail, and we now have four stores. We also have additional production as well. Figuring out the balance between wholesale and retail, and the optimal balance for us, and why, is a big project.
On sources of inspiration for leading an engaged culture:
O’Brien: I'm a huge Warren Buffett fan from the financial management side, and Charlie Munger–I'm reading a book right now of some of their best quotes and clips from the last 30 years of Berkshire Hathaway company reports. I'm a big motivational quote guy. There have been times over the last year where the cost of living is outpacing what we're able to do as a company, because of just general economic inflation and other factors. People are struggling. I’ve tried to pick a quote about overcoming struggle and pushing through some of these tough times. We try to make sure we have resources available to people and convey that we're here. To the extent the employees allow us to or feel comfortable, we want to know what's going on in their lives. Those are some of the things that drive the way that we shape the company.
Editor’s note: This conversation has been edited for length, style and clarity.
