Looking for currrent grower under old MMAR program wanting to switch to new system

[rongillispei]

We have a business plan ready to go, but what we've realized is one of the key positions will be the actual "master grower". Through our own research as well as talking to others in the industry that are considering it, it's a win win. We have the business side / sales / production schedules etc down....what we lack is someone who's got experience, passion and a great foundational knowledge of how to grow quality vs quantity.

We would be partners, all the managment team / owners therefore it's not just a job per se.

We have interested parties for financing, venture capital firm from Ontario, Private investor from US as well as a well known US company that is in the ancilliary (but very lucrative and they're a first mover) product that wishes to invest in new start ups in this industry here in Canada.

As we have a solid business plan / financial analysis and industry research to tell us that it's a no brainer....we really would like to move ahead with someone who's already been producing, has a bank of strains and the passion to further research and develop not only better strains / different but also incorporating that growth knowledge to help with the eventual expansion to other parts of the market, the obvious being edibles when (and they will be) legal to sell in Canada....but by that time dispensaries will be part of the market legally, so that's something we've also incorporated into our plan...vertical integration eventually...but focused on getting things started ASAP . We do plan on having a agricultural specialist on board to help with QA as well as R&D, but believe that someone who grows and wants to continue is both more strategic for quality and production knowledge as much as a sound business decision financially, in that the risk level is considerably lower than having someone with great academic knowledge but no hands on, especially for years as some of you have been growing for.

If interested, please PM me or e-mail me as islandgreenpei@gmail.com. It's time sensitive too, as the venture capital contact has a big meeting with the company from the US market this coming Thursday May 8th, 2014....with our "teaser" prospectus for them ready, if we even have someone in discussions at that time, it would mean talks would continue with the VC firm. There doesn't have to be a nailed down plan, just broad strokes and the entering of a LOI (Letter of Intent) to discuss.

I really hope there are those out there that feel they could benefit with some top notch financial / business acumen with our team and the growing and production you can provide. Financial management is an absolute in the first few years, especially with a market that could be in the 100's of billions in 10 years......but natural growth is possible if structure of initial capital and talents are used properly!!!!!!

 

[rongillispei]

It would be even better if you have already constructed a production facility already. With that would come a decent amount of debt I'm sure, this is an opportunity to turn that debt over into an equity position by taking the private money and paying down the debt associated with the building / equipment etc. The great byproducts of this strategy are a) you have an already established production facility that is likely in need of retrofitting to meet requirements, however the upside being it's likely already (interenally) set up very well as it's been used over the years. Which brings with it, a greater efficiency ratio which is then turned into profits and b) the cash flow that is so desperately needed in the early years is no longer going to be strangled by the neccessity of making debt payments that in my research, for a $700K at say 10% (most are higher) that's $140K a year in free cash flow going out the door where it should be reinvested to provide organic growth. Debt can then be a future option if the need suits the situation. As I said, a sound financial plan and business approach is needed to survive in this industry I believe.

The methodical approach we've taken to forecast is beyond reproach, some may take issues that it's too conservative while others would say it's wildly out of touch. We believe it's strong and if executed properly, it's a long term lucrative business to be in!!!

One side note, is that one of our partners is a well known finance professor from a very reputable business school, hence why I'm so sure of our financial approach to things. He's a silent partner for the moment, but the advice and mentoring is indispensable to a venture such as this.

 

[bigbag]

please, this is medicine for ill Canadians, NOT a "lucrative" business...

 

[rongillispei]

That's certainly true but I'm referring to the eventual decriminalization at worst that will fuel the market....so big pharmaceutical companies are also all bad as well?

 

[bigbag]

in some ways no, in many ways yes. as primary care giver to my late epileptic father, I know first hand the crap doctors will prescribe, at a high cost with little to no efficacy. He was on cocktail after cocktail of anti-convulsents, none of which stopped the seizures...you feel me ?

 

[SeedsOfFreedom]

Just out of curiosity, did you find your grower? What province is your facility going to be located?PEI or Ontario? I am also wondering, are you trying to get an MMAR grower, for the easy transfer of seeds and clones? Have you found a way to get seeds and clones from other sources other than MMAR growers? I am not a hostile MMAR guy, but I do support home growing for all purposes! I see the MMPR as a stepping stone to all out legalization. I plan on having a recreational/medicinal brand once legalization is implemented in Canada. Recreational marijuana is where the future market lies. MMPR is pennies compared to what the recreational market will be.

 

[bigbag]

^not on Mr.Harper's watch...

 

[rongillispei]

We have talked to a few potential current DG that are looking to transition to the new program.....it's the skill-set that we lack and as any good business person does, in order to succeed you surround yourself with people smarter / more knowledge on specific areas....I truly think HC is going to start looking hard at the management / ownership teams of these next 30 or 40 successful applicants.......as far as a stable of strains, that is something we would like to be part of the deal as well as "quality".....with an interest in breeding out and also more scientific R&D related to strains targeted to specific maladies.....

these HUGE guys have to be hemoraghing cash flow at the moment with the ruling......and I'm all for home growers, I believe that they should be able to be run in tandem.....but in order to stamp out the "legality problems" of the MMAR there needs to be some real oversight.....and limited too people having to grow their own....the DG aspect needs to be nixed....and this is from a quality assurance aspect, not because of any financial threat to the market.....and I 100% agree with the recreational aspect.....our plan is to start out small (way small compared to some of these monsters.....were under 10,000sq ft year 1.....

however I believe this to be the best approach, because there are going to be hiccups and developments and general growing pains, that as a small company, changes can be made or mistakes made that because of the size, will not financially cripple the firm. Also, I think that some of the current HUGE LP's are going to fail should this ruling not be completely reversed within 6 months......just imagine the operational costs for running Tweed's plant vs what their sales would be???? Or if one of these guys had to throw out a whole cycle due to bad product (look at the recall this week....already)..... Now them (Tweed), they'll be around I think for a while......they've got huge cash reserves already.....but hey, that's first mover advantage.....back to the recreational side....(You not thing Tweed is already seting that up for themselves too....just the logo, I mean it looks like a jeans logo.....)....but this is the real growth.....and that's a couple years out at least, so again, our small approach (with immediate exponential scalability already factored into the chosen plant location) will let us get used to the market while also growing, but preparing ourselves for the real $$$$$$......2.4 million users in Canada alone.....also, we'll be targeting the exporting aspect too.....I think this is something that hasn't been really considered for it's true possibilities......or everyone is keeping super quiet on their strategy.....but with the legalization frenzy now going on in the US, and our world known quality buds.....well, I think it's HUGE ......

The dollars are staggering and I don't think we've gotten it right yet.....it's just too new of an industry with no real "data" that can be relied upon from the past to help forecast the future.....but it's gold, there's no doubt about it......

We're not commited to PEI, however we have done some leg work for here......but that will only be told depending on what (if any) operation the current MMAR grower that joins us has....one gentleman had a 3 yr old $700K facility in Western Province, that really only would need another $100K to get up to snuff.....in that case, we would be in that province.....but if it's a "new operation" PEI would likely be it.....

 

[SeedsOfFreedom]

ron , you touched on breeding and research and development. One thing to condiser MMAR or not, the chance to have a massive modern breeding facility to work with is more enticing than straight cash salary. I know I would be happy to work with an MMPR company, if I was free to breed my strains I choose. However if just growing the same old clones again and again, I and many growers would rather not give up our work already done. Just something to think of. Also, optimally I would have two lead growers, one for straight production and one for breeding. They are two very different games.

 

[bigbag]

enough already about the staggering dollars, real $$$$$$ and gold...thank you, carry on

 

[blastfrompast]

.as far as a stable of strains, that is something we would like to be part of the deal as well as "quality".....with an interest in breeding out and also more scientific R&D related to strains targeted to specific maladies.....

Sorry bud the time to transfer seeds, plants, etc. has passed from DG's etc.

Are you proposing your "new" employee breaks the law?

If so that is pretty shady start......

 

[SeedsOfFreedom]

Sorry bud the time to transfer seeds, plants, etc. has passed from DG's etc.

Are you proposing your "new" employee breaks the law?

If so that is pretty shady start......

This may be true! Or is there something I am missing about acquiring starting materials? Did the MMAR injunction affect this?

 

[VagPuncher]

Looks like you're looking for somebody like me, but people like 'me' aren't necessarily looking for somebody like you.

 

[JointOperation]

its better for us to get into these positions.. then allowing the governments and big pharma to push us out and take over themselves.

 

[Manstien]

Lol, all the LP's got unlimited money, sqf and resources....but they all scrambling for bigtime growers ....

 

[rongillispei]

Seeds of Freedom....i agree totally and out plan is to have someone (or two now that u pointed that out)...who has a stable of strains they've done themselves....want to be different, not the Wal Mart of the industry....so it's important that we have our own strains....

The R&D is also a huge part of our business....breeding (assuming u mean combining current strains to create new ones???) but we also want to focus on legitimate medical trials in conjunction with Dr's and other health professionals so that we can have some scientific data (as we heard this week, the CMA is not backing it due to this fact)....this Research and testing would provide two distinct pieces of info....that the drug DOES HELP As well as hopefully identifying strains that work better for certain medical conditions....thereby legitimizing it and also showing that yes we're a business, but at the end of the day it's important to be trying to help people that are ill while also creating a legitimate profitable business

 

[rongillispei]

Sorry bud the time to transfer seeds, plants, etc. has passed from DG's etc.

Are you proposing your "new" employee breaks the law?

If so that is pretty shady start......

No not at all, but what I've found is that DG that have been doing it for a while have their own strains that they could take over, could they not? I'm not asking growers that won't be a part of the company to provide seeds etc.....and from what I understand, that's completely above board.

Also, if you had read my original post, the grower is so vital to this business, that they will have equal ownership.....not an employee!!!!

 

[rongillispei]

Looks like you're looking for somebody like me, but people like 'me' aren't necessarily looking for somebody like you.

Hey, if ur that good that u think u can do all things and do it on your own, good on ya!!!

However I'm a business man / startup companies....success isn't being capable of doing it all, it's about surrounding yourself with others that make up for your shortfalls....and in this case, I have the business / manufacturing side, but lack a good grower....ya, I've dabbled on my own with relatively good success....but I'm smart enuf to know that I need someone with that skill set.....ensuring success....

Is that what u meant? Just confused as to what or why you say your not looking for guys like us???? Please elaborate

 

[SeedsOfFreedom]

Hey, if ur that good that u think u can do all things and do it on your own, good on ya!!!

However I'm a business man / startup companies....success isn't being capable of doing it all, it's about surrounding yourself with others that make up for your shortfalls....and in this case, I have the business / manufacturing side, but lack a good grower....ya, I've dabbled on my own with relatively good success....but I'm smart enuf to know that I need someone with that skill set.....ensuring success....

Is that what u meant? Just confused as to what or why you say your not looking for guys like us???? Please elaborate

Hey ron does it even help to have an MMAR guy now since you can't use their strains anyway? Have you found any holes in the system to acquire seeds/clones legally?
If you started with seeds, soon enough you would have top quality, yet a totally different product than the competition(all the same clones). The most important part is a crew of people skilled enough to make great selections from many seeds. The MMPR doesn't allow smoking as testing either and that's a problem as well. If we could overcome these things the MMPR could allow for such an amazing breeding program.

 

[rongillispei]

Well, I'm my discussions with the guy I've been talking to at HC is if you bring on a DG from the old system, as long as they are not just a employee, you can use their proprietary strains....

If just an employee then you must start from scratch...
Am I wrong? Please correct me if I'm wrong, because we are putting a lot of value on that aspect as we believe quality and different strains will be expected by the market