For the first installment of the Social Equity Program’s A Day in the Life series, DCR spoke with Nova Grow Labs – a vertically integrated business engaged in retail, cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution. While its retail storefront “The Chronic” is its most visible point of entry, Nova Grow Labs is a seed-to-sale operator that represents how capital investment, a rigorous commitment to compliance, and operational rigor intersect to create long-term success.
“We go through the whole process,” said Orlando Padilla, founder and social equity owner. “So what that means is we have cultivation where we’re able to grow our plant, grow our flower, we’re able to package it in our unique brand or package it for others, distribute it, and ultimately sell it out our front door.”
Operating a full suite of services is no easy task. It requires thorough operating procedures, an understanding of the industry and its various, complex compliance regulations, and a dependable, dedicated team. To help its employees, Nova Grow Labs makes sure proper training is completed and has developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for each of its specific license types.
Where cultivation is concerned, it’s a 24/7 grow cycle with critical timelines. Those working in the grow rooms are regulating temperatures, monitoring the nutrients being fed to the plants, and overseeing water and light cycle times. Nova Grow Labs also does genetic testing of plants and phenohunting for strains to jar the best possible product for the sales floor. Once the manufacturers transform the raw material into specialized, finished products, the budtenders step in to provide their knowledge and pick out products that best fit the needs of the customers.
“There’s a lot going on. I wouldn’t be able to do it by myself, which is why I need all these–we’ll call them lieutenants–operating the business.”
Reg Escobar, Compliance and Operations Manager at Nova Grow Labs/The Chronic, points to another crucial area where help is needed: compliance. “A lot of operators and new owners think compliance is something they can handle themselves, but a successful operation definitely needs to have a compliance manager and somebody who’s familiar and can provide trainings and guaranteed SOPs to make sure you’re staying within the regulations.”
Nova also notes how challenging it can be to simply get a license, let alone become fully operational. Their advice? Utilize all the tools at your disposal. For social equity entrepreneurs, this means taking advantage of the resources available through DCR’s Social Equity Program. Padilla said, “The tools are there [on DCR’s platform], but people need that push to get in there and actually start utilizing what’s available.”
DCR’s Social Equity Program offers many free and low cost resources and programming. From business coaching, to online courses, to access to legal advice, DCR can help. For more information on the Social Equity Program resources click here. For information on online courses available to all, click here.
Equity isn’t just about access, though. It’s about continuity and building durable systems behind the scenes. To hear more about how Nova Grow Labs has managed to sustain and grow its operations, watch the full segment here.