Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Chad Cellana, Operations Management of New England Regional Dispensary, located in Clarksburg, MA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
New England Regional Dispensary is an Adult-use Cannabis retail brand in Northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. We cater to local cannabis enthusiasts, seniors, local workers, and the many tourists of the art community and outdoor community. The dispensary is in a converted sawmill office with a cozy ski lodge vibe.
Tell us about yourself
I, Chad Cellana, am a long-time advocate of legal cannabis use, diving into the industry when it first emerged in 2015. I have grown and managed departments within two companies in the medical industry and struck out on my own in 2020. Two years later, I have a finished retail store ready to open, and I hold a provisional cultivation license for an upcoming project. What motivates me each day? I have always loved building things and figuring out the best and most efficient way to expedite a process, so overcoming obstacles and checking items off my daily to-do list is what truly gives me pleasure.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
This company's success will be my largest accomplishment. I have given everything I have to get some traction, and I have finally secured a foothold in an up-and-coming industry. Look for NERD to make some big waves in MA.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things as a business owner in the cannabis industry is navigating the complexities of the legal licensing requirements and keeping everything moving forward day by day and month by month because, in the end, a solid foundation is a base for a team to grow and a company to be successful.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Keep moving forward, no matter how slow going it may be, and keep accomplishing your goals.
- Set realistic and achievable goals, the main goal may be to open, but there are many, many sub-goals that need to be met before the ultimate goal is achieved.
- Fear not of failure. With a good plan, some support, and motivation, anything can be accomplished.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://nerdcanna.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NERDCanna
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdcanna/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nerdcanna/about/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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