Marijuana Business Magazine - Issue 09, Oct 2017

“For our company, it’s attitude,” Spindler said. “Most people are recognized in this business for being easy to work with.” Monica Prisoc, trim supervisor for Florida-based AltMed’s indoor grow in Coolidge, Arizona, wants an energetic, detail-oriented worker. “I’m looking for someone who has an interest in a long- term career in the industry,” she said. “Somebody who is excited to be here and who is willing to go with the flow and find their place naturally.” She also wants candidates who are satisfied doing manual labor – but are meticulous, too. “When we’re trimming, there’s a lot of small details,” Prisoc said. “It’s really tedious. So we want someone who isn’t going to be bored with that and is going to pay attention to those fine details.” WHERE TO LOOK When Abel began his business, he found most of his trimmers through word-of-mouth connections. Now he advertises in local newspapers, on social media and through his company’s website. He tried to recruit trimmers through Alaska’s online job bank – but his ads were yanked because the system is federally funded. “Just because we’re a cannabis business, we are lim- ited on how we can advertise,” Abel said. Spindler said the trimming operation supervi- sor advertises a running list of company events on L’Eagle’s social media platforms so people are informed of an upcoming harvest and can sign up beforehand. The company also advertises jobs on Craigslist, Face- book and Instagram. AltMed’s Prisoc said she mainly posts ads on web- sites such as ZipRecruiter and Indeed. The company also has an employee referral program: Staffers are paid a $250 referral bonus if a contact works out. HOW TO TRAIN AND MANAGE At Greatland Ganja, Abel’s trimmers go through a two-week training period during which they aren’t left alone. He has an experienced employee monitor new hires to watch their production – and because he’s cautious about losing any product. “It’s kind of like a bank,” Abel said. “We deal with a high-value product.” The trimmers also shadow one of the lead trimmers or the manager. Greatland Ganja has rigid standard R etaining a quality bud trimmer is extremely important. Good trimmers are not easy to find. And a decent trimmer is a vital part of a successful harvest team. Offering a new trimmer the opportunity for advancement is one way to keep that person on board. So is decent pay. Aaron Spindler, production director at L’Eagle, a vertically integrated marijuana retailer in Den- ver, tries to work successful candidates into other parts of his operation. “Trimming’s not a glamorous job,” Spindler said. “But those who do it well and do it fast, they tend to have skills beyond just trimming.” L’Eagle’s trimmers are valuable and crucial to quality control, he added. “Once they understand that and take pride in what they’re doing and know that there is a path forward, they take more accountability for the product,” Spindler said. At Florida-based AltMed’s operation in Cool- idge, Arizona, trim supervisor Monica Prisoc asks her trimmers if they have any interest in ulti- mately moving into another department – for example, the cultivation facility or the extrac- tion lab. “We’re constantly checking in with our new hires about how they’re feeling,” she said. “We try mostly to hire fromwithin so they have a chance of moving into another department.” Many trimmers, in fact, see the job as a ladder to more prestigious positions in the cannabis industry. Prisoc agreed, saying “absolutely” trimmers can move up in the company. “I had no experience in the industry,” she added. “I just started out trimming and learn- ing as much as I can.” Trimmers also need decent compensation. Leif Abel, co-owner of Greatland Ganja, a grower in Kasilof, Alaska, starts his trimmers at $15 an hour. “You’re not going to keep good people if you’re paying them too little,” he said. “But you’re going to put yourself out of business if you pay too much.” — Bart Schaneman HOWTO RETAIN A GOOD TRIMMER 100 • Marijuana Business Magazine • October 2017