Marijuana Business Magazine - May-June 2018

Different nationalities aren’t the only factor that make New Frontier Data employees a diverse group. Their political affiliations, religious backgrounds, sexual orientation and work experiences also run the gamut, representing Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, gays, lesbians, veterans, etc. Also, their ages span from early 20s to early 60s. “I can’t say this enough: You need diversity in your team,” de Carcer said. “Talk about thinking outside of the box: Nobody knows there is a box.” A Boon to Business In fact, workforce diversity has helped the company’s own business endeavors and areas of focus. A few years ago, New Frontier Data began exploring the possibility of analyzing the hemp industry, and one of the company’s interns was from China. “This little intern popped up and said, ‘China is the largest producer and exporter of hemp today,’” de Carcer recalled. The intern was soon dispatched on a research project. Using his language skills and knowledge of the country, the young man – who is now a full-time New Frontier Data employee – researched the ins and outs of the Chinese hemp market. He combed through documents written in Chinese, for example, giving New Frontier Data a better understanding of the country’s hemp market. Since then, the company has gone all-in with hemp. In February, New Frontier Data bought Hemp Busi- ness Journal for an undisclosed sum. The company’s foray into hemp is no doubt aimed at boosting New Frontier Data’s bottom line at a time of increasing competition among providers of data analytics in the can- nabis industry. When the Hemp Journal deal was announced, de Carcer said in a state- ment that adding hemp analysis to the company’s portfolio would offer new business opportunities – not just for analysis of the plant itself, but for its industrial uses, from bioplastics to personal-care products. Beyond the Numbers New Frontier Data also is turning to its internationally diverse workforce to better understand the social and political factors that can influence marijuana use. The information can potentially benefit the company’s clients angling to do business in international markets. New Frontier Data recently hired a contractor who speaks fluent Span- ish to serve as its Latin American specialist. The man was born in Italy and raised in Spain. He has traveled throughout Latin America for the past 15 years, de Carcer said. The contractor’s background and language skills allow him to “ask for information in places … they speak the same language,” de Carcer said, adding, “The cultures are nuanced.” As an example, she pointed to Mexico and Colombia. “The way you should approach business in Mexico is different from how you’d do so in Colombia. Religion is a main driver (in Mexico) and could have an impact. It’s a very strong variable,” she said. The proliferation of Catholicism, for exam- ple, may influence Mexican consumers to be less eager users of cannabis. In Colombia’s case, de Carcer pointed to the country’s history of powerful drug cartels, a factor that could influence Colombians’ attitude toward marijuana today. “Cartels and concerns about safety could trump religion and may be a main driver,” de Carcer said. ◆ A MERITOCRACY BREEDS DIVERSITY F or Giadha Aguirre de Carcer, a hiring system based on merit will produce a diverse workforce. The founder and CEO of New Frontier Data uses a “blind” hiring process, both to stay on the right side of labor laws and to keep the focus on a candidate’s skills and merit versus their ethnic makeup, nationality, etc. That means executives at the Washington DC data-analytics com- pany are mainly on board with a candidate before he or she even walks in the door for a final interview. “We don’t see what people look like until we’re ready to bring them on,” de Carcer said. The company uses Vangst Talent, a Denver cannabis staffing agency founded by Karen Humiston, to help find job candidates. According to de Carcer, having a diverse workforce means including everyone – and not excluding certain types of people. “We do have white males in the company – in prominent posi- tions. Diversity means including them, too,” she said. “You have to stay honest.” – Tessa Cheek 120 • Marijuana Business Magazine • May-June 2018