JO : When and where did you start your company ?
PF : I started the grow shop in 2012 , in Woodland , CA . At this time , my friend Erik Maiden had his pay cut due to budget issues at the Fresno Fire Department and I offered him the opportunity to buy into the company to help supplement his income . He took the chance and we ’ ve been partners ever since . We complement each other ; he tends to focus on the financial side of the business and I focus more on the people and products .
JO : What were some of your struggles as you started the business and how did you overcome them ?
PF : Hands down my number one problem was inventory . I struggled to find suppliers that were willing to work with me … It was a challenge until I met with Hai Truong from Sunlight Supply . He flew out and we met at the store . He believed in my vision , and most importantly , he believed in me . Sunlight Supply now provides ‘ Lil ’ Shop of Growers with 99 per cent of its inventory , and the relationship that we ’ ve built is extraordinary .
JO : How did you set yourself apart from your competitors ?
PF : I hired a team of seasoned growers from the community and that quickly gained the store its credibility . My team and I wanted to do things different ; we wanted to be old school . Growing up , my dad owned an automotive repair shop in Esparto , CA , and I remember people would just come and hang out at the shop . A group of guys would stop by in the morning with their coffee , shoot the s ** t for a little while , and then start their day . Businesses nowadays don ’ t want you to hang out . I wanted a theme store with character ; a place for people to go and enjoy the experience , not just the product . For me , it ’ s about the industry and the people , not the money , and I think that comes from my 25 years as a firefighter .
JO : What products do you carry ?
PF : We carry everything Sunlight Supply has to offer : Sun Systems , Titan Controls ... everything and anything you would need to have a successful grow . We carry BioBizz ; it ’ s currently our number one selling nutrient . Currently , ‘ Lil ’ Shop of Growers is the only store in the United States that has signed product with TrimPro . We have $ 15,000 worth of their wet trimmers on hand .
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I LEARNED early on as a firefighter that one of the keys to success is to surround yourself with people who have different skill sets and then build as a team from there .”
JO : What makes your employees so great ? How does your team bond ?
PF : I hire stars . You can ’ t have a successful business without a superior team . I find their talents and then I utilize those talents . I run my team just like I did at the fire house with a clear chain of command . On the weekends , we hangout .
JO : Share your favorite story from a day on the job .
PF : I think one of the things that I ’ m most proud of is being involved in the Woodland Library Rose Club . This is an opportunity to shed a new light on our industry as we get more involved in mainstream America . My goal is to raise $ 10,000 in supplies to be donated to the project .
JO : What words of wisdom can you share about the business , the industry , or the future of the industry ?
PF : Always treat your clients with the respect that they have earned . No matter how much money you make or how much product you sell , it ’ s all about the people and the relationships that you build .
JO : Any goals for the future ?
PF : We want to expand by opening up another store in Vacaville , CA . The new shop will have the same vibe and the same set of fundamental principles . At the end of the day , it ’ s all about the people and the relationships you build . My main goal is to just keep doing what we ’ re doing .
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