Canna Employee Spotlight ►
Spotlight on
Jesse Suydam
Almost immediately , realized the potential for a lucrative long-term career path .
by Rocco Scarcello , contributing writer working in the shipping department for a cannabis cultivator , etc ., and filling essential jobs that previously did not exist .
When Jesse Suydam realized that full-time restaurant work might pay the bills but left him feeling unfulfilled and without a clear path to the long-term stability and growth he desired , the 29-year-old determined that the clear path for him would be the cannabis industry . He wasted no time getting himself in the door , applying for a job at a new dispensary in Belton as it prepared to open for business . He then transferred to yet another dispensary ( Elevate Missouri ) as it was preparing to open for business .
“ So far , I ’ ve been serving the front lines of retail work ,” said Suydam . “ I ’ ve been at the Elevate Missouri ’ s Prospect Ave ., [ Kansas City ] location since the store opened over a year ago , and I really enjoy it !”
Almost immediately upon entering the industry , Suydam realized there was potential for a more lucrative long-term plan while feeling he was doing a service at work .
“ Over the next several years , legal cannabis will generate millions of dollars in much-needed tax revenue and create many job opportunities for Missourians ,” Suydam said . “ There ’ s a lot of opportunity in this industry , but I also have to feel like I ’ m making a difference at work . Working in cannabis has that potential for growth while allowing me to serve my community — and help people enjoy life a little bit more .”
While Suydam knew the industry was on the verge of a boom when he joined it , even he is surprised at the amount of growth the industry has shown and in which ways it blossoms .
Jesse “ Juicy ” Suydam says , “ There ’ s a lot of opportunity in this industry . ( Photo contributed .)
When Missouri voters passed Amendment 2 in 2018 , and medical marijuana programs were allowed to begin operating in Missouri , the creation of new Missouri jobs in an exciting industry came with it . While many people already working in legal cannabis businesses around the country moved to the Show-Me State to get into this new industry at the ground level , many other new cannabis employees from other in-state industries helped turn Missouri ’ s cannabis market into one of the most successful in the country .
The skills someone learned while working as a farm hand , for instance , would be transferable to a job on a cannabis grow team ; a former UPS or FedEx driver would quickly learn if they started
“ Once I saw the signs of this industry ’ s potential , I was eager to get my foot in the door ,” Suydam explains . “ It ’ s been almost two years since I joined the industry , and a lot has changed so quickly . Honestly , I was really pleased when medical cannabis passed , but I was also surprised when adult-use laws passed .”
However , that ’ s not to say he was disappointed to see recreational laws pass . Instead , the jump to recreational laws means Suydam — affectionately known as “ Juicy ” at the dispensary , possibly for his well-documented love of big “ juicy ” buds — is now able to do what he loves at a higher , more consistent pace .
“ My favorite part is getting to positively impact someone ’ s day and provide a service to the community around me ,” Suydam says , adding that he also really enjoys the wide variety and high quality of the products .
After a thankless decade working in restaurants , the cannabis industry helped Suydam feel accomplished , important , and fulfilled with his
44 JULY 2023