Editor's Note: Download the audio version below and click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
This week, Cullen Raichart, founder and CEO of GreenBroz, joins the podcast to discuss the equipment manufacturer's move to Vegas and his efforts to clean up shop operationally without sacrificing company culture.
As Cullen Raichart, founder and CEO of GreenBroz, navigated his company through a global pandemic, he put his staff through many structural changes to bolster lean manufacturing and process evaluation. He's also undergoing ISO 9000 certification, all in an effort to push his company to the next level.
Last year, GreenBroz moved from San Diego, California, to a new 50,000-square-foot facility in Las Vegas. At the previous location, Raichart had implemented a lot of process management, but it was with his old lieutenants who didn't make the move to Vegas. As a result, all previous work and tribal knowledge were lost, and it made him understand that he couldn't just rely on people; the company had to be immune from turnover.
Making operational changes can be difficult, particularly when egos are involved. Raichart needed employee buy-in, so he asked his staff to help write the new SOPs. The method worked, but Raichart stresses the importance of having good people in place to implement a new structure without breaking existing pieces.
Engaging workers has also helped GreenBroz retain workers in an increasingly competitive labor market.
As the company cleaned things up operationally, it was important to Raichart to maintain the company culture. He feared becoming too corporate, but he saw value in running a more professional operation. He says that you can't assume that all things corporate are all things evil; it's just not true. Corporations become focused and tight, or they die. Raichart says it's elementary economics, more productivity, more margin, more efficacy. He needed more consistently to get consistent products.
Raichart says it's easy to treat individual wounds, but the value is finding the root cause and preventing it from happening again. As a small operation, the company can stay busy and focused on production and sales but continue to miss structural inefficiencies. With the changes, Raichart hopes to remain agile while remedying deeper structural issues. Too often, small companies get too tied up with making it work for today, not tomorrow, preventing the business from preparing for growth, Raichart adds.
The new structure has had a positive impact, including the design and development before the launch of the Model G Precision Grinder + Destemmer, the first destemmer and grinder combo on the cannabis market. Still, the company had to overcome supply chain issues that impacted deliveries.
The pandemic proved trying for Raichart, fiscally and mentally, and GreenBroz experienced a lot of turnover. However, it helped him focus on the future and strengthen the company's foundation to prepare for a prosperous future.
Please make sure to like, subscribe and share the podcast. You could also help us out by giving the podcast a positive review. Finally, to email the podcast or suggest a potential guest, you can reach David Mantey at David @cannabisequipmentnews.com.
