TerraVida is showing that there is a continued need for qualified marijuana employees
In Pennsylvania, there are now over 110,000 medical marijuana patients. Of these, one particular dispensary has attracted one-third to its three locations. The growth at the company has been mind-boggling, but shows how important and necessary qualified marijuana employees are to a company’s success. TerraVida started with just three employees last year and now has 92.
The dispensary’s three locations serve between 200 and 250 patients daily – at each dispensary. The average age of their customers is 58 and most of the patients are looking for alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs, in particular, opioids.
The growth seen by TerraVida isn’t about overstocking its dispensaries. As the company’s founder, Chris Visco, explains, “We’re bringing on six more people [next month] in corporate. We’re hiring for long-term expansion. Since we opened in February 2018, our turnover rate [of employees who quit] has been zero.”
The zero turnover rate is understandable. Visco adds, “No one here makes under $15 an hour. We have full health benefits for all our full-time workers, six weeks paid maternity leave, and life insurance. We offered family and medical leave before state law required it. We’re not making money yet, but we gave out holiday bonuses. Last week, I promoted 11 employees, which was so exciting. I hire personalities first. My belief is: you’re only as good as your people.”
TerraVida’s success story may be greater than what many see, but it is a sign of the times. The marijuana industry continues to grow astronomically and there doesn’t appear to be any slowdown on the horizon. An entirely new economy is being created, offering more employment opportunities than has been seen in the past several decades.
