While completing my Cannabis Chemistry degree, I led and contributed to multiple research initiatives focused on cannabinoid authenticity, formulation integrity, and hardware safety. My primary project revealed microplastic leaching from PCTT-based polymer vape cartridges under normal storage conditions. This unexpected finding emerged while developing a novel SEM-EDS method for heavy metal analysis and ultimately shifted the entire research direction. I also contributed to method development for identifying synthetic cannabinoid conversions through chiral HPLC with diode array detection, helping differentiate plant-derived Δ⁹-THC from its chemically converted counterparts. In parallel, I served as a Supplemental Instruction tutor for Organic Chemistry, leading small weekly sessions focused on molecular structure elucidation and reaction mechanisms. These roles allowed me to build technical fluency across instrumentation, method development, and scientific communication while staying grounded in real-world product safety concerns.

Higher State Brands was created to build a cannabis company centered around research, innovation, and real scientific value, not just product sales. The original plan was bold but calculated: develop a $14 million facility combining large-scale cultivation, an in-house processing lab, and a commercialization pipeline for marketable IP and formulation technology. I co-founded the company with a university collaborator, leading technical planning, pitch development, and operational modeling across multiple verticals. By early

2025, we recognized that the capital window had closed. The flood of cannabis investment from 2019 to 2022 had dried up, and continuing to chase funding would have meant gambling on a needle-in-the-haystack investor. Instead, we decided to pivot. While the company never launched in an official capacity, the work we produced proved our ability to build investor-grade infrastructure, explore white-label CPG and AI tech solutions, and operate at a level far beyond the average startup.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Built full investor package including 60+ page detailed financial pro forma, and a Michigan-specific cultivation economic analysis

• Designed multiple systems and process concepts, including a minimum liquid discharge fertigation system to improve cultivation efficiency and sustainability

• Worked 120+ hour weeks during peak startup season (6 months sustained) to manage all business functions, learning firsthand the limits of my physical and mental endurance under pressure

• Attempted to raise $14MM across cultivation and processing verticals, receiving but declining 2 debt deals that would have compromised future flexibility

Glacier Cannabis was an established premium flower brand in southeast Michigan known for small batch, high quality production. At the time of my engagement, the company was seeking to expand into northern markets, particularly the underserved Upper Peninsula. My role was part of a broader push to build retail relationships, raise brand visibility, and activate new accounts across a large rural territory.

I operated as a one-person brand rep across the eastern Upper Peninsula, managing relationships with roughly 10 retail stores and routinely driving up to three hours for vendor days and dispensary activations. This included both B2B sales conversations with inventory managers and B2C brand engagement during in-store promotional events. I was directly responsible for market education, account support, and outreach logistics during Glacier’s early expansion north.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Opened 4 new retail accounts during early-stage market expansion in the Upper Peninsula

• Managed a 10-store territory across rural Michigan, including cities such as Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette

• Led brand activations and vendor days that introduced Glacier Cannabis to hundreds of new consumers

I joined Cannabis Creations during the early stages of their facility buildout, initially supporting construction for a licensed cultivation and extraction operation. What began as hands-on infrastructure work quickly evolved into a more strategic role when I identified major flaws in their extraction strategy, including plans to move forward with outdated CO₂ equipment. With leadership support, I transitioned into a technical planning role and rebuilt the lab design from scratch, crafting a modern workflow, product roadmap, and go-to-market strategy that was more aligned with current market demand. Although the company ultimately did not launch due to funding limitations, the planning documents I produced helped secure additional investor capital by showcasing operational readiness, market viability, and financial discipline.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Prevented a $300,000 purchasing error by halting a $30,000 down payment on outdated CO₂ extraction equipment and recommending solvent-based alternatives aligned with throughput and cost-efficiency goals

• Developed over 25 technical deliverables including SOPs, investor memos, and internal planning documents to support early-stage licensing strategy, facility prep, and pitch-readiness

• Contributed to the successful acquisition of follow-on funding by producing high-quality documentation that demonstrated operational competence and financial foresight to prospective investors

North Coast was a relatively new provisioning center in the Upper Peninsula, part of a small chain with locations across southeast Michigan. I joined during its early retail phase to support daily dispensary operations while pursuing my cannabis science degree full-time. The store served a rural but growing customer base in a unique college town and border community.

As a full-time budtender, I managed front-of-house responsibilities including personalized sales, education, and customer flow, while also assisting with store openings, closings, back-of-house prep, and product intake. I contributed to brand and SKU suggestions for purchasing, supported inventory management efforts, and consistently maintained compliance-minded practices in a rapidly changing regulatory environment.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Served an average of 30 to 40 customers per day while maintaining high product knowledge across multiple categories

• Supported early-stage retail growth during the store’s first year of operation

• Helped train new hires and assist with dispensary operations while balancing a full-time academic course load

Freshwater Cannabis Company was a new operator entering the Upper Peninsula market with retail and cultivation ambitions across Michigan. I was brought on as the first lead budtender for the company’s second retail location, supporting its launch phase during an accelerated and under-resourced buildout.

With no prior onboarding and systems not yet operational, I helped stabilize day-one operations by learning the Blaze POS system on the fly, setting up Weedmaps menus, and creating product imagery for digital listings. Over the following weeks, I contributed to foundational SOP development, assisted in inventory layout to maintain compliance, and worked to establish internal structure during a period of high disorganization. Though my ability to implement broader improvements was limited by top-down management bottlenecks, I provided team-level leadership and ensured the store met basic operational and regulatory expectations.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Supported the retail launch under extreme startup conditions with no training or operational systems in place

• Led shift-level operations for a team of 3-4 staff during early ramp-up, including budtenders and security

• Built digital menus and product listings from scratch, including Weedmaps setup and in-house product photography

Herbology Cannabis Company was a startup provisioning center and part of the Michigan-based Herbology cannabis chain. At the time, it was under the MSO umbrella of Grassroots Cannabis, which had recently been acquired by Curaleaf in mid‑2020.

I joined as a founding team member during the store’s opening phase. Responsibilities included assembling fixtures, stocking inventory, and serving in a high-touch retail environment. I provided personalized product education across all categories, maintained regulatory compliance, and supported corporate procedures in a rapidly scaling multi-state operator.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Contributed to the store's grand opening as part of the original core team, including build‑out setup and inventory stocking

• Educated and guided customers through a wide range of cannabis products during a formative startup period

• Adapted to a corporate-backed environment while preserving local voice and expertise

I joined Utopia Gardens Extracts during the early days of Michigan’s regulated market when excitement and uncertainty were both peaking. The operation was a quasi-vertical setup consisting of a caregiver grow, a caregiver processing lab, and a licensed medical dispensary. I rapidly scaled extraction throughput and helped systematize workflows to support consistent output. One of the most exciting experiments I led was a method for steam distilling terpenes from our flower grown in-house, aiming to recreate authentic strain profiles in vape form. This early attempt to align flavor with flower showcased how extraction and cultivation could work in tandem and was one of the first of its kind. I also modified hydrocarbon extraction equipment and protocols to improve safety, solvent recovery, and operational speed. The role solidified my passion for R&D, system design, and anticipating where the market evolves.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Scaled weekly extraction throughput from small batch to over 150 pounds, enabling true production scale workflows

• Helped scale caregiver startup into a trusted $10MM annual revenue brand by aligning extraction strategy and output with retail demand, while enforcing an uncompromising mentality towards product integrity, effectively building consumer trust

TaurusTHC was a personal caregiver brand I launched under Michigan’s early legacy medical cannabis framework, which allowed registered patients to designate private growers for their medicinal needs. As a licensed caregiver with five patients and personal medical card, I cultivated up to 72 plants at a time, producing small-batch flower and both solvent-free and hydrocarbon extracts tailored to patient demand.

Operating independently, I designed and managed every aspect of the grow including genetics selection, environmental control, fertigation, and product distribution. Limited by space and resources, I built a fully automated irrigation and dosing system using smart home devices, peristaltic pumps, timers, sensors, and relay-based controls. This DIY innovation laid the foundation for my later work in cultivation system design and cannabis technology development.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Engineered smart fertigation and pH dosing system using consumer-grade smart home tech and custom automation

• Cultivated flower and both solvent-free and hydrocarbon extracts for 5 registered medical patients under Michigan’s caregiver law

• Optimized a 72-plant footprint through vertical design, environmental control, and resource-efficient systems

I joined Pure Michigan Oil after the founder saw potential in my caregiver extraction work, where I had been running crude but effective open-blast systems on my own. This early experience positioned me to take on a leadership role as the team’s main hydrocarbon extractor, eventually managing day-to-day lab operations and helping scale the lab into a consistent production environment. I oversaw the relocation from a residential basement to a purpose-converted garage, expanding our throughput and improving safety infrastructure. Pure Michigan Oil operated as a caregiver extraction lab loosely affiliated with Depot Town Alternative

Health, a caregiver dispensary where our products were sold under a shared but separate brand identity. This was my first opportunity to formalize what I had taught myself, bridging DIY know-how with the realities of scaling production in a high-risk gray market setting. It solidified my long-term commitment to product safety, system optimization, and forward-thinking formulation.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Built and managed a basement-to-garage hydrocarbon lab, managing a two-person crew under the Micigan caregiver model

Depot Town Alternative Health operated during Michigan’s caregiver-era medical market, before adult-use legalization and formal licensure. The dispensary served registered patients under the state’s early framework, functioning within an unregulated but tolerated legal gray zone that shaped much of the modern industry’s foundation.

This was my entry point into cannabis, where I developed my core passion for the plant and its potential. As a budtender, I supported daily patient interactions, helped onboard new cardholders into the MJ Freeway system, assisted with social media posts, and maintained front-of-house operations. The experience instilled a deep respect for compliance, patient advocacy, and the cultural roots of cannabis retail.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Served as part of a 7 person team during Michigan’s legacy medical market era

• Handled patient onboarding and product recommendations with a high degree of trust and discretion

• Gained foundational industry knowledge in a pre-regulatory dispensary environment