Upholding Our Heroes

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]he transition back into civilian life after military service can be daunting as many veterans adapt to the endless options for proceeding into their next careers and pursuits at home. For a handful of those who have served, the introduction to cannabis as medical treatment revealed an entire unexplored career path within the cannabis industry. For Veterans Day, the CULTURE team celebrates and applauds our business-owning veterans who work every day to inspire and give back to their community. From dispensaries to consulting organizations, veterans are operating companies that not only support their own growth as professionals, but also the growth and prosperity of fellow vets.

Veteran’s Ananda Inc.

Founder: Sarah Stenuf

Healthcare continues to be a hot topic in the United States, especially that of U.S. Armed Forces members upon acclimating and reintegrating into civilian life. While government representatives continue to work to bring better solutions to this ongoing issue, individuals like veteran Sarah Stenuf have taken matters into their own hands. This year, Stenuf launched Veteran’s Ananda, “an independent, nonprofit organization that utilizes traditional and non-traditional treatments and therapies to assist with supporting, healing and rehabilitating U.S. Armed Service Members, veterans and first responders form across the nation.”

The New York State Health Foundation reported that 46 percent of veterans would like to receive mental healthcare in addition to what the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs offers. This is where Veteran’s Ananda steps in, with a goal to offer globally-leading medical, psychological and spiritual care, free of charge.

Stenuf expressed her excitement in raising awareness and spreading education about the importance of veteran healthcare and what Veteran’s Ananda has to offer. She served four years in the Army, in which she completed one deployment to Afghanistan on active duty. After being medically retired for post-traumatic stress disorder and for complications after a brain injury, Stenuf took her experiences and transformed them into resources as a motivational speaker and entrepreneur.

Her vision for Veteran’s Ananda was to provide a “one-stop shop” where those with post-service issues could receive everything from alternative treatments, therapies, relaxation, support and more. Through her nonprofit, veterans find solace in membership of a supportive community and heal in the same space.

3C™ Comprehensive Cannabis Consulting

Founder: Nic Easley

Comprehensive Cannabis Consulting, better known as 3C™, offers guidance and assistance to clients stepping into the often complicated affair of managing a business in the cannabis industry. In an industry that is still in the early stages of development and illegal on the federal level, navigating the waters can be a bit tricky. The 3C™ team offers potential and current clients expertise spanning over three decades in “agriculture and farming, architecture and engineering, project management, facilities management, development of best practices, education, strategy, marketing, legal compliance, and, of course, cannabis cultivation.” Whether a client needs legal guidance or advertising assistance, the 3C™ team can provide solutions that clients are looking for.

CEO and Founder Nic Easley is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and carries 15 years of experience with commercial cannabis. After serving in the Air Force, Easley moved to Colorado to heal and transition into civilian life. While working on his own, he acquired farmland and provided produce to local markets. He soon realized the advantages of medicating with cannabis and so began his journey into the cannabis industry.

“Our ultimate goal is to help clients and partners make informed business decisions, which will allow them to have their businesses lead by example and not just be part of this new opportunity but see their business as a responsibility to this plant and the world at-large,” Easley shared with CULTURE.

For Easley, his experience and perspective as a veteran are complementary to his role as an entrepreneur. “Business is very similar to the discipline required in the military,” Easley said. “However, one of the main differences is that in business one cannot just expect that all others have gone through the same basic training and possess the same skill sets required and possessed by everyone else.”

Easley expects the cannabis industry to be met with many more changes as regulations and legislation shifts in the coming years. “Cannabis legalization is spreading rapidly around the globe. Now is the time to build the foundation for the industry that will dictate the future of cannabis.”

Blue Cord Farms, Inc

Co-founders: Robert Head and Mat Ladroga

Serving together in Iraq during 2003, Robert Head and Mat Ladroga’s friendship grew into a business partnership when they founded Blue Cord Farms. CEO Robert Head served with the infantry from 2003 to 2007, while Master Grower Mat Ladroga joined the Army in 2002 and served until 2005. Both bring essential skills to Blue Cord Farms, as Head graduated from Texas A&M University later working in management and consulting, while Ladroga built experience in cultivating his own cannabis as a licensed caregiver.

The company develops farms for growers by purchasing several necessities from land to equipment to provide a fully functioning farm that may be rented out to those looking to cultivate in a thriving environment. Based in the state of Maine, Blue Cord Farms also offers management of the administration section of a grower’s farm including, “CPA, legal, the books and inventory management.”

The company has also made it a priority to focus and support veteran transition into civilian life at-home. Both founders emphasize that, “adjustment starts with a purpose and the purpose starts with community.”

As a result, Blue Cord Farms proudly looks to partner with other organizations that prioritize veterans’ well-being as well as training veterans in skills that can be helpful in the job market. Earlier this year, the company even hosted the Texas Veterans Cannabis Forum during Memorial Day weekend. The free event was conducted in partnership with the American Legal Post, Texas NORML and Texas Veterans for Medical Marijuana. In regard to the forum, Head said, “I want to help with advocacy. I know many vets use cannabis without the knowledge of others. The more we spread the word, we feel that more people will start to jump on board to help legalize this incredible plant.”

In the light of continual progression with cannabis legislation, we asked Head what the Blue Cord Farms team would like to see happen in the coming years. He shared, “We would like the freedom to bank properly, sell online and ship product. To be treated like a normal company would. We believe that these people that have been considered criminals, are actually the backbone to a multi-billion dollar business.”