Family-Owned Industry
by Carisa Rowe
HOW BEING CHRONICALLY CONSIDERATE BREEDS A CULTURE OF SUCCESS
I suggest you begin this article by asking Google to define
Even in the case of brands like Cookies, Peak, or Starbudz –
I found a paper by industrial/organizational psychologist, Dr.
“family”. Open the dictionary definition that auto-populates
all brands that are recognizable in other legal markets, the
Gerald Pulvermacher, which details the keys to a functional family
and you can read nearly a dozen definitions for this
company is still majority locally owned, thanks to SQ 788
business. In that paper, “What Makes a Family Business
complicated concept. The easiest definition is that a family
activists. Having an accessible market to enter like
Functional vs. Dysfunctional?”, Dr. Pulvermacher lists twelve
consists of people connected by genetic bonds but that is
Oklahoma’s gave many families the inspiration they needed
observations he believes to be essential behaviors of functional
rarely enough of an explanation for what a family actually is.
to pool resources and launch a family weed business.
family businesses.
The definition lists other arrangements, including the informal
When the weed market was born here, just three short
The top three considerations Dr. Pulvermacher lists include
definition of a “group of people united in […] activity”. The
years ago this past June, two types of families got into the
respect, an emotionally safe environment, and accountability. In
word provided in those brackets was “criminal” and I guess,
biz: those with no prohibition experience or those with a
my observations as a consultant, I agree wholeheartedly with
federally, that’s what we are in the weed industry. That
legacy of “marijuana”. There are many variables that come
these foundational elements. If a company, whether it is family-
definition, like all definitions for family, falls far too short of
into play, of course, but the most compelling differential
owned or not, does not promote an environment of respect, it
describing this sort of a family.
(from my perspective) is the criminality factor of this
cannot be successful.
industry and how it affects legal commerce and industry
CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021
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It might also help to have a clear definition for “family
functionality.
business”. The Small Business Administration identifies a
The amount of respect that a company creates for its team is directly proportional to the company’s continued success. When
family business as “any company wherein two or more
The success of a family business in the cannabis industry in
respect is the norm in a company, it creates a safe environment
family members operate the business and the majority
Oklahoma seems dependent on whether the business has
and within that structure, accountability comes easily.
control lies within the family”. Family businesses employ
enough criminals to navigate the traditions of this industry.
nearly two-thirds of all American workers and generate more
The downfall to criminalizing cannabis for more than eight
The most functional companies I have consulted in this industry
than 64% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).
decades is the secrecy required to maintain commerce.
have professional environments that are considerate of the staff,
Family-owned businesses maintain the economy and are
Secrets, by their very nature, create an environment of
businesses have leadership that recognizes the value of hard
responsible for the overall well-being of their employees.
deceit. When you must operate the family business in
work and who offer understanding when productivity or energy is
That certainly holds true in the Oklahoma cannabis industry
secret, the family dynamic becomes one of distrust. There
low.
where activists worked vigorously to ensure that local
are a majority of research papers available to dissect
ownership would hold priority over out-of-state interests.
functional and dysfunctional family business models.
as employees, and as non-employees. These family-owned
