Cultivate Supply - E.41

We The Growers sits down with Chip Baker from Cultivate Supply, a chain of hydroponic stores in a few locations across the country.

In this episode, we talk about the story of Chip starting the Coco company that would become Royal Gold Coco, what it was like growing in Humboldt back in 1996, and we both share lessons we have learned after decades of entrepreneurship in the cannabis industry.

Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5VrbpGb...
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Chip and Cultivate on Instagram:
  / cultivate_supply  
  / chip_baker_  

Produced by the Athena Ag Team.

We The Growers Podcast Instagram:   / wethegrowerspodcast  

Athena Ag Instagram:   / athena.ag  

Visit our Website: https://www.athenaag.com

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Cultivate Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:40 Chip’s beginnings in the Hydro Business / Cultivate Today
00:03:23 Competition in the industry
00:06:00 Personal connections are key in the Hydro Business
00:07:34 Brandon and Chip living at the Hydro Store
00:09:00 Being an advocate for Cannabis
00:10:35 Relationships are key
00:11:35 Being Pilots
00:18:45 Close calls as a pilot
00:27:00 Similarities between Growing and Aviation
00:28:29 Chip’s coco company
00:37:27 Humboldt then vs now
00:43:47 Buying hydroponicsinc.com
00:47:47 Starting Aura Systems
00:52:10 Private Equity & Venture Capital
00:58:10 Rebate program in Colorado
01:03:40 Biggest Challenges Scaling Cultivate
01:06:30 Biggest Changes in the Hydro Business
01:09:22 One of the biggest mistakes made operating a hydro store
01:17:55 How Chip runs Cultivate
01:30:20 How important is your team running a Hydro Store
01:38:30 Automation
01:44:38 How Luxx and Athena grew
01:49:16 Luxx Lighting
01:59:38 Advice to younger self
02:09:47 Cashflow, budgeting, & finances
02:17:35 Saying no
02:19:48 Chip’s book recommendations
02:28:40 First crops
02:33:30 Being an entrepreneur
02:42:05 Hydro store location