Building Premium Cannabis at Scale: Will Bowden | Grasshopper Farms

Join Will Bowden, CEO of Grasshopper Farms, as he shares how military discipline and pharmaceutical experience built a premium outdoor cannabis brand across Michigan, Colorado, and New Jersey with 95%+ employee retention.

🎙️ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
1:12 - Will's Unique Background: Military, Law Enforcement & Pharma
4:25 - Why Outdoor Cannabis Cultivation Over Indoor
7:27 - The Size and Scale of Grasshopper Farms Today
9:13 - Customer Acquisition: Retail Partnership Strategy
12:06 - Revenue Growth and Business Model
15:18 - Marketing ROI: Education Over Advertising
18:21 - Biggest Regulatory Shifts in Cannabis Industry
21:05 - Federal Changes: What's Coming in 5-7 Years
24:06 - Expansion Plans: Next 6-12 Months
25:54 - Biggest Obstacles: Misinformation and Stigma
30:18 - State-Level Education: Business-Conducive Frameworks
33:06 - Technology Integration in Cannabis Farming
35:27 - Operational Bottlenecks: Space and Capital
38:20 - Core KPIs That Define Success
42:07 - Biggest Lesson: People Over Equipment
43:56 - Education Over Advocacy: Changing Minds Responsibly

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS:
✅ Outdoor farming costs less to operate than indoor but requires proving quality perception to retailers
✅ 95%+ employee retention rate achieved through competitive pay, job security, and mission-driven culture
✅ Cannabis industry margins are slim due to 280E tax code eliminating standard business write-offs
✅ Three consumer groups: enthusiasts (access), curious (sleep/wellness), and opponents (education bridges gap)
✅ Michigan, Colorado, and New Jersey operations all sell out annually at premium prices vs other outdoor farms
✅ Expansion roadmap targets 10 states before federal legalization (estimated 5-7 years out)
✅ Regulatory frameworks must be business-conducive or black market penetration increases
✅ Open facility tours and education convert opponents: "I'm okay with what Grasshopper Farms is doing"

🌱 ABOUT GRASSHOPPER FARMS:
Grasshopper Farms is a premium outdoor cannabis cultivation company operating in Michigan, Colorado, and New Jersey. The company specializes in producing high-quality smokeable flower, pre-rolls, and infused pre-rolls using craft farming methods that stay at or below 5% market share per state. Unlike traditional indoor operations, Grasshopper Farms proves that outdoor cultivation can achieve premium quality when done with disciplined agricultural practices and environmental expertise.

The company maintains a 74-person full-time team with industry-leading 95%+ retention rates and operates with transparent, education-first community engagement including year-round facility tours and annual open houses.

👤 ABOUT WILL BOWDEN:
Will Bowden is CEO of Grasshopper Farms and brings a rare blend of military leadership, law enforcement experience, and pharmaceutical industry expertise to cannabis cultivation. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander from the U.S. Coast Guard, served as a SWAT team police officer, and worked extensively for Merck in pharmaceutical operations—three disciplines that prepared him to navigate the heavily regulated, rapidly evolving cannabis industry.

Will entered the cannabis space the same month he retired from the military after observing the industry's legalization trend 15 years prior. He founded Grasshopper Farms to prove that premium outdoor cannabis cultivation is achievable at scale, focusing on building high-performing teams, maintaining operational discipline, and emerging the industry from illegality and stigma through education and transparency.

📊 KEY METRICS:
• 74 full-time employees across 3 states
• 95%+ employee retention rate
• Operations in Michigan, Colorado, New Jersey
• 100% annual sellout rate at premium pricing
• Target: 10-state footprint before federal changes
• Craft positioning: ≤5% market share per state

🔧 RESOURCES MENTIONED:
• 280E Tax Code (federal cannabis taxation)
• State regulatory licensure frameworks
• Track-and-trace compliance systems
• Indoor vs outdoor vs greenhouse cultivation
• Slotting fees and retail partnerships
• Business-conducive regulatory frameworks
• Dr. Sanjay Gupta's cannabis research reversal

🎯 ABOUT TRUST AI PARTNERS:
Trust AI Partners explores how AI automation is transforming industries through conversations with innovative leaders. Subscribe for more founder stories at the intersection of technology, agriculture, and emerging markets.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more cannabis industry insights and founder stories!

💬 COMMENT BELOW:
What's your biggest question about the cannabis industry? | Have you tried outdoor vs indoor cannabis—what's your preference?