Believe it or not, cannabis cultivation has been around for over 10,000 years. Yet those of us in the burgeoning legalized industry have just over a decade of experience to draw upon — from early “Wild West” days to adhering to today’s strict state-mandated regulations. The challenges we face in building a productive operation are many, not the least of which is how to best nurture the plant itself. However, one of the biggest factors is how we manage our people. There’s no substitute for tangible human relations, no matter how much you’ve invested in equipment, structures, and technology. At the end of the day, this business is based on the direct relationship between the plant and the people.

People are drawn to the cannabis industry for many reasons. For me, it was the chance to continue to work with a plant I love and to remove my family’s fear of me ending up in jail. When I started cultivating in Florida, we faced mandatory minimum sentences. Now, my job as a manager is to nurture the passion and enthusiasm of the people who work here. Here are five things I learned about keeping people excited, motivated, and engaged with what they do while managing a 100,000 square foot cannabis grow facility.

– Read the entire article at Business Insider.