Quick Pivots: How One Arizona Operator Went from Med to Rec in 3 Days

<p>Lilach Mazor Power, CEO of the Giving Tree Dispensary in Arizona, launched a vertically integrated medical marijuana operation in 2012, successfully navigating a market beset with strict rules and hostile politicians. And then, when voters legalized adult-use cannabis in the 2020 election, Lilach thought she’d have time to prepare for the transition. Arizona had other ideas.</p> <p>In this episode, Lilach talks with MJBiz CEO Chris Walsh about:</p> <ul> <li>How she pivoted her operations from medical to recreational in less than one week.</li> <li>The financial, legal, real estate, organizational and workforce demands of launching a cannabis business.</li> <li>Surviving unrealistic business plans, human error and the race to the bottom on prices.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Who is Lilach Mazor Power?</strong></p> <p>Lilach grew up in Israel before moving to the U.S. in her mid-20s. She spent many years in the restaurant industry but held a lifelong dream of owning her own business. When Arizona legalized medical marijuana, she saw her opportunity and founded Giving Tree Dispensary. Since then, Lilach has become one of the best-known leaders on the national cannabis industry landscape. Her first piece of advice: “If you meet people that say that everything is good, they haven't been humbled and they're going to get humbled on your dime - walk away.”</p>