Miles Kirby began his budtending job at Doobie Nights in Santa Rosa a week or two before April 20. For many, this might sound frightening, but even though Kirby was green, he was uniquely qualified to handle the task.
Kirby told the Leaf that he actually started in the Cannabis world as a sales rep for Gorilla Grow Tent, working with customer issues and concerns. From there, he moved to pulling leaves off plants at UMMA Sonoma, where he worked his way up over five years in the propagation department until he found himself supervising an indoor facility with around 400 lights.
After five years in cultivation, Kirby left to travel outside of the Santa Rosa area, where he’s spent most of his life. He eventually decided to get back into Cannabis, but wanted to find something closer to his earlier role working with the public. That’s when a friend told him there was an opening at Doobie Nights.
He said the job now is a mix of the customer service skills he developed at Gorilla Tent and the Cannabis knowledge he gained through UMMA. He repeatedly shouted out the team there for providing skills, guidance and background that set the foundation for his path in the industry. “Every single one of the team, they are my roots,” Kirby said.
Despite coming from a background working with plants, Kirby said he’s more of a resin head. “Generally speaking, I’m an oil smoker for the most part; there are so many post-processing applications for the plant, and I just got more and more into that and then into solventless production, and have even washed and pressed some homegrown flower.”
If he’s grabbing a bucket from the store, Kirby reaches for some 710 Labs or Ahti. He said he’s a personal fan of GMO or any solid GMO cross. “I also really like trying the same cultivar that’s been grown and washed by different people and seeing the variability in phenotype and technique,” Kirby added. Just like hearing a band cover a famous song we all know, the differences in delivery can be part of the enjoyment.
Kirby’s advice for anyone looking to enter the industry is to go to events and in-store visits to get to know people in your local industry. “Network as much as possible. Even though the industry is really big, in many ways, it’s also very small, and lots of people know each other. Introducing yourself will help you get a lot of connections,” Kirby said.
His other piece of advice is: Start your education now. Too often, people think that their journey into learning about Cannabis begins once they get hired. Kirby believes that having experience in related industries and a love for the plant before applying for industry jobs sets you apart from other candidates.
You can tell by talking with Kirby that he’s fused the retail and Cannabis parts of his background into one. He genuinely cares about Cannabis as a plant, as a medicine and as a recreational product, but also understands that the retail experience is important. “If you’re able to combine those things and provide a great experience that’s educational and enjoyable, that’s really what I’m trying to do for people who come into the store.”
