Q: Can you tell us about your background and journey to becoming the Director of Production at Fully Baked?
K: My background is an eclectic mix of different manufacturing industries starting in automotive, pharmaceutical, and finally CPG big industry food manufacturing. I’ve had what is now essentially a lifelong relationship with cannabis and had been trying to get into the industry for years.
Q: What are the key responsibilities of the Director of Production at Fully Baked? K: A little bit of everything actually from the basics of leading the production environment to assisting with the sales and marketing of our entire portfolio.
Q: What is different about working in cannabis then working in other industries? K: The cannabis industry is new and not federally regulated which leaves some grey areas not found in traditional manufacturing. That said it’s a lot more fun because things are new and ever changing, which is a very nice switch from the standard 9-5.
Q: Why did you want to work in cannabis production?
K: I’ve been an avid cannabis consumer for over 15 years, so it’s been an industry I’ve been in one way or another my entire life. As a lifetime manufacturing professional, it seemed like the only logical next step in my career.
Q: How do you stay updated on industry trends and advancements to keep our production processes competitive?
K: I listen to a few different Illinois-specific cannabis podcasts like The Chillinois pod and CouchLock’d show. Outside of cannabis-specific I use LinkedIn to stay up to date on new manufacturing technologies and food safety trends and topics.
Q: What advice do you have for individuals aspiring to take on leadership roles in production, specifically in cannabis? K: Manufacturing leadership is the same regardless of industry, so keep growing your skillset until you find the right cannabis company for you.
Q: What do you see as the future of production within our industry, and how are you preparing our team for it? K: I see the industry already starting to embrace traditional Operational Excellence, which will move us as a whole to a more reliable and consistent quality of product. We are fostering a culture of continuous improvement which will leave our manufacturing team nimble and easily pivoted.
Karak, our Director of Production, is to the left of Alayna, our Director of Marketing & Sales!