Q&A with JOEL STROUD

CEO/Founder

How did you get into the Cannabis industry?

I have been in and around the Cannabis industry nearly my entire life. I grew up in Oregon and remember at a very young age coming across farm patches tucked away in my neighbors’ blackberry bushes. Later I had friends who were building greenhouses and indoor ops. Obviously this was long before it was legal, but throughout the years I was able to see it go from gorilla to gray area and on to full commercialization. I have been fortunate to experience first-hand the evolution of the design, the process, the technology and therefore the quality of Cannabis production. 

Since legalization, I have personally been involved in the building and production of full scale Cannabis farms in multiple states across the country. I have developed and implemented business plans, operational systems and operational plans for multiple farms. In addition I have designed and implemented the layout of both outdoor and indoor projects and overseen the processing, packaging and marketing of finished product.

Along the way, I toured and consulted with farms in neighboring regions in order to learn and share best practices in growing and management like the Caribbean, Central and South America, places like Panama, Columbia, Dominican Republic as well as Mexico and Belize. Seeing this wide spectrum of climates and market conditions has given me incredible insight into new technology and systems. 

What was your experience before getting into this industry?

Well, I studied economics at PSU with a focus on international trade, development and the utility of philanthropy. However, I ended up starting an ice cream business that I used to experiment with the idea of adding value by doing good. A percentage of profits went to provide local food assistance to those in need. At the same time, I was working with Project Renaissance which is an effort to raise money and provide resources for art education.

But while fun, these endeavors didn’t make enough money fast enough. So, I went into real estate and property development for a little while until I was recruited by a mid-size IT firm where I managed about 40 consultants at any given time.

What made you want to start ACRE Strategy? 

I created Acre because of this unique position I find myself in. I travel a lot and have built a network of people and companies which make it possible to create these dynamic collaborations to cover all facets of the market.

Organization, efficiency and community are what I am most focused on because I believe that a constant drive towards these ideas can create innovations and a strong foundation for a successful and competitive business. 

I want to help bring the industry to maturity and give farmers and entrepreneurs, many of whom are my friends, a market they can safely build their careers and businesses in.

What would you say your strengths are?

I think my ability to bring people and ideas together to realize opportunity is probably what I do best. I can also get down to the nuts and bolts of running a business while maintaining the long view and a larger vision of the industry as a whole.

And finally, where do you see the future of this industry going?

I see a lot of opportunity. I see it growing exponentially, but I also see it getting much more difficult to get into the market and survive due to increased competition. And it is only going to get more competitive. That’s why it is so important to be efficient, organized, have the best people on your team and then have the right connections. But overall, there is great potential and opportunity for those who are focused, driven and organized.