by Kary Radestock, Hippo Premium Packaging

Here we are in the middle of what feels like the “End-of-the-World-COVID-19-Lockdown” and it has most likely affected every single human being on the planet. None of us are left without worry. On Monday morning, I woke up with a deep sense of dread. I was finding it difficult to get out of bed and face the day… face the week… face this crisis.

Last week, while sheltering in place and working from home, I met with a potential strategic partner – a very professional woman from the East Coast. As our Zoom meeting began, I asked her how she was holding up. She admitted that she wasn’t doing very well, and then literally broke down into tears. I just wanted to reach through my monitor and comfort her. The fear facing our world, our nation, our Industry is palpable. Everyone’s worried about the future. Some are worried about their health, but everyone is worried about the economy and where this crisis will leave us.

So, on that Monday morning when it was time to face the day, I knew I wasn’t alone in this helpless/hopeless feeling. And I knew that the best medicine was to take action. Accordingly, step one was to get up and make my bed.

Seriously.

In his book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe the World, Admiral William H. McRaven writes, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. If by chance, you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that’s made. That you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.”

This logic makes a lot of sense to me. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is to just keep moving forward.

If you’re going through hell, keep going. 

                                     – Winston Churchill

The truth of the matter is that the cannabis industry has already gone through many cycles of difficult times. We’re kinda used to it. And while the American people have decided that cannabis is an essential item, the Federal government has not – so we’re shut out of the stimulus package. But, we are a resilient bunch. The cannabis industry is made up of creative, hard-working, nimble and smart individuals. We are probably better equipped to face this crisis than any other sector. 

The fact is, in every crisis lies an opportunity. Consumers reacted to CV-19 by stocking up on weed, signaling to analysts that cannabis may very well be recession-proof. Cannabis stocks are going up (for a change), and investors are whispering that they see cannabis as a safe haven for their hard-earned dollars. That’s good… cuz we’re gonna need it. 

This crisis has presented an opportunity to look at your business with fresh eyes and make certain that every expenditure and decision has a positive impact on the financial bottom line. It’s a good time to look carefully at potential strategic partners and business opportunities that will make your company stronger. 

But equally important, don’t forget to also be kind to yourself through this extraordinary time. If you are not operating at your typical 110%, give yourself a break (albeit a short one).

Now is the time to find that inner strength, that extra gear. It’s time to dig deep and look around you… Opportunity might be staring you right in the face, but you’re not going to see it if you’ve got the covers pulled up over your head.

So right now, I encourage you to take Step One. Get up… and go make your bed!

Kary Radestock, CEO, launched Hippo Premium Packaging in March 2016 offering an array of services to the cannabis market, including: Marketing Strategy, Brand Development, Social Media, Public Relations, Graphic and Web Design, and of course, Printing and Packaging. Radestock brings over 20 years of award-winning print and packaging expertise, and leads a team of the nation’s top brand builders, marketers and print production experts. Hippo works with businesses looking for a brand refresh or an entire brand development, and specializes in helping canna-business get their products to market in the most beautiful and affordable way possible. Radestock’s Creative Collective of talent and experts, allows her to offer world-class solutions to support the unique needs of the Cannabis Industry.