Mike Brais, President & Co-Founder Deep Roots, Inc., has been intimately involved with the challenges facing entrepreneurs in the Massachusetts recreational cannabis industry from its outset in early 2018. When regulations were finalized in July of that year, he left his career as a vocational specialist to launch a small business that would cultivate and manufacture craft cannabis products and market them on a wholesale basis to licensed dispensaries throughout the state.

He, his wife Bianca, and other experienced business partners, began by recruiting cultivation and production experts to form a strong management team. After developing a detailed business plan, the company attracted a dozen small investors who provided seed financing. They scoured the state to find a suitable facility in an accepting community and by year-end, the town of Uxbridge granted their Host Community Agreement. With lease payments and other expenses pouring in, Deep Roots had to wait until mid-2019 when the retail market began to develop in order to submit a “microbusiness” application. He and an associate spent three full months developing about 200 pages of detailed procedures and documentation for the application. Over time he focused a concerted effort in establishing industry recognition for the company by active involvement in CCC meetings and legislative lobbying efforts, participation in panels and podcasts, laying the groundwork for strategic partnerships with dispensaries, manufacturers and vendors, and developing personal friendships throughout the cannabis community.

Now, nine months after applying and two years and three months after starting the business, Deep Roots expects to imminently receive its provisional license. This will enable the company to attract the major investment needed to build out its systems, begin cultivation, and launch commercial sales, which is expected to begin by the end of this year. It has been a very long and trying challenge, but Mike has never regretted going down this path.