Greetings from Columbus, Ohio
We are now in Day 3 of Cultivate’18. It has been incredibly busy couple of days so far and the mood of the attendees and exhibitors seems to be very upbeat this year.
On Saturday, GPN’s first-ever cannabis conference took place at the Hyatt Hotel in Columbus.
Approximately 80 people were on hand (see photo) to learn about the ins and outs of the cannabis business along with the most effective (and profitable) ways to produce cannabis plants. The questions and conversations that took place during the conference were fascinating. This is a rapidly emerging product category for growers and it will be interesting to see how it evolves.
Cultivate’18 kicked off on Sunday at 8 a.m. with the Morning Jolt! keynote address by Scott Greenberg, noted businessman and speaker, who talked about the skill set and mindset, that are helping business leaders and their teams elevate performance and grow their companies.
Then the trade show floor started buzzing with activity as attendees were checking out the latest products and services that are on display. The classrooms in the convention center were also filled with attendees looking to expand their horticultural knowledge.
Last night we had the opportunity to recognize the majority of GPN’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2018 — in person!
Thirty of this year’s class members (see photo above) were on hand for a special reception that took place in the Greater Columbus Convention Center. It was so exhilarating to see such a collection of “young” talent — all in one place.
The brainpower, creativity and enthusiasm of this year’s class really bodes well for the future of our industry.
We also had a chance to recognize Karen Schneck, the 2018 GPN/Nexus Intern of the Year, who, I have no doubt, will be member of a future 40 Under 40 class!
Cultivate’18 ends tomorrow afternoon. Then it’s back to our “day” jobs and recovering from an invigorating (and exhausting) four days of networking and education.
P.S. If you are attending Cultivate this year, (or even if you couldn’t make it this year), be sure to check out the latest episode of GPN’s Hort TV where you can learn about many of the highlights of this year’s trade show and educational conference. Click here to check it out.