We had the good fortune of connecting with Justin Rodriguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Justin, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Colorado, one of the most tightly regulated states in the US for cannabis, presents slim marketing opportunities despite being pioneers in cannabis advocacy and legalization in our home state.

The inspiration for our brand stemmed from the song “Contrabando y Traición” by Los Tigres del Norte, reflecting on the long history of smugglers using tires to transport products, notably marijuana.

Much like RUNTZ, which reimagined the Wonka logo, we envision Goodtrees rising as a cannabis empire. As federal legalization looms closer, the industry’s definition evolves. While the decline of mom-and-pop shops is inevitable, it marks the birth of new brands.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I took a significant risk to reach my current position. Starting as a bartender, I steadily climbed to management, eventually proposing to handle our social media. Using my skills, I revamped our brand and logo. When changes were necessary, I leveraged an offer from a major company to negotiate a partnership and ownership stake, despite lacking formal education. My learning journey, fueled by YouTube tutorials and exposure to fashion events, has now led me to venture into creating a cannabis brand in Colorado.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If you just got off a plane… you need to get right go see Dr. Christopher Dorsa at Pro Performance Chiropractic. Tell em I sent you!

After that I might slide on King of Wings or Hit DGO’s for some food. its a lot of places to go in the city Necio has some of the best tequila selections in the town I would try the Dos Artes Verde!

Stop by Potco Dispensary for some Goodtrees of course and make your way to look out mountain for a view and a nice smoke session

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have a whole team to give a big shoutout to! They say, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.’

Cannabis offers numerous benefits; each cannabinoid can be grouped for various effects. We see this as our roadmap. We created a team, each member focusing on a different aspect of this amazing plant: hemp in our garments, CBD in our products, THC in our gummies, Rosin in our beverages, and experts in our craft.

Starting with the brand, Chip Tonigan and James Lowe took a chance on me to envision a new direction for cannabis consumer interaction. GoodTrees was born. In just weeks, I dedicated time to design and prepare for our release at Rolling Loud Week in Miami 2023.

We expanded beyond garments by collaborating with Dr. Christopher Dorsa, a celebrity doctor who effectively communicates and advocates for our high-performing, affordably priced product. While 2000mg of CBD typically costs $150 to $200 at your local GMC, we’ve halved the price, making it more accessible to our community.

After CBD, we partnered with a local business, Quema Candy, to launch a unique chamoy Tajin edible—the first of its kind in our state. This collaboration also facilitated the expansion of a small Latino-owned company into the cannabis industry. Their success stemmed from hard work and dedication to introducing American consumers to Mexican-style candy, we just made. it and edible and gave it a shelf!

We expanded into THC-A with the help of Justin at Rad Hemp Co., enabling us to enter new states and connect with a broader consumer base. This expansion led to the launch of Delta 9 gummies and initiated another ongoing project.

Website: www.getgoodtrees.com

Instagram: goodtrees.co

Twitter: https://twitter.com/goodtreesco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodtreesCO

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCauChul_uky7NintB6mgU5Q

Image Credits
I have rights to all images

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