From Beef Jerky To Cannabis: KushCo's Jason Vegotsky Talks Entrepreneurial Spirit

Jason Vegotsky went from co-founding a beef jerky company to playing a leadership role in KushCo Holdings, Inc. KSHB, a supplier of "something to just about everyone" in the cannabis space, he said Wednesday in a keynote address at the Benzinga Cannabis Conference in Toronto.

Vegotsky, KushCo's chief revenue officer, told a packed crowd he recognized the tremendous white space opportunity in the cannabis industry and has helped grow his company to generate $35 million in revenue. As a passionate entrepreneur, Vegotsky said there are several keys to success that he has learned over the years.

Experience Is Key 

The cannabis sector is "by far the most entrepreneurial industry," and leaders need to have a vision, he said.

The entrepreneurial spirit alone isn't enough, as a company needs C-level executives with tremendous experience in their respective fields, the CRO said. For example, KushCo's chief operating officer helped revamp Nike Inc NKE's supply chain, and the company's CFO boasts experience in strategic financing transactions and M&A activities.

Cannabis was sold and grown long before legalization in Canada, Vegotsky said, adding that having management with knowledge of the "black market" is also a key component of success.

'Execute And Execute Extremely Fast'

A leader needs to "stick out" and push the management team to "execute and execute extremely fast," the cannabis exec told the crowd at the Benzinga conference. 

The cannabis sector is fast-growing, and there are new companies looking to capitalize on an industry that remains in its infancy, Vegotsky said. But at the end of the day, the cannabis sector is also a "space where opportunities come along and go away [just] like that," he said.

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KushCo Chief Revenue Officer Jason Vergotsky delivers a keynote speech Wednesday at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Toronto. Photo by Juil Yoon.