Ashley Gonzalez is a manager at High Desert Relief and has been working in the cannabis industry for nearly four years. We sat down with her to talk about working in the industry and how it’s different (and the same) compared to other jobs.
The Rolling Paper: What sector did you work in before you started in the cannabis industry?
Gonzalez: Serving jobs. I was a bartender or server. It was somewhat similar to working with cannabis, because it’s customer service, but also very different, because you’re not handling food. I feel like people are really, really picky with food. With the cannabis industry, it’s just a nicer experience. I definitely enjoy it a lot more. I can just work with one person at a time.
What attracted you to a job in the cannabis industry?
I always wanted to get into a field where I was helping people. I never went to college, so I didn’t have a schooling background, but I always knew I wanted to help people out. We have people come in, and they tell us about how medical marijuana has helped them get off certain prescriptions and medications, and it just warms my heart knowing that it actually saves people’s lives. I’ve had clients say they were couch potatoes who couldn’t drive or do anything themselves. So when they come in saying that they’re able to just do these basic things that they weren’t able to do before, it almost makes you want to tear up sometimes.
Were you a cannabis user before you started working in the industry?
Oh, yes.
Does that history help inform your job?
Yes, but the job has helped inform me as a consumer even more. Before, I would just smoke whatever strain was available. But once I got a job in the industry, I learned that the reason I was always so anxious was I was smoking too many sativas that didn’t mix well with me. They made me really anxious—kind of paranoid. But once I learned to balance, I was okay. I definitely educated myself more, so I’m now able to help educate other people.
What about the industry makes it a good place for women to work?
Women tend to sit and listen a little more calmly than men. I know that a lot of the guys I work with are real quick with the transactions, while the ladies will take their time a little bit more and work with customers.
Is there any advice that you could give women that are starting a weed job or thinking about it?
Go in with confidence. In a lot of fields, women will be intimidated because they think it’s a male-dominated industry, but I feel like as long as you go in confident, keep your head up, be willing to learn and willing to share your experience at the same time, you’ll do fine.