Smooth Sailing Into California Dispensaries & Cannabis Communities
For the partners of Port Seven cannabis, the motto ‘Seven Seas, Seven Leaves’ is about so much more than the connection between the seafaring lifestyle and their cannabis mission of being worldwide purveyors of premium cannabis. As they say in their mission statement; the local, national, and eventually global ambition of Port Seven is to “revitalize our neighborhoods and serve the community through successful legalization efforts.” Through cannabis and the joys and tribulations of building a small business from the soil up, Nick Mercado and Chad Michaud have further developed their appreciation for what they believe are some of California’s best local products; it’s coastlines and sea, the unparalleled cannabis quality and culture, a finally legal and growing market, and – of course – each other. Nick and Chad, both native Californians, have known each other for over 25 years, since their Pop Warner days. As they gear up for their impending launch towards the close of 2019, they are looking at their growing initial dispensary orders of Port Seven live resin and prerolls as the new leg of a voyage they’ve been on since childhood: the life of cannabis and the sea.
Nick, president and co-founder of Port Seven, started growing cannabis in his backyard in the mid-’90s, and developed a skill and love for the plant, despite constant sabotage efforts from his mother that included drowning them in bleach. While his love for cannabis cultivation and consumption hasn’t changed, his primary passion remains the sea. “I love to surf, and fish, I love to dive and sail,” he says, “That’s part of my lifestyle, being a waterman.” Nick’s experience is part of why Port Seven as a brand is primarily outdoor-lifestyle centered, with cannabis being the central product. His partner, co-founder and company Vice President Chad Michaud concurs, “The main passion is obviously the outdoor lifestyle brands and being able to provide a product that stands on something that’s bigger than cannabis and the port. Our vision for the company includes being able to give back to our communities, and to be able to create jobs for people.” While they prepare for launch before the end of 2019, they’re going to continue to build on the relationships they’ve been establishing with dispensaries across California, and build up their team, and ability to scale nationally and beyond. As 2019 draws to a close, they are launching in dispensaries throughout California and looking to expand their reach as they build relationships up and down the state. In the first quarter of 2020, their product line will already be expanding, to include edibles.
Scaling upward and outward in both their communal and political ambitions, the Port Seven crew look forward to incorporating the inspiration they’ve taken from their mentors and experience as they build their team and statewide market reach. “My vision for the company one day is to be able to provide back to the communities, and be able to create jobs for people,” says Michaud, “I’ve been fortunate in my career in different industries to have mentors and people that have moved my career along and that’s what got me to where I’m at with Port Seven – and obviously, my love of cannabis.” His longtime partner Nick Mercado agrees, telling NUGL; “There’s a bigger picture, there’s providing leadership to whomever we want to include as part of our family, in addition to bringing the cleanest, best products to consumers so they know what they’re going to be consuming every single time.” A small business, continuing to build personal relationships – with dispensary owners and operators and their growing crew and network, which they hope will scale globally. That goes for their business and communal ambitions, and while they are a small family business as they start, they expect the ability of Port Seven to educate and impact through cannabis to spread the state, and soon the world. Mercado summarizes; “It’s not big business. That’s one thing that differentiates us is we could pivot at any time.” While their ambitions are to grow, they come to this industry with decades of experience, and a commitment to expanding through the community, and the growth of the market they’ve helped pioneer. “We’re coming here because we love it. It’s been our culture, it’s been our lifestyle.”
As far as the present and future of Port Seven? After launching their first products just before the upcoming MJBizCon convention in Las Vegas, they are right on pace with their immediate and long term goals, as Mercado confidently summarizes, “In the present time we’re ready to launch. Port Seven is ready to launch, and the future is to be a premier global cannabis brand, which is our ultimate goal.”
