Alycea Chacón has a habit of ascending quickly wherever she goes. In less than a year she moved up from Patient Advocate to Floor Manager at Sol Flower Tempe McClintock, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Alycea is continuing her business education at GCU, and blends her entrepreneurial spirit with her unmatched people skills to find the right solutions for patients. Get to know more about Alycea in our conversation.
What’s your getting into the industry story?
I started in cannabis right after my 21st birthday. I was always interested in it because it was so brand new and everyone seemed to be talking about it. I’ve worked in inventory, retail sales and as a floor leader with Green Farms for three years, and then worked in accounting with the Marijuana Doctor. When I came to Sol Flower in March 2020 I started as a Patient Advocate and was able to work my way up to Floor Lead and then Floor Manager all within eight months.
What are your secrets to being able to advance so quickly in your career?
I really take the time to have personable interactions with patients and customers. Especially before adult use when we were medical only, those personal touches resonated more with people. I got to know my patients and learned what they liked. I also hardly called out of work, so that helped. It’s kind of my motto – “show up and show out,” which is what I tell my employees all the time. Doing a little more than is expected will always stand out.
Where did you get those people skills?
In high school I took a lot of psychology classes, and right now I’m taking classes at GCU that have a lot to do with business mentality. So I’ve learned a lot from there. But both of my parents were also managers my whole life, and my two older brothers also have always held managerial positions so I’ve heard a lot of stories.
What would you say to a cannabis skeptic or first timer?
First off, that it’s 100% clean and organic. If you’re not looking to have the crazy side effects of pharmaceuticals and still be able to manage your pain and thoughts then cannabis is best for you. I see my own grandmother, who is going through the early stages of dementia, and I know that while cannabis obviously won’t cure everything she’s going through, it can at least mask those feelings and thoughts and give you some ability to help yourself.
When it comes to recommending strains and products, are you more science or feel?
I try to be a little bit of both based on the person. If they’re looking for specific things in their medicine I’ll go the science route. Personally though, I’m big into the science. I look for THC percentage, what kind of cannabinoids are present, and in my concentrates especially I look for live resins that are a little more clean. I like the buttery wax dabs, especially from Drip and arae.
