Most descriptions of cannabis production focus on equipment, lighting systems, or automated controls. Yet according to founder Rick Thornton, the defining factor inside his cultivation facility, Grow Op, is something far less mechanical: people. He explains that the environment was intentionally built to function like a family-run operation, one where empowerment, accountability, and shared responsibility form the foundation of daily work.
From his perspective, the belief is simple: when people feel valued and supported, their work reflects it. He notes that roughly 80% of his focus is on developing his team, while only 20% is on tools or technology. This philosophy has shaped the culture that now drives the facility's operations, from training to problem-solving to the way decisions move through the organization. According to him, "If the people are happy, the product will be good, and profits will follow."
Thornton notes that the business itself centers on large-scale hydroponic cultivation, taking plants from seedling to full maturity in a clean, highly controlled environment. He explains a process that begins with mother plants used for cuttings and follows a rotating schedule built around a typical 100-day growth cycle: about 10 days to root, 15 days in vegetative growth, and 60–70 days in flower before cutting, drying, and processing. "Nearly every stage is automated with timers and environmental controls that keep humidity, temperature, and irrigation consistent," he says.
Scale adds another layer of complexity. According to him, the facility is for approximately 6,000 plants, with dozens of unique strains in rotation. "Each strain carries a different terpene profile and consumer appeal," he says, "and the team continuously evaluates which varieties resonate with the market. Some become long-term staples; others fade as data and customer feedback shift."
Operational discipline sits at the center of how the team manages such a detailed process. Thornton emphasizes the use of control plans and metrics for every stage of cultivation. "Data is collected, reviewed, and compared against expected ranges; when any reading moves out of control, countermeasures are immediately triggered to identify the cause and restore consistency," he says. He attributes much of the facility's sustained quality to these procedures, which he implemented after years in corporate roles where precision and stability were essential.
"Behind these systems is a small, close-knit team, five managers, and roughly 20 additional staff members who shift across roles as needed throughout the day," Thornton says. "Instead of narrow job functions, the team operates with flexibility." He notes that employees move easily between tasks, stepping in wherever support is required. That adaptability, he says, is only possible because the culture encourages accountability, initiative, and mutual trust. According to him, the team has remained stable for years, reflecting both the work environment and the emphasis on professional growth.
As for market presence, Thornton notes, the operation partners with select dispensaries and participates in a distribution forum where store buyers place orders. "Relationships and reliability are essential in a sector where accounts payable can be unpredictable, so the company works only with trusted partners," he explains. "Brand recognition, budtender recommendations, and returning customers all play a role in how the product moves through regulated storefronts."
The business also expresses its culture through Grow Op, a branded merchandise line introduced about six months ago. Hoodies, caps, stickers, and other items reflect a theme that extends beyond cultivation, one centered on opportunity, development, and community stewardship. Thornton explains that the brand is being repositioned to emphasize growth in every sense: of people, relationships, and the community it serves.
Through each part of the operation, people, process, quality, and community involvement, the business presents itself as a minority-owned, community-rooted cultivator with institutional discipline and a family-run feel. Thornton's approach suggests that while cannabis is the product, the real mission is shaping professionals and contributing positively to the community around them.
