If Cultivation Walls Could Talk

The CannaBS Detector

We are back at it today, speaking with Chris Tenaglia of Valiant Group America, as he brings his unique experience of the construction side of the cannabis industry to light. Valiant is a vertically integrated team, meaning they have professionals from all aspects of the construction industry, in-house. This eases confusion throughout the entire process, and makes for great communication throughout the company and for the client. Chris, the chief operating officer of Valiant, speaks with us today about his experiences at Valiant and calls out the bullshit he’s had to deal with throughout his time in the industry.

3 Lessons Learned:

1. The expense differences and effects of growing cannabis in different climates, specifically the NorthEast. With drastic changes in humidity and temperature throughout the year in the east, compared to the dry, sunny climate in the west, east coast facilities usually have to double up on most of their supplies and equipment.
2. Massachusetts has one of the highest percentages of testing regulations for mold in the cannabis industry. This is due to the area’s high humidity.
3. Vet whoever you are hiring in this industry - especially as a consultant. The wrong advice will cost you millions in this industry, as Chris and I have seen from firsthand experience, and you need to make sure your employees and associates are legitimate, with real experience that is backed up by a reference/

List of Topics/subjects discussed:

• Valiant Group and their vertically integrated team. What do they do?
• Difficulties with growing in different regions throughout the United States, specifically in the northeast and how that effects cost
• Compliance and regulatory changes on the east coast as compared to the west coast
• Valiant Group’s partnership with Agrify
• Agrify’s vertical farming unit (VFU) and how it can benefit you in the long run.
• LED vs. HPS Lights
• In Valiant’s customer base, how many are people fixing their mistakes compared to people starting off on their company on the right foot?
• What is the easiest state to grow in?
• Lighting and regulations specifically with electricity.
• The difficulty of licensing on the east coast, especially when entering the market (if you can)
• Cannabis cultivation is not a normal construction build. Why?
• Issues between growers and owners when building a facility and their lack of understanding.
• The importance of recognizing con-consultants and vetting out your potential employees.
• Valiant’s experiences with companies

Guest Bio and Social Media Links:

Valiant is a leader in development, management, consulting and general contracting. With past experience in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and other industrial buildings, Valiant’s newfound success follows a decade-long specialization in commercial development of cannabis cultivation facilities and dispensaries. The construction giant’s claim to fame is their vertically-integrated trades structure. The structure allows Valiant to train all of their own employees instead of hiring subcontractors. This maximizes quality of work and minimizes the timeline of each project. Most recently, Valiant was selected as the primary distributor and installer for Agrify, a high-tech firm specializing in state-of-the-art, software-controlled cannabis vertical farming units and modular containers.

Christopher Tenaglia, Chief Operating Officer of Valiant, has extensive leadership experience over various industries including finance, production and construction. His relevant qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Colby-Sawyer College, an unrestricted construction supervisor license, a Class A commercial driver’s license, and OSHA 30. Christopher regularly manages teams of over 100 employees and has owned and managed several companies over the past 10 years. Across all of the multi-million dollar Valiant projects, Chris is a driving force in the field as a coordinator with all company personnel, schedules, assurance of deadlines & timelines, leadership & management meetings, and point-person for all communication regarding Valiant business matters and ongoing projects.

Website: www.valiant-america.com

insta: @ValiantAmerica

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valiant-america/

twitter: @Valiant_America

Facebook: Facebook.com/ValiantAmerica

For more on mold testing throughout the United States:

https://cannabisindustryjournal.com/feature_article/an-insiders-view-how-labs-conduct-cannabis-mold-testing/

Credits:

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Show Notes: Henley Beall

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