Who to know about cannabis in NYC: Mike Wilson

Mike Wilson is the CEO and founder of the Temeka Group, which has built over 400 cannabis pharmacies in the US and is an approved partner for social justice outlets in New York City. Wilson answered eight simple questions for the NY Cannabis Insider’s People You Need to Know series.

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What is your position and what do you/your company do in the field of cannabis?

I am the CEO and founder of the Temeka Group, a design and architecture firm that has built over 400 cannabis pharmacies across the country. Temeka Group is also an approved partner of New York Social Justice Dispensaries.

How long have you been in the cannabis business?

Although we designed several cannabis pharmacies in California in the early 2000s, since 2016 we have deliberately focused on the cannabis industry.

What were you doing before you got into the cannabis industry?

Temeka has been building various types of retail stores for the past 31 years. Because of the similarities, our experience designing jewelry stores made us feel that cannabis dispensaries would be a natural fit.

What brought you to the cannabis industry?

Because of our reputation in other outlets, a couple of people we know who have switched to cannabis asked us to design their dispensaries. We have since received projects for Stiiizy and Cookies which have built the trust we need to be a trusted resource in the sector. Since then, we have built over 400 cannabis stores for over 60 brands.

Do you have any advice for those who want to get into the weed industry in New York?

Getting a foothold in the market of any new state can be difficult, especially in a market as competitive as New York. We have personally experienced this in other states where we have worked outside of California. There will be companies that win and succeed, but unfortunately there will also be losers. Cannabis is hard to get into and you will have to work hard to be successful.

What do you think New York’s cannabis ecosystem will look like in five years?

I think New York State is doing the right thing by focusing on CAURD licensees for a few years before allowing large MSOs into them. While some will fall, many of these CAURD locations will absolutely thrive. The stores we design and build for them will be on par with any other successful pharmacy you find in the US cannabis market.

Do you use cannabis? If yes, what is your favorite method (flowers, brush strokes, foods, tinctures, etc.) and why?

I usually prefer vaping or edibles, but sometimes I smoke a flower.

Who should contact you and what is the best method to use (e.g. email, phone number, LinkedIn handle, etc.)

Feel free to email: [email protected]