Blake Marchand is the CEO of March and Ash, a licensed medical and recreational cannabis dispensary with marijuana delivery in Southern California’s San Diego and Imperial Counties. There are eight March and Ash locations, which are well-known for their involvement in bettering the surrounding communities. Learn about Blake Marchand…
Follow at: marchandashofficial; blake_marchandash
Hometown: San Diego
First job: Singing Hills Golf Course cart service.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in CA: Coaching my son’s baseball team.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: My family. My wife and two kids are everything to me. I am proud of my business accomplishments but nothing is more fulfilling than seeing your loved ones happy and healthy. My greatest accomplishment is doing my part in making that a reality for my family.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: After two years of hard work and risking all of my life’s savings, being awarded a Cannabis CUP in the City of San Diego. The start of March and Ash. Several obstacles in the permitting and construction of our first dispensary stood in the way of success but, through perseverance and dedication, we were able to make it across the finish line and start a company that has grown exponentially over the last six years.
Someone who inspires you and why: My dad. He was our family’s most successful and accomplished member and the best father I could ever ask for. He pushed me to continue to take the risk to get into the cannabis Industry.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Never give up. Choose the right business partners. My business partners are like my brothers, and we have been friends since grade school. This industry is very tough to break into. There will be times when failure seems inevitable. That is OK. The most important thing is how you respond in the face of hardship and keep fighting for your dream. It’s also very important to surround yourself with similar-minded people and be able to come together to work on making your shared common goal a reality. Having your peers push you and likewise pushing your peers creates synergy. Surrounding yourself with a strong team makes everyone better and fosters a healthy, competitive working environment.
Favorite quote: “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” –Muhammad Ali
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I am a San Diego native. SDSU Graduate. Huge Padres fan.
What makes someone fabulous: It’s all about balance. Someone who is able to balance the ups and downs in life and know when to laugh and when to be serious and can genuinely display that range of emotions makes them fabulous. Life is too short to take oneself too seriously but its also too short to not focus and execute on what you want to achieve. Striking that balance is the ultimate goal, in my opinion.