Meet Katelyn Coskey of Point Seven Group in Rino

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katelyn Coskey.

Katelyn, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was turning 23 while still living in New Jersey and panicking that I hadn’t experienced much in life yet. I was constantly looking at couch surfing options so I could go and explore for the summer and try to see a part of the country I had never been to. It all came to fruition when I was sitting in a friend’s backyard telling him about my desire to experience more, and him politely reminding me that I had nothing positive going on in NJ that should keep me from leaving. At the time, my family and living situations were the most unstable they had ever been. The circumstances of my everyday life were draining me mentally, and clearly that was being noticed by those around me.

My friend convinced me to book a one-way ticket to Denver that day. Within a few weeks, I was traveling to Denver only knowing one person, with zero plans, and only one intention: to explore. My second day in Denver, I was going to a showing for a subleased room knowing I wanted to spend at minimum a month in Denver. I couldn’t find the building, but a very wonderful human being could see that I was confused and informed me the building I was looking for was directly in front of me. After seeing the unit and meeting what would become my awesome temporary roommate, him and some friends caught me in the elevator and ended up inviting me out for drinks. Little did I know, simply saying yes to this group of strangers would lead me on the most incredible path I could have possibly dreamed of. I quickly became a part of the group and through them, I met a fellow badass woman who offered me my first budtending position.

Within months I had moved up to managing the store and really fell in love with the industry itself. From there, I went on to be a Metrc admin for five cultivation licenses, managing the inventory and compliant tracking of over 9,000 cannabis plants. Missing the retail world, I hopped back into managing and finally found the store that felt like home- Options Medical Center in Wheat Ridge. One day a friend who I met through the original group that welcomed me so warmly to Denver messaged me about a Women in Cannabis event where three women cannabis CEOs would be speaking. I signed up and went solo to the event. While there, I heard my new boss, Ashley Picillo, speak about her company and the industry in general and was completely blown away. I knew immediately I needed to learn from her.

After her panel, many audience members wanted the chance to speak with her, so I waited to be the last and told her that I was off on Fridays and would love the opportunity to come learn from her and her team. She had me send my resume that night and one week later, I was sitting in the Point7 office chatting with her and a few other team members. She offered me a full-time position before I left that day and although she probably doesn’t know (well… until now), I left in tears. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I’m now just shy of a year with Point7 and I can’t put into words the growth this company has allowed me to experience. I’ve now assisted clients to win cannabis licenses of their own, assisted with developing SOPs for fully vertically integrated companies, taught courses on topics such as Facility Design, Post-Licensure Operations, and Agent Recruitment to Social Equity Applicants in Massachusetts, and even spoke on my very first panel discussing compliant packaging in Missouri. I’ve been very lucky to meet such kind and genuine people on my journey who have opened so many doors for me, and I’m also extremely proud of myself for consistently stepping outside of my comfort zone and going for things that truly terrify me.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not! Do people ever truly get to a point where the road is smooth? I’d imagine that would be boring. Like many, I spent a few years working seven days a week, often 15-18 hour days between multiple jobs. Although, I think my most challenging speed bump has been my internal doubt. Despite making a few bold but impactful choices along the way, it’s been a constant battle to accept that I’m actually capable of the things I’m doing. Luckily, I’m in an ever-changing industry that is consistently challenging, and even more so, I’m lucky to be on a team that pushes me to work outside my comfort zone daily.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
Point Seven Group is a global management consulting firm that focuses on assisting cannabis entrepreneurs with strategy, operations, and compliance needs. Led by our fierce Founder and CEO, Ashley Picillo, Point7 is a team of experts with diverse professional backgrounds, both in and outside of the cannabis industry. The team’s wide range of combined experiences and areas of expertise is one of our greatest strengths. Together the team addresses clients’ needs from pre-application strategy through licensing, facility and operational design, compliance, expansion and exit.

What do you specialize in?
Point7 truly tackles all aspects of operating within the cannabis space. From helping to create efficient and genuine business plans to guiding the staffing and training process, plus all the steps between, Point7 provides clients with a roadmap to make their cannabis business goals achievable and successful. The company’s most recent success was in Missouri, where we helped our clients win 40 licenses through the competitive application process in 2019, proving application writing to be a true strength for the team.

What are you known for?
At this point, I would say application writing is where you’ll hear our name the most. However, the team is always thinking about what’s next and what the best upcoming opportunity is. There are some really fun and exciting projects in the works that could broaden the Company’s reputation quite a bit.

What sets you apart from others?
Many things, but our team members stand out the most! Starting at the top with Ashley, who built a company with a distinct culture that draws in a certain type of character. We’re all misfit toys in a way, who joined together and formed a really genuine bond. It almost creates an additional layer of accountability since we are like a family. The same level of dedication and closeness applies to our valued clients as well. We pride ourselves in the relationships we form with clients, and we hope to end every engagement feeling like we have become an extension of their immediate team. That level of personal connection comes from the heart of each and every Point7 team member, and isn’t easy to find in just any consulting firm!

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
To be honest, I don’t have a direct plan. I have goals and visions of how I’d like to see my life unfold but in general, I value flexibility in the choices available to me. I’m currently in a position that allows me to explore so many different roads that I’m really still in the early stages of figuring out which avenue(s) I enjoy the most and excel at. The cannabis industry continues to grow and evolve at such a fast pace, it’s fun and challenging, but ultimately rewarding that my only set-in-stone plan at the moment is to continue to grow with the incredible people I learn from everyday and use the past wild, yet amazing six years to help others join the space.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pointsevengroup.com
• Email: katelyn@pointsevengroup.com
• Instagram: @pointsevengroup @Katelyn_saraaa

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