Today we’d like to introduce you to Narith Panh.
Narith, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My family came to America in 1980 as refugees from Cambodia and Salt Lake City became our new home. The Khmer Rouge was responsible for one of the most atrocious genocides in the last 50 years. Everything was taken away from my family and we were forced to start a new life. The incredible Utah community welcomed us with open arms and provided an opportunity for us to live the American dream. My family placed a strong emphasis on education and I became the first in my family to receive a college education, graduating from the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah in 2006. While working full-time to pay my way through college, I began my career in research and consulting.
Over the next 20 years, I became the Vice President of Ipsos, consulting with Fortune 500 companies and guiding them to growth by developing winning strategies through consumer insights and understanding. My experience spreads across a variety of industries including CPG, healthcare, technology, automotive and public affairs. My work was instrumental in developing a winning electrification strategy for one of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world and my passion to create a more sustainable transportation future sped up the adoption of electric vehicle technologies. I was also recognized in 2019 with the Entrepreneurial Spirit award by developing new technological solutions using virtual and augmented reality to decrease the product development lifecycle of goods including automobiles, FMCG, technology, health and beauty.
In 2019, my family went through a life changing experience. I was in Miami celebrating a friend’s bachelor party when I received a phone call from my sister telling me that our brother was involved in an auto pedestrian accident. He was walking across the street and was struck by a drunk driver traveling at 40 MPH. Not knowing whether he would make it or not, I immediately flew home to Salt Lake City. Fortunately, he recovered from his injuries but had two surgeries. Through the 9-month recovery process, we made the choice to fully medicate with cannabis. Growing up in Utah, we saw family and friends lose their lives to opioid addiction and we were determined to make sure that my brother did not become another statistic. This event inspired me to pursue an opportunity to help our community become more educated and aware of the benefits of medical cannabis.
After my brother’s accident, I became the Chief Growth Officer of Dragonfly, a locally owned and operated family business, and helped acquire 3 separate licenses to become 1 of only 3 vertically integrated cannabis companies in Utah. Dragonfly became one of the top producers of biomass in the state as well as the #1 retail medical cannabis pharmacy. Dragonfly’s mission to bring health and happiness to its community paved the way for creating one of the best patient experiences of any cannabis company. With a focus on technology and innovation, Dragonfly was quickly recognized in the industry as pioneers in changing the stigma associated with cannabis use. We were recognized in 2021 as one of the Best Cannabis Companies to Work For in the category of Cultivation and Dispensary. With a patient first focus and an emphasis on serving our community, we also empower our employees to get involved in helping others and being a part of the solution.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Cannabis has been one of the most challenging industries I have ever worked in. This was mainly due to its previous Schedule I status, which prevented access to many of the common business tools such as marketing, finance, software and the professional talent pool. Finding the right balance of people who love the plant, but also love doing their daily job is a continual challenge. Many people love the perks of working in the cannabis industry, but that doesn’t change that it still needs to be run efficiently and effectively like any other successful business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dragonfly Wellness?
Dragonfly is committed to developing the highest quality medical cannabis products by focusing on efficacy and innovation to treat specific medical conditions. We are developing new dosage methods to better deliver the effects of cannabis for patients. For example, our Dragonfly oral spray is a fast acting oral mucosal spray that utilizes our proprietary nano technology.
Our organization works tirelessly with regulators to continually improve Utah’s medical cannabis program with a goal to create a best-in-class Schedule III medical cannabis program that can become a model for the nation.
We are also one of the few cannabis operators that also invests in developing our own hardware including the Dragonfly Ember, a portable dry herb vaporizer designed to maximize the flower experience as well as the Dragonfly Novaa battery system, which is our own proprietary pod system optimized for rosin, resin and distillate vape products. We found that hardware on the market did not meet the standards of our brand. However, we are most proud of the fact that we have not forgotten that we are here to create a better community than we were left with through the plant. Being patient centric is still one of the best parts of being in a medical only state.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Compassion. After years of working in a highly stigmatized and heavily regulated industry, it is always important to remember that not everyone has the same experience or connections with cannabis as those of us that are in the industry. Being able to listen to different people’s perspectives about cannabis is the only way to understand how to overcome the stigmas and perceptions that keep many people from ever trying cannabis as a medicine. This includes everyone from average citizens to medical providers to community leaders. We have to continue to connect and engage with our community if we want others to take what we do seriously.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dragonflywellness.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dragonflywellnessut
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dragonfly-wellness-pharmacy/
