The Z-Axis Of Chaos: How Dutchie’s New Tech Solves Cannabis Industry Pain Points—’People Know What Great Looks Like,’ Says CEO Tim Barash
“People know what great looks like, and they want to get there as fast as they can,” says Tim Barash, CEO of Dutchie, in an exclusive interview with Benzinga Cannabis. With nearly two years at the helm of Dutchie, a leading cannabis tech platform, Barash reflects on the stark realities of working in the cannabis industry. It’s a world unlike any other he’s encountered, even after years in restaurant tech at Toast, where he helped build one of the largest vertical software platforms for the restaurant industry.
“I thought restaurants were the toughest retail environment until I spent a couple of years in the cannabis industry,” Barash said, recognizing what it takes to operate in volatile, high-stakes environments. But cannabis adds an extra layer of unpredictability. “In any small business or startup, you have to deal with growth and complexity, like the X and Y axis. The cannabis industry has this Z-axis…it’s the craziest, most erratic chart you can have,” he says, referring to the ever-changing patchwork of rules and regulations that make long-term planning difficult.
Barash knows firsthand the pressure of navigating this landscape. “There’s regulatory stuff, there’s state stuff, there’s federal stuff, there’s vendors that want to work with you and then choose they don’t overnight,” he says. Yet, his approach remains pragmatic and straightforward: “Listen to customers and build what they want.” This guiding principle has shaped Dutchie’s success, even as the cannabis industry remains in flux.
Catch Tim Barash and other key cannabis industry leaders at the upcoming Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago. Taking place on October 8-9, this is the place to be for …