Seed & Stone is a licensed cannabis retailer with 7 licenses and 4 operational stores, looking to provide consumers with legal cannabis while focusing on BC Craft Growers.
Tell us about yourself?
For the past 2 years, Vikram Sachdeva has made his mark in the Cannabis Industry with 4 established cannabis boutiques with 2 more on the way by the end of 2022.
He started Seed & Stone in February 2020 with a deep passion for the plant and a motivation to create an open space for positive cannabis culture. With the stigma and history attached to cannabis, Vikram created Seed & Stone to be an advocate for cannabis culture while promoting wellness and inner growth and offering a unique buying experience by providing high-quality products that lift one’s spirits but inspire consumers to embrace the journey within.
With Vikram’s appreciation for the region of BC, Seed and Stone showcases local micro growers in their stores and has partnered with the Songhees Nation to co-operate two stores in Victoria.
Prior to Seed & Stone, Vikram has 22 years of retail experience in marketing, business development, and customer relations with leading retailers such as Subway and BC Liquor Distribution Branch.
Vikram has owned and operated Subway franchises in BC and was a member of the Subway FaF Board.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
I would place a much higher emphasis and focus on Human Resources and Financial Management. These aspects of the business are back-bone, and it is essential that strong foundations are laid from the start. I would also keep business and personal life well balanced since they can become quickly blurred and burnout becomes more predominant.
What problem does your business solve?
With the recent boom in retail cannabis stores across BC, we have adapted our business plan to stand out from our competitors. This was accomplished by focusing our attention on craft cannabis and working closely with our local producers to promote BC Grown cannabis. Cannabis has long been a part of BC history, and its quality is renowned around the world. We strive to stay true to our heritage and continue to support BC’s economy by allowing customers to build a stronger appreciation for craft cannabis.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
There are 3 main inspirations in my life: my father, the family name and the love of the plant. My father’s sacrifices and honour to the ancestral name have been the biggest driver of my success. He proudly protected his country and instilled in me the discipline and determination to succeed under any circumstance. It is because of him that I strive to build a company that reflects the values once shown to me in hopes of motivating those around me to succeed. All this paired with my incredible adoration of the plant has inspired me to accel within the industry.
What is your magic sauce?
My proud partnership with the Songhees Nations. Collaboration is about compassion, support, strength and power that we gain when we share with each other and lean on each other. By working together, we can typically accomplish more and attain greater results. This has been the case with the Songhees and all the wisdom, passion and friendship they bring to the table.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
We plan to expand our footprint in the lower mainland as well as island. As our brand recognition expands, we plan to better support our current and future stores by giving our employees an environment which fosters education, networking, perks and love of the plant. Once we have achieved excellence in the retail sector, we believe we will be just as successful in expanding to different avenues within the cannabis industry.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
The biggest challenge today is funding from the financial systems, especially banks. Large banks have refused to participate in funding cannabis-related activities, including retailers. There needs to be a change for the industry to progress to the next level.
How can people get involved?
We ask that anyone with knowledge, passion, innovation and creativity within the cannabis industry reach out to us at hello@seedandstone.com. We would be pleased to meet with you and see how your skills and expertise could benefit both parties, and to those who are new in the industry, we would also love to hear from you!