Nissue #44, Gabby Pavelko, Founder of Good People.
Happy New Year, it’s good to be back in the high life again.
And that makes a lot of sense, seeing how Nissue #44 is all about Gabby Pavelko, the founder of boutique cannabis consulting agency Good People. Just as California is at the center of the legal cannabis movement, Gabby has become one of the central figures up and down the coast when it comes to working with, and connecting the many pieces of the cannabis puzzle.
When she asked me to be an advisor to Good People, I totally understood the need for an agency like hers, one that would push for equity, transparency, and just plain out doing the right thing. Not unlike the rest of corporate America, the cannabis industry needs more female leaders, and it is lucky to have at least one high-minded inspiration in Gabby.
Nish: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Gabby: Feeling untethered and free. This happens when I am in or on the water or traveling to a new place. As a kid, my favorite thing was to jump waves at the ocean for hours, and it has developed into having too many expensive hobbies like surfing, paddle boarding, sailing, scuba diving, and skiing as an adult. When I travel, I smile and laugh more, learn new things about myself, and meet the most amazing people all over the world. Food tastes better, colors are brighter, and I can see everything clearer.
Nish: What was your worst job ever?
Gabby: There is a positive here. My first job in the cannabis industry was at a dispensary, so I got to talk to patients and learn how plant medicine improved or even saved their lives. Years later, it inspired me to pursue a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine so that I could have more medical knowledge, specifically in the areas of mental health, addiction, and cancer.
That said, the company’s leadership had very little commitment to me, and it bordered on being a toxic environment. At some breaking point, I quit without having another job lined up, and never looked back. I do not think it was a coincidence that I was the only female at the time and sadly, women have not fared well there since (whatever the cannabis industry is, it is a small one, and word gets around).
Nish: What was your first job ever?
Gabby: My first job was when I helped my parents do bookkeeping for their small business. My dad taught me entrepreneurship where customer service is paramount, taking risks can lead to rewards, and hard work pays off. From my mom, I learned about accounts payable and accounts receivable, how to keep track of transactions on paper ledgers, and that balance is everything.
Nish: What was your best job ever?
Gabby: I am honored that I get to work alongside some of the brightest and most compassionate people every day, and I feel lucky that I get to call them my friends. That might actually be how we ended up being called Good People — an industry friend heard me repeat how "I only wanted to work with good people" — the name just felt right.
Nish, you were one of the first people I reached out to when we were starting this whole thing! This has been the best learning experience of my life, and while we definitely have made and will make mistakes, I have zero regrets and am excited about the challenges and adventures ahead!
Nish: What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Gabby: I was raised to believe that I can achieve greatness, and I feel the pressure to do this every day. I tend to take on too many challenging things at the same time, and even though I always figure out a way to pull it off, I don’t ask for help often enough.
Nish: What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Gabby: Lack of accountability. If you say you are going to do something, do it.
Nish: What’s some advice you’d give to yourself at 23?
Gabby: Trust yourself. Be guided by your intuition, stay humble and kind, learn from and appreciate every step of the journey, and you will find joy and presence in each moment.
Nish: What is your greatest extravagance?
Gabby: I have always appreciated experiences over things, so I started taking my family and friends on trips or outings instead of buying them gifts for holidays and birthdays. The memories of those adventures definitely outlast any physical item, and I love the simplicity of experiencing pure happiness in community with my favorite people.
Nish: You have exclusive dinner reservations for 4 excluding family and close friends, who are the 3 people (alive, dead or imaginary) you’d invite?
Gabby: RBG, Tina Fey, and Betty White. They are all female pioneers who do not take themselves too seriously. I am still getting over Betty!
Nish: What is the theme song of your professional life?
Gabby: World Hold On by Bob Sinclair.
Nish: What is your motto?
Gabby: Keep your eyes open while you are on the rollercoaster of life. You are not going to want to miss a thing.
Nish: What is something you’re really excited about right now?
Gabby: Plant-based medicine finally having its heyday, and being a part of that sea change.
End Interview.
That’s a wrap for the first Nissue of 2022, but don’t forget to go back and read (and share) all of last year’s interviews. Have a favorite? If you tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.