Community Impact
Invested In The Communities We Serve
The Carbidex family is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people in the communities we serve. We have remained invested in our communities through various outreach programs and will continue our efforts to find more ways to stay engaged.
Partnerships with organizations in several markets allowed us to collect school supplies for those that needed them the most. We’ve organized food drives with support from local food banks. Fundraisers helped raise money for organizations such as The Trevor Project, Sons & Daughters United, MICIA, The Last Prisoner Project, and the Great Lakes Expungement Network. We’ve established partnerships with harm reduction programs in support of decreasing substance abuse in Michigan. We offer more than just a cannabis-friendly lounge – our company is deeply rooted in uplifting our communities, and we’re just getting started.
Our Cannabis Advocacy Efforts
Our goal is to remain at the forefront of the work to right the past wrongs of cannabis prohibition and help shape the direction of our emerging industry. In our continued efforts to be a knowledgeable, respectful, and compassionate member of the cannabis community, we have participated and initiated many relevant activist organizations, advocacy groups, and industry associations in order to make a difference.
National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA)
A member of our leadership team holds the Chari Emeritus of the NCIA’s Scientific Advisory Committee. As the nation’s largest and most influential trade association representing legal cannabis businesses, the NCIA is leading the charge to protect the legal cannabis industry, defend state laws, and advance federal policy reforms.
Michigan Cannabis Freedom Coalition (MCFC)
Representatives of our company serve on the MCFC policy subcommittee, allowing us a voice on cannabis-related political issues. The MCFC consists of groups and organizations such as The National Association of Defense Lawyers, The Last Prisoner Project, The Michael Thompson Clemency Project, and the Clean Smoke Initiative.
The Michigan Cannabis Caucus
The Michigan Cannabis Caucus works within the Michigan Democratic Party to connect directly with elected Democrats, endorse pro-cannabis candidates, and weigh in on cannabis-related political issues.
Michigan Americans for
Safe Access (MIASA)
Budtenders at The Botanical Co. obtain their Patient-Focused Certification training from the MIASA, a cannabis patient-focused consumer advocacy group that works on local and state cannabis issues.
Great Lakes Expungement Network
We helped form GLEN, an organization in support of expunging criminal records for those with cannabis-related convictions and in financial need.
WHAT IS MCSB
In 2004, Six statewide leaders (now identified as Founders) met to discuss how to recognize, celebrate and cultivate Michigan’s small businesses. The leaders decided to bring together the individual small business awards program of their organizations under one robust statewide awards program, Michigan Celebrates Small Business (MCSB). Since inception the intent has been that this program belongs to the state of Michigan, no individual entity. The Founders of MCSB recognized a need for the program to place emphasis on recognition of growth companies. After rigorous brainstorming they identified that an award would be initiated called the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, making the Edward Lowe Foundation the administrator of this component of the MCSB program, adding the foundation as an integral originator of MCSB.
Since the inception of MCSB in 2004, the purpose, mission and vision has remained the same:
Purpose of MCSB
Michigan Celebrates Small Business brings together the resources of collaborative partners and supporters so that they may raise the profile of small businesses in Michigan, build a network of entrepreneurial companies, and tell the stories of successful, growing Michigan entrepreneurs.
MCSB Vision Statement:
Michigan Celebrates Small Business (MCSB) remains on the forefront of championing small business and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in Michigan. The MCSB’s role is to serve as a catalyst for creating an entrepreneurial culture while inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
MCSB Mission Statement:
The mission of MCSB is to honor and recognize Michigan’s small business people and those champions and advocates that support them.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To be considered for selection as one of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, the enterprise must meet the following for the year ending 2019.
- Be a privately held, commercial enterprise that has not received the award in the past (not a nonprofit, not publicly traded, not a subsidiary or division of another company).
- Be past the startup stage and facing issues of growth, not survival.
- Employ 6-99 full-time equivalent W-2 employees (including the owner).
- Have between $750,000 and $50M in annual revenue or working capital from either investments or grants.
- Be headquartered in Michigan.
- Demonstrate the intent and capacity to grow based on:
- Employee or sales growth
- Sustainable competitive advantage.
- Other notable successes.