Drew Greco, Greenstar Cultivation Services - People, Plants, and Profits: Mastering Efficiency in Large Scale Operations

In this episode of Grow Sessions, host Mark Doherty sits down with Drew Greco, cultivator and consultant at Greenstar Cultivation Services, for an eye-opening conversation on mastering efficiency at scale in an episode titled "People, Plants and Profits: Mastering Efficiency in Large Scale Operations."From overcoming early construction challenges to implementing cutting-edge cultivation technologies, Drew shares how his hands-on experience, from managing 75-gallon reservoirs to leading advanced grow teams, shaped his approach to smarter, more efficient operations.He breaks down the real numbers behind production costs, strategies for cutting labor expenses, building strong teams, and creating SOPs that actually work. You’ll also hear insights on indoor versus greenhouse growing , why under-canopy lighting is changing the game and what it really costs to grow a pound of product.Whether you’re designing your first facility or optimizing a mature operation, this episode delivers practical, proven strategies cultivators can apply today.Tune in, take notes, and bring your questions — Grow Sessions is where cultivators learn to grow smarter.About Drew Greco, Greenstar ConsultingI have been cultivating cannabis in regulated large-scale (10,000 - 175,000 sq ft) commercial facilities for over ten years. I started in CO in Denver as a cultivation tech and worked my way up to cultivation manager. I have been managing large-scale cultivation facilities for over five years. I started GreenStar Consulting in September of 2020, since then I have helped with facility design, equipment procurement, staff hiring, staff training and facility management in CA, MA, NV, MS, OK and MO.I have a construction background and took estimating classes and some basic architectural drawing classes in college. This background, coupled with my cultivation experience, has allowed me to work closely with general contractors to help with the design and build-out of new facilities. I have a set of cultivation SOPs that I have developed over the past eight years that are reliable and can guarantee the production of clean, potent cannabis. I grew up swimming competitively, and coached swimming through high school and college. I love to teach people and I love to have a positive impact on people's lives, which i believe, is one of the reasons I have been so successful as a manager and consultant in the cannabis industry.If you'd like to connect with Drew, please email [email protected] or visit his website at www.greenstargrower.com.About Mark Doherty, Doherty AgMark Doherty is the Vice President of Construction and Facilities Management for Grown Rogue, bringing over 15 years of experience in controlled environment agriculture and commercial cannabis cultivation. Throughout his career, he has led operations and facility development across multiple national brands, including roles as COO at Dual Draft Integrated Airflow, Executive VP at urban-gro, and VP of Facilities Management at Vireo Growth.Through his firm Doherty Agriculture, Mark focuses on turning around underperforming cultivation assets using his signature People, Plants, Profits framework—treating each facility as a living, breathing machine to drive efficiency, consistency, and profitability. He is known for combining deep technical expertise with practical leadership to elevate both the people and the plants behind successful cultivation operations.If you’d like to connect with Mark, please email him at [email protected] for listening. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast to receive upcoming episodes.