Noah Dotson has taken his Washington-based processing company New Standard Labs from about $90,000 in annual sales to about $500,000 in just three years. Perhaps most impressive is that he’s done so with minimal overhead costs.
“I only have one employee, which allows me to really have a hand in all the day-to-day processes like making sure quality is always up to par,” says Dotson, who outsources tasks such as weighing and packaging to specialized businesses. “My goal is to keep as small team of a team as possible as I expand, so that everyone on this half is intimately familiar with the product and the process.”
Dotson joined the industry at 21 to manage a Tier 2 grow in Washington. From there, he worked with several other producers before landing in retail where he got valuable insight into the market and consumer interests.
“Partway through that, I was like, ‘Damn, I feel like I could do this myself,’” he says.
Dotson noticed that topicals sold fairly well at retail, but thought he could improve on the formulations and partnered with a processor to bring New Standard Labs’ first product to market. The success with his formulation ultimately gave him the ability to acquire the processing license he initially partnered with.
“I was able to put two and two together and make a product that works for the stores, works for me and works for the customers,” Dotson says.
New Standard Labs has been quick to pivot to higher demand items, such as vapes and pre-rolls, but Dotson says his first topical will remain on the menu for the foreseeable future.
“Honestly, I credit that to my success,” he says.