The CoNNect | Michigan | Panel at Hydro DepotHow do you scale up without losing the soul, the flavor, and the fire? That’s the question The Connect Community tackled in Michigan, live at Hydro Depot. Moderated by Sergio Picazo of The CoNNect Community / PowrHouse and Co-Moderated by Lance Harman from First Smoke of the Day. This panel brought together some of the sharpest cultivators in the game to break down the strategies, science, and culture that keep quality first while growing at scale.Panelists: • Sergio Picazo (Founder, The CoNNect Community / Co-Founder, PowrHouse) • Kevin Crouch (Co-Founder- Vp Cultivation, Powrhouse R&D Facility) • Lance Harman (First Smoke of the Day / Blackleaf) • Bill “Chocolate” Anderson (Founder, HYTEK ) • Justin Van Fleet (Director of Cultivation, Doghouse Michigan) • Seth Miller (Co-founder, Growing Pains ) • Dylan Knapp (Founder, FAVRD)Topics we covered in “Scaling Without Sacrificing Fire”: • 🔥 Smokability: Flavor transfer, white ash, and dialing in your recipe • 🌱 Genetics: Why candy terps aren’t going anywhere & the cost of pheno hunts • 💧 Post-Harvest Mastery: Water activity, moisture control, and curing done right • ⚡ Ripening Strategies: Nitrogen taper, EC fades, environmental drawdowns • 🧪 Dissolved Oxygen: Nanobubbles, microbial steering, and future breakthroughs • 💡 Lighting: Mixed HPS + LED setups, under-canopy strategies, and far-red trials • ✂️ Cloning & Mothers: Sanitation, clean practices, and rooting consistency • 🚨 Rescue Missions: What to fix first when stepping into a “sinking ship” grow • 📈 Scaling Smart: Cutting labor costs, streamlining practices, and maximizing earnings per light without compromising qualityThe Michigan Moment:This event reminded us of the early Sacramento Connect days: packed room, full energy, real culture. The audience engagement was next-level, proving once again why Michigan is one of the most exciting cannabis markets in the country.Thank You to Our Sponsors 🙏This panel wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our partners pushing the culture forward: • Hydro Depot – our incredible host in Michigan (Vince, Danny, and team) • United Nutrients – clean, soluble nutrients at scale • Grove Bags – post-harvest innovation with lung technology • Faven Lighting – under-canopy and spectrum solutions that change the game • Aroya – precision cultivation through data and insights • Kaya Coir – sustainable, consistent substrate solutions • Hygrozyme – enzyme technology driving plant health • Indoor Sun Hydro – keeping cultivators supplied with the best gear⸻⚡ Subscribe for more panels, podcasts, and cultivation deep dives from The CoNNect Community.💬 Comment your biggest takeaway ~ how are YOU scaling without sacrificing fire?
