Building something that lasts takes more than money — it takes self-belief, grit, and the willingness to keep pushing forward when easier options present themselves. Putting your name on it only adds to the weight — and the responsibility — to make it work. As with anything worth doing, there are difficult moments along the journey that demand a leap of faith. If you want to be different, you have to be willing to swim against the current — to stand out long enough for customers to find their fit. Daniel LaRusso was that choice for Chris Ball. A nod to his movie-buff personality, the name sent a subtle but direct message to his audience about grit, discipline, and staying true to the craft. These decisions are easy to reflect on now, but the journey was anything but simple. This week we sit down with Chris Ball, Founder of Ball Family Farms, to discuss: The journey from origin to now — and the critical decisions that shaped it How he’s constantly tinkering forward to stay ahead The Rare Breed mentorship program and its impact on the next generation of growers Summary In this episode, Chris Ball, CEO of Ball Family Farms, shares his journey from the legacy cannabis market to establishing a successful legal cannabis business. He discusses the importance of family in building his brand, the challenges of navigating the cannabis industry, and the significance of quality over quantity in product development. Chris also highlights the role of mentorship through his Rare Breed program, which aims to nurture new talent in the cannabis space. He emphasizes the need for innovation while maintaining a connection to the community and culture of cannabis. The conversation concludes with insights into the realities of being a CEO in the cannabis industry and the importance of resilience and adaptability. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Chris Ball and His Journey 03:05 The Birth of Ball Family Farms 05:58 Building the Family Business 09:01 Branding and Marketing Strategies 11:55 The Power of Unique Strain Names 15:12 Recognizing Success and Growth 17:53 Expanding the Strain Lineup 21:00 Navigating Challenges and Decisions 24:00 Trusting the Process and Team 26:48 Collaboration with Hood Baby 28:09 Lessons from the COVID Crash 29:37 Building a Stronger Team 31:34 Recognizing Talent in the Industry 33:52 The Importance of Mentorship 37:31 Balancing Innovation and Tradition 46:32 The Rare Breed Program: Nurturing New Talent Guest Links https://www.instagram.com/chrisball45/?hl=en https://x.com/BallFamilyFrms https://www.linkedin.com/company/ball-family-farms/ https://www.ballfamilyfarms.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ballfamilyfarms Our Links Bryan Fields on Twitter Kellan Finney on Twitter The Dime on Twitter Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights. At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry. The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished. 🎥 YouTube:  The Dime 📸 Instagram:  The Dime https://www.newton-insights.com/