Heather Greenman

Heather Greenman grew up in a small town in South Eastern Connecticut with her mom, dad, and younger brother. She was an honors student, competitive gymnast, and captain of her high school lacrosse and gymnastics teams. After high school, she attended the University of Connecticut and majored in Biological Sciences. After graduation, Heather moved to Southern California to pursue a career in medical device sales in Los Angeles. Specializing in spine and neuro devices, she spent long hours in the operating rooms assisting in surgeries such as spinal fusions, disk replacement, and providing skull plates in brain surgery cases. In 2012 Heather met her husband, Jeff, at a divey sports bar in Long Beach, CA, nearby where they both lived. Not long after, they married and started a family. They moved to Newport Beach, CA, and had their first child, Declan. Heather paused her work life for 3 years and in the meantime had a second boy, River. Soon after River was born she decided to go into business that her friend, Desiree Hedge, who had started a diagnostic laboratory on her own and wanted help growing the business. With Heather’s experience and network of contacts in the medical field and Desiree’s CLS status and expertise in opening and running diagnostic laboratories, it was a great match. Together they grew PMH Laboratory into a successful 50+ employee company. From PMH Laboratory grew Pure Cannalyst Labs, a cannabis testing laboratory, in Huntington Beach, CA. With Desiree’s already established laboratory qualifications, opening this lab seemed obvious. With the growing cannabis trends and legalization, they saw a huge need for quality control and safety in the cannabis community. With many bumps along the road, California’s strict regulations, and many hold-ups due to COVID-19, eventually Pure Cannalyst Labs opened. Pure Cannalyst Labs is constantly growing and changing to keep up with the ever-evolving industry. PC Labs’ long list of tests currently include Pesticide Screening, Potency Testing, Residual Solvents, Heavy Metals, Terpenes, Moisture Content, Potency, Homogeneity, Microbial Testing, Mycotoxins, Water Activity, Full Panel CA Compliance, Pesticide Environmental Swab Screening, Microbial Environmental Swab Screening.

This test list is always evolving and growing as we are keeping up with current standards and anticipating the evolution of cannabis and the testing that comes with it. Besides the extensive test list, Pure Cannalyst also boasts its top-of-the-line, cutting-edge equipment. Genogrinder, CryoMill, LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatograph Coupled to a Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer), UHPLC-DAD (Ultra-high performance chromatography with diode array detection), GC-MSD (Gas chromatograph coupled to a mass selective detector), ICP-MS (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer), Microwave Digestion System, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction Instrument), Moisture analyzer, Water Activity Meter. This list, too, is continually growing. Pure Cannalysts can test for any type of matrix, from liquid, lotions, gels, gummies, flowers, wax and the list goes on. Pure Cannalyst Labs officially opened for business in September of 2023 and is always taking new clients. Their goal is to run a state-of-the-art laboratory with a passionate, professional, and friendly team of employees who make their clients feel welcome as part of the Pure Cannalyst family.

What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?

I wake up at 6 a.m., if not earlier by my toddler. I make breakfast for my kids, then prepare snacks, lunches, and water bottles (x3) for the school day all while the children are running around like wild animals. I make sure everyone is in somewhat acceptable clothes and has their hair and teeth brushed, at least partially j. H. I send them off to school with my husband, Jeff, and I clean up after what I call, the tornado effect, which is… the morning craziness. Once that is done I sit down and reply to all of the emails from the night before. I will usually take an hour to go work out, Orange Theory or Yoga. Mid day I reply to my phone calls and usually have a conference call per week. By 3 pm, between Jeff and I we pick up all the kids and get them home for all the evening sports, soccer, and baseball. Once that is done we come home, have dinner, and go to bed – all of us!

How do you bring ideas to life?

My best ventures have always been with amazing partners. A collaborated effort is the best approach, IMO. Friends, colleagues, and my husband have been the best successes, by far.

What’s one trend that excites you?

I’m very excited about the growth of the cannabis industry. There is so much more to learn about cannabis. So much potential to improve our health, physiologically and psychologically through cannabis. Mental health is a struggle for so many people, I am very excited and hopeful that major change is yet to come, from cannabis particularly.

What is one habit that helps you be productive?

I make a list. First I write it out on paper, then I usually end up texting or emailing myself the list. I carve out a time to sit down and focus on my getting things checked off.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t spend time worrying about what other people think of you, be yourself and do it proudly. Go far away from home for college and get a job during your time there.

Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.

That I am, in fact, 5 feet tall, not 4’11! Haters… 🙂

What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?

Make time for self-care! I spent years ignoring my needs wants when I had my first child 10 years ago. Once I made myself a priority and stopped feeling guilty about it, I became much happier and a more productive person in all aspects.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?

Take deep breaths, step back, and try again later.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?

Meeting and really getting to know a variety of people inside or outside of your field. Networking has given me the most success from the opportunities it brings.

What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?

At the beginning of my adult life, I was insecure about myself. I had a hard time advancing in my sales career because I was intimidated but the surgeons I worked with (I was in medical device sales). As I grew out of that, things changed for the better, in all aspects of my life.

What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Some sort of Uber for kids that’s 100% safe. Teleportation?

What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

iOS. I use my iPhone for everything. Emailing, scheduling, all the different business communication apps, conference calls and zoom… the list goes on. With 3 kids and a few businesses, I’m always on the go.

What is the best $100 you recently spent?

I donated $100 to help fly a refugee to America from Malaysia. She has made it to America, had her baby, and is so very grateful to be here.

Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?

As soon as I have more time on my hands, podcasts are number one on my list to dive into!

What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?

Handmaids Tale. I really liked this book/series because it seems so outrageous on one hand but on the other hand feels eerily possible in the world today.

Key learnings:

• Always look to broaden your network. The more people you know, and that know you, the more opportunities come your way.
• Be confident in yourself and your ideas and always welcome others thoughts in collaboration.
• Its important to find a good work-life balance and a big part of that is self care.