Inside a TIME Best Cannabis Company: GTI President on Texas, Capital, and Growth Beyond Rescheduling

When Time magazine selected its prestigious list of America’s Best Companies of 2026, only two cannabis operators made the cut. Green Thumb Industries (OTC: GTBIF) was one of them (along with Florida-based Trulieve), a placement that signals how far the industry has moved toward mainstream acceptance. The recognition puts GTI alongside national consumer brands and employers, not as an outlier but as part of a maturing business landscape. 

During a recent Zoom interview, GTI President Anthony Georgiadis was quick to acknowledge that the company’s success is grounded in what legacy operators created, noting that “this industry was built on other people’s shoulders that came before us.” 

He also pointed out that GTI’s recognition comes at a moment of rapid regulatory change, saying the industry is “in the midst of a lot of unanswered questions” as federal rescheduling, state-level reforms, and potential hemp restrictions continue to evolve.

Time’s Selection Criteria  

Time’s methodology for selecting America’s Best Companies of 2026 emphasized innovation, employee satisfaction, financial strength, operational performance, and customer satisfaction. GTI’s alignment with these criteria reflects a maturing industry in which cannabis companies are judged by the same metrics as established consumer and retail brands. Georgiadis pointed to one core measure that guides GTI’s work. 

“The key KPI that we look at is really ‘Are our brands resonating with consumers?’” 

He added that GTI evaluates performance through multiple sources, including cannabis data specialists, third‑party retail analytics, and its own point‑of‑sale information, all of which help the company understand how its brands are performing across different markets.

The Mindset Behind GTI’s President  

Georgiadis helps lead GTI with a consumer-first mindset and a hands-on approach to product quality. 

“Even today, I’ve got a delivery coming to me of some new rosin that we just launched,” he said. “I can’t wait to open up the jars and do the quality control myself.” 

He emphasized that GTI’s leadership team is a group of cannabis consumers who use the company’s products regularly, which shapes how they evaluate quality and consistency. His leadership philosophy is grounded in responsibility and long-term thinking. 

“We want to operate the business in a way that we’d be proud of if we’re telling the story to our kids years from now,” he says.

Seeing Normalization As The North Star  

Throughout the conversation, Georgiadis returned repeatedly to normalization as a central theme shaping GTI’s strategy and the industry’s trajectory, saying, “We’ve really tried to be on the cutting edge of normalization.” 

The Time recognition, in his view, is part of a broader shift in public perception. 

“We just feel privileged that an organization like Time is finally recognizing that the perception of cannabis before is on the wrong side of truth,” he explained, adding that GTI hopes more cannabis companies will appear on future lists.

“Next year, we hope that there are not just two companies on this list. There are five or six or even more than that.”

Putting Consumers At The Center  

Georgiadis says that GTI’s brand and product decisions start with the consumer, describing the company’s approach simply. 

“We act as a consumer. That’s effectively how we do it.” 

GTI evaluates brand resonance through market data, retail performance, and direct consumer feedback across its portfolio of brands, including Rythm, Dogwalkers, Señorita, Incredibles, and Beboe. He said the company’s focus on innovation is driven by what consumers want today and what they may want several years from now, noting that GTI constantly reassesses its product mix to stay ahead of shifting preferences.

Investing In Culture And Community  

Time’s criteria placed heavy emphasis on employee satisfaction, an area where GTI has invested significantly. Georgiadis highlighted cultural initiatives designed to strengthen community and celebrate cannabis culture. 

“It really allows our team to feel and be within the culture that we’re trying to create,” he said, describing GTI’s recent Bud Ball event in Illinois, where Chance the Rapper performed for the company’s team and budtenders across the state. 

GTI also partners with entertainment venues like the United Center and Navy Pier, efforts that Georgiadis said help normalize cannabis by integrating it into everyday cultural spaces. These initiatives reflect a workplace environment similar to that of other large, consumer-facing industries and help position cannabis work as a legitimate, long-term career path.

Building Stability Through Discipline  

GTI’s operational strategy is shaped by conservative financial management and long-term planning. Georgiadis contrasted GTI’s approach with earlier periods of aggressive expansion across the industry. 

“We’ll continue to take a conservative approach with our balance sheet because that will give us greater optionality as we look ahead,” he said. 

He added that GTI’s discipline has helped the company avoid the debt burdens and equity dilution that have challenged other operators. This stability, he said, allows GTI to reinvest in infrastructure, people, and new markets as the industry continues to evolve.

Preparing For Federal Shifts  

Federal rescheduling is another milestone on the normalization timeline. Georgiadis emphasized that the most significant impacts will be indirect. 

“Rescheduling won’t change a ton with how we run the business today,” he said. “The real impact will be the second, third, and fourth level of consequence.” 

Increased access to capital, broader participation by the banking industry, and clearer regulatory frameworks could accelerate industry maturation. GTI has already applied for several DEA licenses, anticipating new layers of oversight. 

“It does seem like we’re going to have another party at the table,” he said, adding that the company is preparing to adapt to whatever federal structure emerges. He noted that the coming months will be critical, as operators wait to see how federal agencies will interact with state-regulated systems.

Watching Consumer Demand Evolve  

As cannabis consumption patterns evolve, GTI is watching growth in beverages, vapes, pills, and other emerging formats. 

“We’ve seen a lot of growth within the beverage category,” Georgiadis said. “Both those categories will continue to see tremendous growth.” 

He expects product proliferation to continue, mirroring the diversity seen in alcohol and other regulated consumer markets. GTI also sees opportunities in medical applications, noting that many consumers already use cannabis for relief from a wide range of ailments. 

“We know there’s a medical benefit associated with cannabis,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting to think that a plant that’s been demonized can finally provide a benefit.”

Looking Ahead At GTI’s Next Chapter  

GTI’s plans extend well beyond near-term expansion, reflecting a long-range strategy shaped by normalization, regulatory change, and evolving consumer demand. Georgiadis said the company is already preparing for several major market developments, including the rollout of adult-use sales in Virginia, where GTI currently operates a medical business. 

“We have an adult-use program that, as of now, is scheduled to launch in July of next year,” he said, noting that the company is positioning itself to meet demand as the market transitions.

Texas is another priority. GTI recently secured a conditional license there, and Georgiadis described the early planning process as one of the company’s most significant forward-looking initiatives. 

“The team is really starting to work on our strategy in terms of how we want to lean into that market,” he said. 

He added that the Lone Star State represents a long-term opportunity given its size, demographics, and the potential for future policy changes.

GTI is also watching developments in Florida and Ohio, two states where the company has seen strong medical performance and expects continued growth. Georgiadis said the company is preparing for multiple regulatory scenarios, including the possibility of expanded medical access or adult-use legalization. 

“It’s really focusing on executing within the opportunities that we have today,” he said, “while closely monitoring what happens with rescheduling and the hemp ban, because both of those could inform strategy on a go-forward basis.”

Across all markets, Georgiadis emphasized that GTI’s future planning is shaped by the same consumer-first mindset that guides its brand and product decisions. The company is evaluating how consumption patterns may shift over the next five years, particularly as beverages, vapes, pills, and other emerging formats gain traction.

The conversations shaping cannabis’ next chapter won’t end here. They will continue at the Cannabis Capital & Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., on November 18, where Wall Street meets Washington. Following last year’s inaugural summit—which brought together every major U.S. cannabis operator, leading institutional investors, one U.S. Senator, two Members of Congress, and more than 300 industry executives—the event returns as the premier forum for the leaders driving capital allocation, policy, and the future of the cannabis industry.