Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 09.10.2025 
Deep Roots Harvest and The Source share their award-nominated work.
When two of Nevada’s best-known cannabis operators joined forces, the combination affected more than just the state’s estimated 700,000 cannabis consumers. It also created new opportunities and challenges for both companies’ employees – who now had new retail, distribution and cultivation colleagues across the state as well as different processes to learn. The acquisition of The Source by Deep Roots Harvest made complete sense on paper, as it strengthened the market leadership of both businesses, enabling them to enhance product offerings, elevate customer service and deepen commitments to community engagement and philanthropy. However, the job of integrating the workforces of two major industry players posed unique challenges.
On the upside, both businesses shared much in common, and each had well-established, stellar reputations among consumers and the industry. In addition, each company understood the value of learning from each other to refine and adapt operations. With this recognition, it became easier to imagine both companies coming together to understand what was working and what needed tinkering. With employees spread out across Nevada in retail dispensaries, cultivation facilities, manufacturing facilities and administrative offices, a way to nurture culture, convey important information and build greater understanding among employees became a clear need.
The Employee Newsletter Reimagined
The cannabis industry is a tight-knit community with devoted customers and equally devoted retail professionals, cultivation specialists, manufacturers, marketers and more. A company newsletter for Deep Roots Harvest and The Source would need to incorporate all the aspects of both businesses without neglecting the core reason we exist: The cannabis consumer and medical patient. In addition, with employees ranging from office professionals to agriculture experts and everything in between, communications need to be informative, relevant and enjoyable.
Enter “Sourced & Rooted,” the quarterly publication unveiled in Q1 2025, which is delivered electronically to employees across Deep Roots Harvest and The Source. Each issue includes a “Note from Leadership” from a senior executive in the company and updates on cultivation, new or updated products and important promotions occurring that season. In addition, feature stories focused on individual departments or employee groups help educate employees on the business or get to know their colleagues in a more personal way. To date, the publication has included profiles on the job of the “budtenders” (the industry’s retail salesforce), and a tribute to employees that have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Featuring full color photographs, professional graphic design and professionally written articles in a journalistic style, “Sourced & Rooted” has become a favorite with employees across the company and is eagerly anticipated at the start of each quarter. Employees have commented on the magazine’s interesting articles, and leadership is excited to have a new way of disseminating company information outside typical email or memo communication.
Employee feedback
“The newsletter has been a bright spot across the company,” said Chief Administrative Officer Brenda Snell. “It’s been exciting to see how engaged our teams are – people really value the direct updates from leadership and different departments. Each issue brings something fresh, whether it’s important news or a fun spotlight. It’s become a great way to stay connected, celebrate each other and feel part of something bigger. We’re pleased with the positive energy it’s generating.”
Production of the newsletter occurs throughout each quarter, directed by Director of Marketing Matthew Janz and managed via a team from the company’s PR partner, Maverick Public Relations. Topics are determined based on upcoming initiatives and goals of the company, as well as on industry news and developments. Articles are drafted via a team of internal “correspondents,” including leaders from the C-suite, human resources, cultivation, product development and marketing. Each issue is uploaded as a shareable online flipbook for distribution after final design from designer Michael Guitierrez-Nery.
“Cannabis is a conduit for connection, and our Rooted & Sourced newsletter is our internal version of a sesh — a place to share laughs, celebrate wins, and get to know each other,” Janz said. “Seeing our team engage with it so positively has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s icing on the cake that others see it as deserving of recognition too.”
