We were lucky to catch up with Tanner Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tanner, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Growing up as the second oldest of nine kids with a mother who was a entrepreneur and business owner, teamwork and adaptability were ingrained in me early on. One of the biggest advantages of coming from a large family is the ability to build a strong, motivated team, and when it came time to start our hemp business in Virginia, my younger brother Jake was a pivotal piece. Jake’s extensive experience in both indoor and outdoor cultivation from his time growing for medical and recreational brands in Oregon became the spark we needed to dive into the world of hemp when the laws opened up in 2018/2019. We now have 6 siblings in the business full time each focusing on a different part of the supply chain.

From the outset, we knew we wanted to be vertically integrated—from cultivation and processing to distribution. This was an ambitious challenge, but one we were ready to tackle. Our strategy was simple: start small and learn every aspect of the business before scaling up. We began with a 2-acre test plot, giving us firsthand knowledge of hemp cultivation in Virginia’s unique environment. After that, we took a huge leap by purchasing a facility and retrofitting it to suit our needs.

Securing the first traditional bank loan for cannabis in Virginia was a major milestone, allowing us to purchase extraction equipment and clear the bottlenecks in our process. This opened the door to the next phase of growth. From there, we dedicated countless hours to research, formulation, and testing to develop a product line that addressed the needs of our patients and customers alike.

We have spent many long days and nights on this business, even sleeping at the facility when required. It’s been a journey filled with challenges and learning curves, but it’s also one that has led us to build a fully integrated, sustainable hemp business that we’re incredibly proud of.

Tanner, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, in Harrisonburg, Virginia. After graduating from Harrisonburg High School in 2010, I decided to stay close to family and enrolled at James Madison University, where I studied Intelligence Analysis. It was a relatively new major back then, but it changed the way I think. The program was designed to train your brain to approach any problem logically, break it down, and reach sound conclusions to guide decision-making. Little did I know just how valuable that skill set would become in my future role as a CEO, where I find myself analyzing and making critical decisions daily.

My career path initially took me into the auto industry, working as a Used Car and Finance Manager at a local dealership. But everything changed when my brothers came to me with a pitch that was impossible to ignore. They had a vision for a hemp business, and after hearing their passion and seeing the opportunity, I made the leap. It wasn’t an easy decision—at the time, I had a 2-year-old daughter and another baby on the way. Leaving behind a stable job to dive into an emerging industry was risky, but with the unwavering support of my wife and family, I took the chance.

Once we got the business off the ground, it didn’t take long for us to hit our stride. We grew quickly, becoming one of the top hemp brands in Virginia, offering over 100 products across hundreds of retailers statewide and online. Our product line is diverse—topicals, smokables, oils, edibles, and beverages—all formulated to meet a wide range of health needs. At our FDA dietary supplement-certified facility, we take immense pride in listening to our customers, understanding their needs, and creating tailored solutions that truly make a difference.

Quality, safety, and effectiveness are at the core of everything we do. As the most tested cannabis company in Virginia, we hold ourselves to the highest standards to ensure that our customers receive the best products at the most affordable prices. And it’s not just about business—it’s about the lives we’re impacting. When customers come into our retail space and share stories of how our products have helped them improve their quality of life, it’s the most rewarding feeling. Those moments of gratitude fuel us, keeping the wind in our sails as we continue to grow and evolve. Our hundreds of five-star reviews from satisfied patients remind us every day why we do what we do.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Since cannabis legalization in 2018, we’ve been at the forefront of Virginia’s hemp industry, carving out our place in uncharted territory. But trailblazing in a relatively new industry comes with its own set of hurdles. One of our biggest challenges has been education—dispelling the negative stigmas surrounding cannabis that have taken root over the past four or five decades. Despite the growing body of evidence and countless testimonials from customers who have experienced real benefits, we’re still legally restricted from using essential terms like “pain relief” or “anti-inflammation.” It’s frustrating to navigate these limits, especially when we know how much our products help people.

On top of that, the legal landscape seems to shift beneath our feet every year, often making it harder to deliver the products our customers want. In some ways, it feels like regulators keep cutting us at the knees, forcing us to be even more creative and adaptive to survive. Banking and payment processors have been another constant challenge—most traditional financial institutions were unwilling to work with cannabis-related businesses early on. But in recent years, we’ve seen them slowly come around, providing us more access to the financial tools we need to grow.

Through it all, we’ve remained committed to pushing for change. At Pure, we work closely with politicians and regulators, offering them a unique perspective from every angle of the industry—cultivator, processor, and retailer. It’s a long road, but by advocating for fair policies, we’re helping shape the future of hemp in Virginia, one conversation at a time.

Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?

Pure Shenandoah has always been about exploring the full potential of the cannabis plant, and one of our key branches focuses on the industrial side of hemp. While most people think of hemp for its flowers and cannabinoids, industrial hemp is a different beast. It’s all about the stalk, which can be processed into raw materials and transformed into thousands of sustainable products that often outperform their traditional counterparts.

After diving into large-scale industrial hemp farming, it became clear that processing would be the linchpin of our success. Instead of purchasing a multimillion-dollar piece of equipment from overseas, we took a more creative and resourceful route. We identified Appalachian Biomass, a company located just a few hours south of our headquarters in Elkton, that had exactly what we needed—a custom-built line of processing equipment designed for industrial hemp.

The acquisition turned into more of an asset purchase than a full buyout, requiring us to carefully evaluate the true value of each piece of equipment. Negotiating the deal was a rewarding experience, thanks to the integrity and collaboration of the original operators, who were fantastic to work with. Once the deal was inked, we transported and installed the equipment, and it quickly became the heart of our industrial operations.

This acquisition has paved the way for us to expand into products like sustainable packaging, animal bedding, and building materials. In a fortunate turn of events, we secured a contract with the U.S. Air Force to supply sustainable building materials—a milestone that marked the beginning of what we hope will be decades of growth in this space. With hard work, ingenuity, and great timing, this acquisition has set us on a path to lead the industrial hemp revolution in Virginia and beyond.

Contact Info:

• Website: pureshenandoah.com
• Instagram: @pureshenandoah
• Facebook: @pureshenandoah
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tanner-johnson-1a74622b5
• Twitter: @tannerojohnson8

Image Credits
Skyler Johnson