Benjamin Erichsen shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Benjamin, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity is harder to come by than intelligence or energy. I think I’d place “competence” above intelligence and energy, also. Intelligence and energy are largely naturally inherent, whereas integrity reflects much more on the choices you make.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I spent 20 years trading stock and then found myself growing hemp and formulating products after CBD freed me from sciatica and tendinitis pain completely and reduced my arthritis a good bit. Farming wasn’t the right fit, and I struggled with the learning curve in becoming a producer of hemp goods (although I stuck with it and my brands play a prominent role in my retail stores) before finally finding success in the Wilmington Dispensary, which is Wilmington’s only upscale dispensary. I opened a store in January of 2024, a second in May of this year, and have leased a third which I hope to open before the end of the year.
The Wilmington Dispensary stands out in a number of ways, but out customers talk most about the knowledge level of our staff in the reviews they leave.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
9/11 was a pretty defining moment for me. It now lies at about the exact halfway point in my life, and it was on that day that I gained a newfound appreciation for what bravery, sacrifice, and courage were all about. I really hadn’t thought that much about the cost paid by many people so that we can live safer, more comfortable lives, and that changed that day.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
In my current hemp endeavors, there were a number of times that I wanted to throw in the towel. After we lost most of our wholesale business (it was all centered around one rep who moved away) and well before I had a store, there were upward of 2 years when I struggled consistently to find a profitable way forward and I was continually dumping what little I had into my brands to make payroll and pay rent. If I hadn’t taken investor money in 2021, I likely would have quit. The investor didn’t demand I keep at it–in fact, he doesn’t care at all. But I care.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
It’s tough in 2025. Smart people typically pay attention to people and institutions that collect and disseminate information: news sources, doctors, government agencies, academia. However, irrespective of what side of the aisle you find yourself, chances are you feel betrayed by at least some of the pillars of power in our lives over the past ten years and that betrayal leads to eroding trust in those who have typically been viewed as the arbiters of truth and information. Throw in AI-generated content and it’s a mess to wade through.
So, my answer is, I think too many smart people are getting “it” wrong simply by thinking they know things they don’t. I don’t trust information sources that don’t list specific quotes, names, dates, and places. And even then, I assume that I’m likely being persuaded. If your own eyes tell you that some “expert” is wrong about something, that expert probably is wrong. Take everything with a healthy dose of skepticism and double-check everything.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
When I’m playing my guitar. I am not as good as I should be for how long I’ve been playing, but I play every day when I can make the time and it’s usually the highlight of my day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ilmdispensary.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilmingtondispensary/
