Meet Kary Radestock of Hippo Premium Packaging
SAN DIEGO VOYAGER INTERVIEW :
JANUARY 25, 2018
Today we’d like to introduce you to Kary Radestock.
Kary, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was working in a printing plant in Vista, California, in February 2015, when within the span of just a few weeks, five people walked into our facility asking if we could produce packaging for a vape cartridge. Mind you, no one ever just walks into a printing facility, let alone five people wanting the same service. I couldn’t get this out of my mind, so I got my medical card and went into several dispensaries to see what was going on in the world of cannabis packaging. Needless to say, my eyes were opened and I saw an enormous potential business opportunity. I pitched the idea to my bosses at the printing company, and they asked me to develop a business plan to provide custom packaging to the cannabis market. But, corporate got wind of it and shut the idea down. I couldn’t let the idea rest, so I ventured off on my own and started Hippo. The rest, as they say, is history!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Probably the biggest challenge has been figuring out how to take the suite of services that our team typically provided for mainstream Fortune 500 companies and apply them to the cannabis industry in a compelling and constructive way. We’ve also had to educate many of our clients as to the importance of professional brand development and graphic design. So many individuals undervalue good design, but that stellar graphic design is often the thing that sets your brand apart from others.
I feel very blessed regarding how many doors have opened along my journey and the opportunities for collaboration.
Please tell us about Hippo Premium Packaging.
Hippo Premium Packaging is a boutique agency, specializing in brand development, marketing, and PR services and custom packaging for the cannabis industry. We have developed six news brands since our inception and have several more in the works. We are best known for producing some of the strongest and best creative work in our space as well as producing handsome and compliant packaging. What sets us apart is our ability to handle such a wide range of professional services allowing our customers to focus on their core businesses.