In this episode, I speak with Whit Allen, the charismatic CEO of SpectraGrow, as we dive into a world where the rhythm of music intertwines with the innovation of agriculture. It's a conversation that takes us from energy of DJing to the vibrant greenery of vertical farms. We reminisce about our days behind the decks and reveal how those experiences have given us a unique tempo for tackling the professional challenges we face today. Whit brings a refreshing perspective on the journey from spinning records to advocating for clean technology in Washington D.C., and how every step has influenced the birth and growth of SpectraGrow.
The power of collaboration shines through in our chat, from the influence of mastermind groups to the shared problem-solving that’s steering the industry towards sustainable success. You'll hear firsthand about the nitty-gritty of lighting innovation, the significance of strategic planning for farm setups, and the camaraderie that's sprouting among agri-tech leaders in Colorado and beyond. Join me for an episode that celebrates the progress and growth at the heart of urban farming.
Indoor AgCon - https://indoor.ag
00:00 Connecting Music and Agriculture
09:38 Career Evolution and Clean Tech Lobbying
16:19 Origin and Ideal Clients of SpectraGrow
27:53 LED Innovation and Energy Efficiency
31:34 Collaboration and Growth in Vertical Farming
44:18 Power of Mastermind Groups
"When I took a course called Truth, Love, and Marketing here in Boulder, one of the exercises was to describe your creative process. It was so easy to describe my creative process with DJing and music, and then I saw the parallels in how I bring that creative energy to launching an entrepreneurial company. How we market, how we sell, how we talk about what we do—it all has roots in that creative process from music."
"We often make recommendations to relay out a farm based on lighting, and we show that if we reorganize the farm in a certain way, we could get much better performance out of the lighting strategy. My advice is always to bring us in as early as possible in the planning process because our ability to add value decreases the later we're brought into the project."
"The intuition is a huge part of decision-making in business, and it's a weird word to use because people in business like spreadsheets, they like numbers, they like analysis. But at the end of the day, you have to interpret the data, and there's a point where you've got to trust other sensors that might not be so obvious that you could put on a spreadsheet, but are important things to consider."
Website - https://www.spectragrow.com
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Mentioned in this episode:
AgTech Companies
https://agtechcompanies.com
2025 US Indoor Farm Report
http://verticalfarmingpodcast.com/report