Heard of the seed bank Ethos? Let’s get to know the “Ethos guys” a little better, along with the main figure behind this bank’s founding and development: musician and poker player Colin Gordon.
But few know that before founding his company, the boss was a professional poker player and even took part in the top-level World Poker Tour.
And his path to the top of the cannabis industry wasn’t easy.
It all starts with a seed
Colin Gordon’s journey into the cannabis world began with unexpected inspiration during college spring break.
But reaching mass production that met his high standards took time.
Dreams of Colorado’s peaks
In 1996, while visiting a friend in Colorado, Colin felt the spirit of great opportunity. Gordon soon realized his future lay in serious seed production. High Times, the well-known magazine, had recommended this combination.
Returning to the roots
The 2008 economic crisis became a turning point in Colin Gordon’s life, forcing him back to his roots: cannabis. A decline in the number of poker tournaments pushed him to change his lifestyle. Moving to Colorado, Gordon began organizing gaming seminars for professionals and entering local tournaments. At one of these events, he encountered the idea of cannabis legalization.
Studying the international market took Gordon to Holland for new seeds. There, he learned that many European breeders had moved south to Spain and Italy, avoiding Amsterdam raids. The war on drugs led to the loss of many valuable genetics, forcing specialists to seek new places to work. Brands like Hortilab were now based in Southern Europe, and their products became available in Dutch coffeeshops. Gordon notes that although progress in Amsterdam temporarily slowed, it opened opportunities for California’s medical cannabis scene, drawing attention to the industry’s development.
By the late ’90s, the cannabis world faced the so-called “Dutch decline.” These strains, including OG and Chem, launched a new wave in the American seed industry, becoming the main drivers of its development.
This development highlighted how California’s influence spread far beyond the Pacific Northwest, enriching the market with new flavors and aromas.
Although the new seeds might not have the stability of the old Dutch ones, they were no less productive, particularly when based on Dutch genetics.
The Dutch seeds of those times, being genuine landraces rather than diluted Afghani or Haze genetics, provided a reliable foundation for American hybrids. Comparing Californian and Dutch strains, Gordon claimed the Californian ones were two steps above, particularly highlighting famous strains like Mendocino and Chemdog. In his view, offering a broad audience this diversity would inevitably popularize the best strains, expanding users’ horizons and preferences.
Riding the medical wave
Because of a lack of local resources, most cannabis reaching Colorado came from California.
By 2009, the situation in Colorado began changing. Bringing quality products to market made medical cannabis more accessible to a broad range of patients.
The next four years became a period of genetic takeoff for Colorado, as the best strains from Washington, Oregon, Ohio, Massachusetts, and, of course, California enriched the local market.
This period became key to the cannabis market’s expansion beginning in 2014. Gordon and his colleagues began taking care to preserve their mother lines, including valuable strains such as Orange Herijuana and Super Skunk, still considered among the oldest and most valuable.
Big Jay
It was during these years that Big Jay from Oklahoma entered his life. According to Gordon, he was a true farmer with extraordinary strength and the ability to handle any task. Their friendship proved fruitful: numerous conversations about growth hormones and methods of manipulating plant growth greatly expanded Gordon’s understanding of agronomy.
Every step has its purpose
Colin sees every twist of fate as an important step toward a new chapter in his life rather than a failure. Despite every difficulty, Gordon stayed optimistic and believed in his future. “I had plans. It might take time, but I knew I’d become a key figure in this story,” he shared.
Receiving that cardboard box in the summer of 2014 became a defining event. This unexpected gift, described as “a ten-year supply of hormones,” opened new possibilities for Gordon. These studies laid the groundwork for a unique method of producing feminized seeds without heavy metals or male plants, which later defined his future direction.
Gordon thus showed that even life’s most difficult periods can lead to major discoveries and new beginnings, emphasizing persistence, self-belief, and willingness to accept fate’s challenges.
Knowledge and practice
Colin Gordon understood that creating seeds, a process requiring interaction between male and female plants, often faces the difficulty of establishing stable genetics.
This became a turning point, showing that his work had exceeded expectations.
The beginning of Ethos
Ethos Genetics was born from both happy accidents and hard work, as well as close cooperation between friends. Colin Gordon joined childhood friends Anthony and Riley to lay the foundation for the future company.
A decisive moment for Ethos was attending a cannabis exhibition in 2017, where Gordon and Riley went to promote their seeds. The Santa Rosa High Times Cannabis Cup marked the first major presentation of their products, helping them quickly find new markets and develop the company.
Meeting Danny Danko and attention to Ethos genetics on Instagram further strengthened the company’s cannabis market position.
Ethos today
Today, Ethos Genetics is a large, dynamically developing business, embodying a success story born from Colin Gordon’s personal efforts and friendships with people close to him. Every team member makes a unique contribution. Meanwhile, Anthony’s wife took on design and graphics, a vivid example of how mutual understanding and shared values can help a team work effectively.
This understanding came after the company participated in major exhibitions and cups where innovative Ethos strains were presented and drew broad public attention.
The Ethos founder sought to lift himself and his team out of financial difficulties, provide stability, and give them the tools needed for continued growth. Scaling production and opening their own warehouse were important development steps.
Cannabis ethics according to Gordon
Colin Gordon took on a mission to change the cannabis world, reflected even in his company’s name, Ethos Genetics.
The best of the best
Crescendo RBX1
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Its complex flavor mixes sour and earthy notes with citrus and fizzy hints, a real celebration for your taste buds.
The strain stands out for its pronounced citrus aromas of mandarins and oranges.
OG Kush Auto: a pungent heavyweight
OG Kush Auto was created with the highest quality in mind.
An ethical approach
Ethos Genetics and Colin Gordon proved that even amid competition and various obstacles, you can both survive and thrive while staying true to your principles and goals.
Sources: publicly available publications about the company and the strain.