The Dabstract Journey
For over a decade, Dabstract has balanced the art and science of modern extraction with an intentional focus on product purity, high potency, and perfected experiences using a proprietary process to bring unique terpene profiles forward from partner-grown, all-natural cannabis. Dabstract continues to push the realm of what’s possible in the world of cannabis extracts.
The Great Migration (2012–2013)
Dylan here, but don’t worry, Derek will jump in soon enough (as he always does). Our story kicks off in 2012 with Derek heading west, like some wannabe pioneer, chasing a dream and taking a huge leap of faith. When he got to California, life was anything but easy. He was sleeping on the beach and hustling in the gray market just to keep going. It was far from comfortable, but it was real, raw, and the start of everything that followed. Meanwhile, I was back in Pennsylvania, buried in college coursework, crunching numbers, and daydreaming about the day I could pack up and join him on the West Coast.
The Mendo Chapter (2014)
By 2014, I was ready to leave behind our tiny Pennsylvania town to head to Mendocino, California. Derek lured me out with promises of sunshine, a farm, and "serious business opportunities." I'd like to say I left everything behind for the love of cannabis and ambition, but honestly, I was just a 22-year-old looking to get out of Pennsylvania.
There I was, living on an off-grid property in the heart of Mendocino, surrounded by hundreds of cannabis plants and calling my pickup truck home. It wasn’t exactly a 10-year plan, but somehow, it worked. There were plenty of moments spent questioning my life choices, wondering how a guy from Pennsylvania ended up here. But then again, I couldn’t help but love the lifestyle. The privacy, the wildness of it all—it had a strange charm. Somewhere in that mix of quiet days and chaotic reality, we started dabbling in BHO extraction. Open blasting, of course, because we were green in every sense of the word. It was messy, amateur, and definitely not winning us any safety awards, but it was the start of something bigger, even if we didn’t fully realize it yet.
Life in Mendocino came with its share of challenges. Sharing the area with some unpredictable neighbors kept things interesting, to say the least. It was a place where outlaws and enforcement seemed locked in a constant game of cat and mouse. The sound of Blackhawks overhead was a stark reminder of the risks we were taking, and it pushed us to ask hard questions about whether this was the right path. Still, we found ways to adapt, and those experiences forced us to grow in ways we hadn’t imagined. Eventually, it became clear that our time there was coming to an end. The raids, the uncertainty, and the rugged lifestyle showed us that it was time to look ahead—to aim for something more stable and sustainable.
The Cle Elum Startup (2016)
In 2015, I moved to Portland to try to live a life with a little less legal gray area. I took on an engineering job while looking for a cannabis job more aligned with my educational background. Derek continued to hustle in and around the cannabis scene in NorCal. But when he got a call from an old friend about joining a cannabis startup in Cle Elum, Washington, he couldn't resist. Cannabis was recently legalized for recreational use in the state, and the opportunity to take our craft legal was too good to pass up. A few months in, Derek calls me up and says, "Hey, leave your awesome engineering job, move to the middle of nowhere, and start a cannabis lab with me." Naturally, I said yes (here we go again). If there’s one thing I can’t resist, it’s Derek promising a ‘sure thing’ with zero written plans.
As we settled into our new home in Cle Elum, we quickly realized that starting an extraction lab in a small town came with its own set of challenges. While we were used to dealing with outlaw characters in Mendo, here it was the lack of resources and a different mindset that tested us.
With barely any equipment and even fewer instructions, we set up shop. But what we lacked in resources, we made up for in ingenuity. We weren’t just making cannabis extracts—we were rethinking the process entirely. We sourced new equipment, developed unique formulations, and pushed the boundaries of what our tiny cannabis lab could do. For someone with only a high school background in chemistry, it was part adrenaline rush and a lot of sleepless nights. Our first products were born in that Cle Elum lab, and they weren’t just about getting people high. We set out to capture the true essence of the plant, capturing unique terpene profiles and creating innovative, cutting-edge products that redefined what cannabis could be.
Washington Growth (2017–2023)
After years of navigating challenges, we knew it was time to move on from Cle Elum. Our operation had completely outgrown the modest garage shed we started in, and we needed the space and resources to keep up with our ambitions. It wasn’t just about scaling up; it was about committing everything we had to make this dream a reality. For the first several years, we put everything on the line. We gave up holidays, weekends, and any semblance of downtime, all with one goal in mind: growing the brand. That level of dedication pushed us to the edge, but it also became the driving force behind everything we achieved.
With all that effort, we built a massive hydrocarbon extraction facility in Spokane, outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment that had once only lived in our wildest dreams back in Cle Elum. Around this time, we also launched our HTE formulation for our vape pens. That innovation didn’t just turn heads; it turned the entire industry on its axis. Awards started rolling in across Washington, signaling a new era for us and the brand we’d poured everything into. And honestly? We felt like that recognition was long overdue.
Expanding Horizons (2023–2025)
Derek here, finally taking the mic.
Not everything in this game is a home run. We’ve seen our share of misses, but when it comes to growth, the Midwest has been a story all its own. Between 2023 and 2025, we made some bold moves, planting our flag in new markets across the country. Why? Because when you know your product is that good, you don’t wait for an invitation—you make your way in.
The Midwest showed up for us in a way that confirmed what we’ve always known: quality speaks louder than any marketing gimmick. Communities here embraced what we’re about, and in turn, we poured everything into making sure Dabstract lived up to our high standards.
Now, here we are, locked, loaded, and looking ahead to what’s next. New opportunities are calling, and we’re already working on taking things to another level. If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s this—we don’t just expand. We leave a mark.
Today and Beyond
Crazy to think this all started on a little farm in Mendo, right? Now we’re here, running a multi-state brand that’s anything but ordinary. Why? Because we refuse to settle. There’s always a bigger challenge, another state to dominate, a new goal to crush. That’s just how we’re wired.
What drives Dabstract? Passion, plain and simple. Passion for the plant. Passion for perfection. Sure, we have our fair share of ridiculous debates around here (spoiler alert: my ideas are better). But that’s what happens when you care this much about what you do. And trust me, we care.
We’re just two guys who threw ourselves headfirst into cannabis, bet big, and somehow pulled it off. And the best part? This ride is far from over. We’re here to stay, pushing limits, breaking molds, and doing things our way.
Stick with us. Laugh at our missteps, celebrate the wins, and don’t forget to keep it bold, curious, and unmistakably Dabstract.
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