By Laura Newcomer

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that cannabis has become a seriously big business. The U.S. cannabis industry is already worth tens of billions of dollars, and it’s only getting bigger. 

Even though legal cannabis is spreading rapidly, it’s still a fairly new industry. And that means there’s a huge opportunity to get in on the ground floor and make a (lucrative) name for yourself in the cannabis space. 

Of course, there’s a ton of money to be found in cultivating, producing, and retailing cannabis. But growing or selling cannabis is far from the only way to break into the industry. 

No matter whether you’re a little too risk averse to start a growing operation or you lack the capital to open a dispensary, don’t despair. Here are 40 more innovative cannabis business ideas for anyone looking to enter or expand their presence in the booming cannabis space. 

40 Creative Cannabis Business Ideas

Ready to cut yourself a big ‘ol slice of the cannabis pie? Get started with any of these interesting cannabis business ideas! 

1. Cannabis Advertising & Marketing

As in all industries, advertising and marketing are essential components of any cannabis company’s success. If you already have skills in this area, then specializing in the cannabis space could be an effective way to stand out from other marketers and attract more clients. 

No matter whether your background rests with design, copywriting, ad buying, email marketing, or any other aspect of advertising and marketing, your skills are in demand from professionals in the cannabis industry. 

2. Cannabis AgTech Innovations

Growing cannabis is notoriously challenging, and that means there’s high demand for products that can make the process easier or more efficient. 

Several companies have already capitalized on this need. For example, BLH Aqua Technology created a water-treatment machine that breaks down water molecules so plants can absorb them more easily, and UbiQD created UbiGro, a specialized film that helps convert sunlight into the spectrum light that cannabis plants love. 

If you have an eye for innovative agtech, this could be your ticket to major success in the cannabis space. 

3. Cannabis Art Classes

Over the past several years, “paint & sip” events have become a popular way for people to enjoy good company and a little alcohol while flexing their artistic muscles. You can take that same idea and give it a cannabis-centric spin in the form of cannabis art classes.

The idea is simple: You provide a 420-friendly space and artistic instruction and materials, and participants bring their own cannabis to enjoy during the laid-back art class. 

4. Cannabis Bed & Breakfast

Bed & breakfast establishments have long held cachet among travelers seeking a more authentic or intimate experience with the place they’re visiting. Cannabis entrepreneurs can capitalize on the popularity of bed & breakfasts and the popularity of cannabis by combining the two into a cannabis bed & breakfast — a “bud & breakfast, if you will. These establishments provide a 420-friendly space for cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy a unique vacation. 

5. Cannabis Bike Tours

If you have access to an adventurous audience, then consider starting up a cannabis bike tour company. Take participants on an active tour of local cannabis farms, dispensaries, or themed events. It’s an enjoyable excursion for both body and mind, and startup costs are fairly minimal! 

6. Cannabis Blogging

Because the world of cannabis is constantly evolving, the industry enables a constant stream of new content. And that means it’s ripe for hungry bloggers. 

Whether you’re sharing cannabis-related news, covering the political landscape as it pertains to cannabis, sharing growing tips, or profiling cannabis businesses, there’s probably a large audience for that.

Once you’ve attracted a following to your cannabis blog, you can monetize the blog through paid advertisements, member subscriptions, and so on.

7. Cannabis Body Products

Want to get in on the ground floor of the latest trend in cannabis? Then hop on the cannabis body products train. 

There’s some evidence that infusing everyday body products (think lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and so on) with cannabis and/or CBD could have benefits for skin and hair, such as relieving inflammation or soothing aches and pains. That evidence has people flocking to the shelves of grocery and cosmetic stores. 

If you can create quality body products that do what they say they will, you’ll stand out from an increasingly large pack.

8. Cannabis Business Consulting

If you already have experience as a cannabis entrepreneur, then you can make a business out of sharing the knowledge you’ve gained. There are tons of would-be founders clamoring to start their own cannabis company, and they could benefit from your insights around everything from cultivation and compliance to licensing, brand development, marketing, building customer loyalty, and more. If you have proven success in this industry, your knowledge itself could be your next great business idea. 

9. Cannabis Catering

These days, cannabis cooking isn’t just the stuff of college kids with a box of brownie mix and a handful of stems. Everyone from home cooks to high-end chefs is experimenting with cannabis-infused foods as a means of playing with flavor, texture, and so on. You can create a stand-out catering business by providing dishes and meals that utilize cannabis. 

10. Cannabis Cooking Courses

If you have a knack for whipping up cannabis-infused cuisine and you’re hungry to reach a bigger audience than a catering business can provide, then consider crafting a cannabis cooking blog and/or YouTube channel.

Once you’ve built a dedicated audience, you can start selling cannabis cooking courses online. You could also create in-person or online cooking courses as standalone offerings or as a complement to a cannabis catering business. 

11. Cannabis Cosmetics

As with cannabis-infused body products, there’s growing demand for cannabis-infused cosmetics. Specializing in the cosmetics niche could be an effective way to distinguish your brand from the more general body products space. Infusing makeup products with cannabis could appeal to the large swath of consumers who are willing to pay more for cosmetic products that incorporate natural ingredients, such as CBD. 

12. Cannabis Cuisine Pairing

You’ve heard of wine pairing, where professionals match up quality wines with foods and meals that best complement them. Now, consider providing that same idea for cannabis connoisseurs by offering services in which you pair a meal with a carefully curated strain(s) of cannabis. You’ll be well served by official culinary credentials here, but you’ll also have a chance at success if you have a naturally refined palette. 

13. Cannabis Delivery Service

There’s an Uber for so many things these days, and that includes cannabis. Some cannabis delivery services already exist, but this interesting niche is still in its infancy. Hop in on the ground floor by contracting with local farms, dispensaries, and so on. You could focus on medical marijuana delivery, recreational cannabis delivery, or both.

14. Cannabis Employment Service

As the cannabis industry grows, so does demand for high-quality team members who can fill roles across the industry, from growing and harvesting to retail services. So consider creating a staffing service company that’s focused on pairing job seekers with relevant roles in the cannabis space. 

It’s a win-win: You’ll help budding companies and support folks who are looking to break into new roles in the industry. And that means you’ll be in demand from all sides of the employment spectrum! 

15. Cannabis-Friendly Event & Party Planning

Event planning requires a specialized set of skills, the ability to plan ahead, and an eye toward providing attendees with a stellar experience at every stage of the event. If you possess those skills, you can put them to work in the cannabis industry as a cannabis-friendly event planner. 

You could cater to well-off cannabis enthusiasts with money to burn on parties for their friends, cannabis retailers who are looking to throw fun events to grow their customer base, or anyone wanting to host a 420-friendly festival, networking event, trade show, or wedding. 

16. Cannabis Florist

In case you’re not hip to the latest trends in the world of floral arranging, here’s a heads up: Modern florists are starting to incorporate cannabis into bouquets. If you have a knack for arranging flowers, you can hop on this trend by offering “canna-florist” services for weddings, networking events, and other social gatherings.

17. Cannabis Packaging & Labeling

Do you know what every retail cannabis product needs? A package and/or label that meets legal requirements and attracts consumers’ attention.

If you have a skill set for designing eye-catching labels, or you have an idea for a product that could streamline packaging processes, then specializing in the packaging niche is a great way to break into the cannabis space. 

18. Cannabis Party Bus

So long as it’s legal in your area, climb aboard the party bus trend with a cannabis party bus company. The idea is the same as with alcohol-based party buses, but swap alcohol with (you guessed it!) cannabis: Basically, you provide a safe space for folks to consume marijuana, possibly with stops at relevant attractions. 

19. Cannabis “Personal Shopping” 

There are so many different strains of cannabis and types of cannabis products, and they all can have different impacts on a person. For someone who is new to using medical or recreational cannabis, this can feel rather overwhelming. 

That’s where personal shopping comes in. You could develop a business that helps curate product and strain suggestions that are specific to the needs and preferences of an individual. 

20. Cannabis Pet Products

As cannabis makes its way into more and more human-related products (think: body lotions and supplements), it’s also finding its way into the enormous pet industry. CBD is an especially popular product for pets, because there’s some evidence it can help critters with anxiety, achy joints, and so on. By creating pet-friendly cannabis products, you can capitalize on two lucrative industries simultaneously: pets and cannabis. Just make sure to do your due diligence when it comes to ensuring the safety of your products! 

21. Cannabis Photography and/or Videography

As cannabis becomes more widely legalized and the space gets more competitive, companies are upping their branding efforts in order to stand out from the pack. That’s where your new photography and/or videography business could come in. 

Cannabis brands need all kinds of visual assets for their websites, social media, and other marketing efforts. If you have a talent in this area, you could support the growth of other cannabis companies while creating your own cannabis business. 

22. Cannabis-Related Accessories

There’s a huge market for cannabis-related products that don’t actually contain any cannabis (aka “ancillary products”). This can be a great space to enter if you’re worried about dealing with compliance when it comes to retailing cannabis itself. From pipes and bongs to grinders, rolling papers, and travel containers, the sky’s the limit when it comes to creating and selling products that support cannabis use. 

23. Cannabis-Related App Development

Many cannabis companies are building out mobile apps to complement their products or services — and that means they’re looking for skilled app developers to assist with these projects. If you have a talent in this area, you could create an app development company or freelance side hustle that serves businesses in the cannabis space. 

24. Cannabis-Related Software Development 

Like any industry, cannabis relies on a variety of software products to run effectively — but not all software companies are willing to work with cannabis companies, because they’re worried about legal consequences or they simply don’t understand the needs of the space. 

This means there’s high demand for software products that meet the specific needs and challenges of companies operating in the cannabis realm. From CRM to compliance automation, POS systems, and seed-to-sale tracking systems, there are tons of ways to enter the cannabis-related software space.

25. Cannabis Restaurant

If your cannabis catering business has taken off or you have experience in the restaurant space, consider starting up a restaurant with a cannabis theme and/or one that incorporates cannabis into its offerings. Of course, make sure to abide by state laws when it comes to serving up dishes that are infused with cannabis! 

26. Cannabis Reviewing

As more and more cannabis products enter the market on a near-daily basis, consumers need resources that help them sort the wheat from the chaff. That means there’s demand for high-quality, thoughtful, and unbiased cannabis product reviews. You could start a website or app that’s dedicated to providing just that.

27. Cannabis Security Service

Cannabis is big business, and that means cannabis companies need to protect their assets in the form of their cash till, physical products, and so on. Many dispensaries and grow operations are willing to invest in security details, from on-site security guards to armored transport. So consider starting up a security service that’s specifically tailored to the needs of cannabis-related businesses. 

28. Cannabis Security Tech

As noted above, cannabis is a big-money business. Business owners need technologies that can enhance their security, such as video surveillance tools, secured storage, and so on. Starting up a security tech company that specializes in the cannabis space could be a great way to meet a real need in the industry while building a successful business of your own. 

29. Cannabis Seed Bank

Seed banks are important in the broader agricultural world, because they help sustain biological diversity and safely store various strains of plants in the event of agricultural catastrophe. The same goes for the world of cannabis: Seed banks help maintain a record of strain diversity, and they can also be lucrative business — because when people want to grow cannabis, they have to start with a seed. And where do they buy those seeds? Seed banks! 

30. Cannabis Social Club

Think of a cannabis social club as the “bar” equivalent of the cannabis world: It’s a place for people to gather, socialize, and partake of a substance (in this case, cannabis). Starting up a gathering space in a city where cannabis is widely consumed could lead to a successful business, with opportunities for sponsorships or partnerships from local dispensaries, growers, and so on. 

One note of caution: This is only a legal option in a few places at the moment, so do your research! 

31. Cannabis Subscription Box Service

There’s a subscription box for everything these days, from jewelry to shaving products or dog toys. So why not apply the success of other subscription models to the cannabis space? 

Legally, it might not be possible to ship cannabis itself. But you could create a subscription box for cannabis-related products, accessories, apparel, and so on. 

32. Cannabis Tech Solutions

Cannabis growing, processing, and manufacturing requires a variety of technologies that are critical to these processes, and much of that tech is ripe for disruption. If you can create a product that makes any stage of the cannabis production process faster, easier, simpler, or more cost-effective, you’ll be in business. 

Here are just a few examples of companies that are disrupting the cannabis industry with better tech: Access Rosin created a product that can quadruple the production of conventional rosin presses; CannVerify developed product seals that use blockchain-based software to prevent counterfeiting; and STM Cann created the RocketBox, which can roll hundreds of pre-rolls in a mere three minutes. 

33. Cannabis-Themed Apparel

When people love something, they often want to advertise their love for that thing. This means there’s an opportunity to build a business out of cannabis-themed apparel, especially if you have a knack for creating funny slogans or eye-catching designs. Bonus? It’s pretty inexpensive to start up an online apparel shop. 

34. Cannabis-Themed Art

If you’re an artist with an interest in cannabis, there are tons of ways you could put those interests together to create a social following and build a business selling your artwork. From glass blowing to wall art, book illustrations, and even joint-rolling artistry, cannabis has worked its way into the worlds of art and fashion. If you have skills to rock in those spaces, then you might be onto your next business idea. 

35. Cannabis-Themed Lifestyle Products

Just as cannabis enthusiasts might enjoy sporting cannabis-themed apparel, they might also appreciate cannabis-themed lifestyle products such as mugs, plates, lampshades, storage containers, keychains, bumper stickers, greeting cards, bong protectors… you name it! Your success with cannabis-themed lifestyle products will hinge on creating unique, functional, funny, and/or aesthetically appealing designs.

36. Cannabis Tour Guide

In cities and other communities where cannabis is legal, there’s an opportunity to open up a cannabis tour guiding business. These tours could take participants to farms, dispensaries, historical landmarks related to cannabis, and/or 420-friendly events. There’s tons of room to partner with area organizations to co-market your businesses! 

37. Cannabis Website Development

If you have web development skills, you can put them to use in the cannabis space. New cannabis-related businesses are starting up every day, and virtually all of them will need a website to publicize their products or services. By tailoring your web development skills to cannabis companies’ needs, you can capitalize on a market with sustained growth potential. 

38. Manufacturing Child-Resistant Containers

In places where cannabis is legalized, there are laws about how those products can be packaged and sold. And most of those laws involve child-resistant containers. This means there’s an opportunity to enter the space with child-resistant containers that are also user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.

39. Public Relations

Effective public relations is essential in any industry, but perhaps even more so in the cannabis space. Cannabis is gradually becoming more socially acceptable as laws and attitudes shift, but it still faces stigma and (often inaccurate) myths. 

That’s where public relations come in. PR experts can help cannabis businesses effectively navigate and overcome misconceptions about cannabis. What cannabis company couldn’t benefit from that service?  

40. Retail Space Design

As cannabis is legalized in more states and countries, more and more cannabis-related retail spaces are opening up. And each one of those spaces requires assistance from someone with an eye toward retail space design. 

The aesthetic and flow of a retail space has a huge impact on how a brand is perceived and whether customers are likely to return that space, which is why cannabis companies are inclined to invest in retail designers. If you already have an interior design skill set, then cannabis retail space design might be the niche you’ve been looking for.

Cannabis Business Ideas: The Sky’s the Limit

As you can see, there are dozens upon dozens of innovative ways to enter the cannabis industry (not to mention tons of cannabis startup incubators to support your idea). 

Whether you’re leveraging existing skills or developing a new talent, these cannabis business ideas should get your creative juices flowing. Invest in one of these ideas outright, or use these suggestions as starting points for creating your own unique twist on the cannabis theme.

No matter how you choose to enter the cannabis space, you’ll enjoy participation in a massive, fast-growing industry that’s packed with a broad range of B2B and B2C consumers eager to try your wares.

By Alice McRae

Whether you’re interested in learning more about the economics of cannabis or the latest trends in cannabis culture, there’s no shortage of information on these subjects. 

With cannabis being a fast-growing industry that’s rapidly evolving, there are many cannabis magazines available, and naturally, it can be difficult to choose which one to read. Couple this with the dominant presence of social media and it’s easy to forget that magazines were once the most popular way of staying up to date with trends in different industries. 

While magazines and especially print magazines are not as popular as they used to be, the cannabis industry still has some fantastic print and online options to choose from. 

We’ve selected eight cannabis magazines with a diverse focus on subjects such as cannabis entrepreneurship, culture, art, medicine, and finance.

The 8 Best Cannabis Magazines in 2020

1. Broccoli
2. Cannabis Business Times
3. High Times
4. Cannabis Culture 
5. DOPE Magazine
6. Strain Insider
7. Green Entrepreneur
8. Cannabis Now

1. Broccoli

Broccoli is a cannabis magazine created by women for women and is run by a team based in Portland that seeks to present a new perspective on cannabis culture.

This independent print magazine brands itself as being “playful, informed, eclectic, and thoughtful”. 

Broccoli magazine was founded by the previous creative director of Kinfolk and was launched in November 2017. 

Following the passing of the 2018 United States farm bill, Brocolli magazine became the first organization that put cannabis in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). 

Broccoli magazine is published only three times a year, although the organization speaks to its audience more frequently with their ‘Broccoli Talk’ podcast, which airs a new episode every two weeks. 

2. Cannabis Business Times

Cannabis Business Times is a magazine owned by GIE Media, based in Ohio. CBT provides up to date cannabis industry news, as well as information on cannabis compliance, regulations, legislation, and financial resources. 

The CBT magazine focuses on the business of recreational and medical cannabis in their print magazine, as well as a broad range of cannabis-related topics in their e-newsletter, app, and website.

In 2018, Cannabis Business Times was named Magazine of the year by the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE).

3. High Times

High Times is a monthly magazine with global reach. Founded in 1974, High Times has been one of the most consistent and prolific magazines in the cannabis industry.

High Times features cutting edge journalism that spans a wide variety of topics including politics, culture, activism, sex, drugs, and film. High Times also published content on health and cannabis cultivation.

High Times was started with drug money from the sale of illegal cannabis according to some sources. The monthly magazine quickly became more popular after its 35th anniversary and grew to 500,000 copies published. By 2014, the website was read by up to 5 million users per month.

With offices in Los Angelas and New York City, High Times has established itself as a global brand and the most well-known cannabis magazine.

4. Cannabis Culture

Cannabis Culture is a magazine about cannabis and hemp around the world, with a team heavily devoted to cannabis activism and ‘liberating marijuana’ as quoted on their website. Their focus is on freeing ‘pot-prisoners’ around the world and ending the war on drugs that they believe has failed.

The magazine was founded in the summer of 1994 and was published by Marc Emery. Cannabis Culture used to be a print magazine but is now exclusively published online.

5. DOPE Magazine

Dope Magazine, stands for ‘Defending Our Plant Everywhere’, and the name speaks for itself. DOPE prides itself on serving the needs of medical cannabis patients and all enthusiasts everywhere. 

DOPE Magazine was founded in 2011 by an ‘interesting bunch’ to quote the team themselves, who focus on publishing educational content about medical cannabis and the latest medical research, with the aim of providing material in an entertaining and contemporary manner.

DOPE publishes a monthly print magazine that can be found in hundreds of medical and recreational shops around the United States.

6. Strain Insider

Strain insider is a leading cannabis magazine focused on the European cannabis industry. 

Strain Insider’s mission is to educate European (and global) readers about the latest news of the European Cannabis sector, with information on politics, businesses and cultural developments relating to the European market. 

7. Green Entrepreneur 

Green Entrepreneur is a sub-website of Entrepreneur.com and is quickly growing as a leading cannabis magazine. 

This magazine covers topics such as stories of prolific cannabis advocates such as Joe Rogan, or actors like Seth Rogen and other celebrities like Snoop Dogg, all of whom have created a name for themselves in business, in part, due to their affiliation and love for cannabis. 

Green Entrepreneur is ideal for readers who run cannabis start-ups, are looking to grow established cannabis companies, or are involved in ‘green’ entrepreneurship in any shape or form. 

8. Cannabis Now

Cannabis Now is one of the world’s leading cannabis lifestyle magazines and has a focus on news, culture, and CBD. The covers of Cannabis Now have images of exquisite flowers, cannabis farms, and other representations of the cannabis plant.

The Cannabis Now magazine began publication as the Montana Medical Marijuana Journal in 2009. After only two issues, the dispensary model of cannabis was outlawed in Montana, and the team decided to focus on the consumer point of view through the written word by creating Cannabis Now.

Conclusion

While there are many magazines to watch in the cannabis space, this list should give you a good starting point for finding a magazine that’s ideal for your interests and style preference.

By Lydia Kibet

Social media is not new; it has been there for decades.  A couple of people can’t live without it. Basically, it has taken much of our lives than we can reckon. 

Social media has made it easy for entrepreneurs and like-minded persons to link-up and share information about their interests and enthusiasm. While many social media networks are popping up every day, there’s each platform to discuss different matters under one roof. 

With medical marijuana legalization, this has led to the rise of cannabis social media networks for influencers and cannabis consumers. Well, if you’re a cannabis enthusiast and would love to connect with fellow stoners, cannabis connoisseurs, and the cannabis community in general, there are thousands of social media networks and forums to join. 

With such forums, you can discuss and share information with like-minded folks without anyone judging you. While Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter have their place, you cannot compare with niched platforms. Such social media networks and forums will insanely boost your well-being and spirit.

Most people are comfortable with forums because this is where they can exchange ideas and talk to one another freely. Forums are a hit since you get real-time solutions to your hurdles as opposed to just a banter. 

It also presents a perfect way to connect with industry connoisseurs, cannabis growers, and business owners. You can talk about anything from legalization, trending cannabis news, politics, and interact with some of your gem brands that are represented on these forums.

Therefore, whether you’re a marijuana connoisseur, a recreational or a casual user, you don’t have to worry; there is something for different folks. Cannabis social media networks are fantastic; in fact, if you’re looking to date a cannabis enthusiast, there are dating social networks that will meet your demands.

That being said, let’s dive in and explore the best 11 cannabis social media networks and forums worthy of joining.

The 11 Best Cannabis Social Media Networks

1. CannaSOS
2. MjLink
3. 420Magazine
4. Budhubz
5. Highthere
6. Grasscity Forum
7. Weedlife
8. Leafwire
9. Weedable
10. WeedCircles
11. 420Singles

1. CannaSOS

CannaSOS is a pretty huge social media network where cannabis lovers connect and interact with their peers and like-minded individuals. This is one of the best platforms with 328,000+ members.

This platform is perfect for those people looking to mingle, build connections, and share marijuana-related information. With thousands of cannabis strain reviews featured, you’ll bag all the information you require for your favorite strains.

Besides, there are a ton of groups you can join and get real-time answers to your queries from industry experts, growers, and suppliers. Thanks to CannaSOS, where you can connect with thousands of ‘420-related’ businesses globally.

2. MjLink

MjLink is the largest social network in the cannabis industry, globally. With 1.5M+ active monthly users, it serves a vast marijuana-centric audience world-wide. Besides, it has sister social networks such as weedlife.com, thus attracting 50M+ monthly page views.

This platform allows you to connect with thousands of international cannabis and hemp users, professionals, and brands that make up the cannabis community. 

If you’re a cannabis entrepreneur MjLink is one of the greatest to network with a wide range of growers, marketers, manufacturers, cannabis sellers, and much more.

Amazingly, with the newly launched MjLink events, which connects business professionals and consumers one-on-one at investor conferences and business trade-shows.

3. 420 Magazine

420 Magazine is the most extensive media magazine based in Hollywood, California.  It currently serves over 100K+ daily visitors, 250K+ registered members and 1.5M+ followers on social networking channels.

While this is a magazine site, there’s a forum where you can connect with cannabis professionals. Furthermore, you can join in discussions, read product reviews, get a complete cannabis education with facts and information, watch and listen to 420 bands, watch cannabis-related videos, and much more.

With 420 Magazine, you’ll find a huge section of medical marijuana threads to follow and join the discussions going on over there.

4. Budhubz

BudHubz is centred around a location-based map where cannabis connoisseurs from around the globe come together and share the best components of cannabis culture.

This platform makes it great for ‘buddies’ to find recreational and medicinal dispensaries, accommodations, and doctors. Joining the platform is quite easy and free. All you need to do is sign up, connect with buddies, and get recommendations of the best cannabis shops in no time.

The only drawback of BudHubz at the moment is that it has not been fully rolled out yet. However, once it goes live, it will be one of the most exceptional cannabis social media networks online.

5. Highthere

High There is one of the most popular cannabis social media networks with a free high there app. It’s known to be a dating site with fantastic relationship success stories shared through videos on their website. 

Basically, it works like Tinder, where you view pictures and swipe right or left and connect with folks you’d love to hang out with.

This social network is for anyone looking to explore the world of cannabis and have a feel of the new era in the company of like-minded enthusiasts, ninjas, and friends.

6. Grasscity Forum

The Grasscity forum is one of the oldest social media networks online. The platform was launched in 2000 and now claims over 650K+, over 20 million posts, and over 2 million impressions per month.

Initially, it began as an online marijuana forum for marijuana growers, but it has expanded exponentially into a pretty colossal marijuana social forum online. Right now, you’ll find everything that cannabis enthusiasts would love to talk about from legalization, growing marijuana, consumption methods, and trending cannabis news.

Besides, you’ll find local dispensaries listed on the forum. You’re never going to miss out on anything in the Grasscity forum. With the threads to “tokin tools,” it’s a perfect platform to join.

Grasscity forum is a lively platform where like-minded persons come together to share ideas and information.

7. Weedlife

Weedlife is a swiftly growing cannabis social media network. The platform is primarily providing information about weed, where consumers and entrepreneurs connect and discuss everything related to marijuana.

Thanks to weedlife, which has a pretty easy to use website with mobile apps for both iPhones and androids. It features marijuana videos, business ideas, products, and weed growing information.

The platform allows cannabis business owners to create their profiles where individuals can post content and interact with them. Moreover, you’ll find dispensaries listed on their map.

8. Leafwire

This is a relatively new social media network primarily meant for business enthusiasts and investors. If you’re planning to start cannabis and perhaps need funding, this is the perfect platform for you.

The site is purely for professionals in the cannabis industry looking to connect online. It is a platform that has been created with the entrepreneur and investor in mind.

Leafwire is a fantastic social media network for any entrepreneur seeking to be part of the industry. As a matter of fact, for those who have experience in the cannabis industry might even land their dream job via the platform.

9. Weedable

Weedable is a social network specifically designed for people who are passionate about cannabis. The platform is pretty easy to use and connect with others. You can do anything from following your favorite brands to interacting with others and buying your gem product.

The most fantastic thing about this platform is that it has a Weedable Live, which allows you to easily explore the right products as well as THC and CBD levels across all kinds of marijuana products.

With a decent looking profile, you’ll talk to audiences or your followers in no time.

10. WeedCircles

WeedCircles is a cannabis business social network that is totally free to sign up. It is an excellent platform for marijuana lovers, vendors, and customers who are all in the cannabis industry. This makes a perfect marketplace to get great weed deals.

If you own a cannabis business or plan to start one, weedCircles is the ideal cannabis social media network to join.

11. 420singles

While cannabis-friendly apps are gaining traction, 420singles.com being one of them, is a thrilling moment for marijuana lovers to connect globally. Well, if you fancy dating stoners and smokers like you, then this dating app is pretty perfect for you.

Just like Tinder, you swipe right or left and match with the people you’d love to hang out with, depending on your choice. The app is free, and you can find it on Google play store or app store and link up with cannabis lovers near you.

Here are other sites and apps you should check out:

• Kalogia
• Mjmaryjane
• Jointbuds
• Massroots

The cannabis industry is rapidly growing, and more cannabis social media networks and forums are popping up too. With our list, we hope it will help you decide to join a platform of your preference.

While most platforms require necessary information to sign up, it’s vital to keep in mind whether your data is protected. Hopefully, you’re going to get the most out of these social media networks.  

By Laura Newcomer

It’s a great time to be a startup in the cannabis industry. 

A report from Grand View Research, Inc. suggests the global cannabis market could grow to as much as $66.3 billion by 2025. Meanwhile, the total cannabinoid market in the U.S. (which includes hemp-derived CBD as well as cannabis) is expected to reach around $44 billion by 2024.  

Those numbers help explain why so many entrepreneurs are scrambling for a piece of the cannabis pie. But they’re rarely doing it on their own. Instead, cannabis companies often seek financial support from investors, incubators, and accelerators — to the tune of an estimated $14 billion in 2018 alone. 

Why do so many cannabis companies seek funding? 

For starters, the cannabis industry is capital-intensive — meaning it’s tough to get off the ground without the financial means to access technological resources, rent or own agricultural land or retail spaces, comply with regulations, and so on. And because many banks are still hesitant to provide loans or banking services to companies in the cannabis space, capital resources can be extra-hard to come by. 

That’s where cannabis incubators and accelerators come in. 

These programs provide funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities (among possible other benefits) to help startups get up and running with a clear path toward growth. As a general rule, incubators target early-stage companies, while accelerators tend to support startups that are already generating revenue but need some assistance in order to scale. 

Would that kind of support help you grow your cannabis startup? Then consider any of these top startup incubators for cannabis businesses. 

The Top 10 Startup Incubators for Cannabis Businesses

1. The Cannabis Startup Business Incubator 
2. Canopy Boulder
3. Gateway
4. Greenhouse Ventures
5. Hood Incubator
6. The Initiative
7. Leaf Forward
8. Marijuana Accelerator
9. Momentum (from Eaze)
10. Redfund Capital

1. The Cannabis Startup Business Incubator

The name says it all: The Cannabis Startup Business Incubator is focused on leveling up startups in the cannabis space with an industry-specific incubator program. 

The program is the brainchild of KC Stark, a well-known name in the cannabis space who’s operated a number of medical and recreational cannabis operations in multiple states. (He’s also been dubbed “The Steve Jobs of Weed.”) 

The incubator has been around for over 10 years and has helped launch more than 100 operations across the United States, including companies that focus on medical cannabis, recreational cannabis, and the hemp sector. 

The mentor-based program provides expert coaching, access to tools and resources, and networking opportunities for qualifying companies. In the process, it seeks to support the growth and development of local companies with backing from a team of nationally recognized experts.

After completing the program, alumni get access to exclusive resources, including online masterminds. Program participants and alumni can also avail themselves of the extensive educational resources on the incubator’s site. 

The Application Process

The organization doesn’t share much info about the application process on its website, so interested startups will fare best by reaching out directly. 

2. Canopy Boulder

Canopy Boulder operates alongside Canopy San Diego, both of which are strategic partners with the Arcview Group — which defines itself as “the first and largest group of high net worth cannabis investors.” 

Both Canopy brands offer accelerator programs for cannabis entrepreneurs. Since 2014, Canopy Boulder has launched 100 companies and made over 120 investments. 

Canopy Boulder’s venture fund draws investors who are interested in supporting seed-stage ancillary cannabis startups. Not surprisingly, the accelerator program also focuses on startups in ancillary cannabis markets. (This means the program is interested in hemp/CBD products and services and does not invest in THC-related products or services, such as cultivation and retail.) 

The accelerator program accepts one cohort per year for a 13-week, in-person program in Boulder, CO. 

Here’s how it works: Participants receive a $20,000 investment upon acceptance into the program (in exchange for between 6 and 9.5% common equity), and an additional $100,000 is available in convertible note (with a $2.5 million valuation cap). Program participants enjoy access to a network of more than 200 advisors, mentors, and industry leaders as well as over 1,300 investors. The mentorship-based accelerator guides participants in refining their business models, developing prototypes, and initiating fundraising efforts. At the end of the program, participants pitch to investors.

The Application Process

Applications for the program are closed until fall 2020, and the application is not available at the time of writing. You can fill out a form here to be notified when the next application goes live. 

3. Gateway 

Gateway offers a full-immersion business accelerator and seed investment program in the San Francisco Bay Area — the heart of startup innovation across a wide range of industries, including cannabis. 

Twice a year, the cannabis-specific accelerator selects 10 lucky companies to receive $50,000 each (for 5% equity) and partake in an immersive mentorship experience. That immersion happens in Oakland, CA, where the chosen companies work out of Gateway’s co-working space for four months. 

During the program, startups benefit from close mentorship while developing a product demo. At the end of the program, startups will present their demos to an investor panel. 

Alumni become part of the Gateway Network, a network of cannabis-specific entrepreneurs, startups, and investors. So they continue to benefit from connections even after leaving the program. 

Those startups that choose to remain in the Bay Area can also take advantage of Gateway Works, a co-working space that’s designed exclusively for entrepreneurs working in the cannabis industry. 

Even if alums don’t stay in the area, they can benefit from Gateway’s extensive digital resources, including a podcast and blog that tackle a wide range of topics related to succeeding as a company in the cannabis space. 

The Application Process

What does it take to get accepted into the Gateway accelerator program? It all starts with an application, for which you’ll need to provide (among other basic info): 

• A description of your company
• A link to a company website
• A 1-sentence company pitch
• A 4-minute, continuous-shot pitch video (a 3-minute pitch plus 1 minute about why you’re applying to the program)
• A description of what makes you qualified to run your business
• A description of the company’s ability to scale 
• A link to a pitch deck

After the application process is complete, those entrepreneurs who are being considered will take a test and then interview prior to the final selection process. 

4. Greenhouse Ventures

Greenhouse Ventures claims to be “the first innovation accelerator and commercialization incubator for cannabis and hemp ventures in the world.” 

Translation? They’ve been around the cannabis incubation scene for a while. 

The investment and venture development firm provides an early-stage innovation accelerator for startups in both the cannabis and hemp industries. The company seeks to invest in companies for between $1 and $5 million that can eventually be sold for anywhere from $25 to $250 million. The company’s guiding principles include Diversity, Business Model Scalability, Capital Efficiency, and Core Community Contributions.

In February and September of each year, Greenhouse Ventures accepts up to 10 companies for its 10-week “accelerator semester.” This mentor-based “boot camp” enables cannabis and hemp business owners to learn from industry experts, entrepreneurs, and investors about best practices pertaining to business development, capital formation, and more. 

Over the course of the 10 weeks, companies prep for “Demo Day,” a culminating event during which startups pitch their business to potential advisors, customers, investors, and partners. 

The Application Process

Greenhouse Ventures accepts one application per company. Among other information, the application requires: 

• A clear description of the business
• A thorough description of the assets already in place
• An Executive Summary
• A pitch deck and/or a 5-minute pitch video 

Qualifying applications will be selected for an interview before the final cohort is chosen. Startups that aren’t yet equipped with the resources required for the application are encouraged to enroll in Greenhouse Ventures’ Cannabis Due Diligence Crash Course to become better prepared for an accelerator. 

5. Hood Incubator

Born in 2017, the Hood Incubator is an award-winning cannabis incubator that’s doing unique and important work in the industry. 

It’s a nonprofit organization with a progressive focus: to uplift communities adversely impacted by the War on Drugs. To that end, it’s committed to “building economic and political power for Black and Brown communities” by increasing these communities’ participation in the legal cannabis industry. Hood describes itself as the “first people of color focused cannabis accelerator in the nation.”

The need for this work is clear. Per the ACLU, Black people are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession compared to white people. Meanwhile, Black people comprise less than 5% of founders and business owners in the cannabis industry. 

To improve industry access and opportunity for marginalized communities, the organization is focused on three core areas: community organizing, policy advocacy, and economic development. This work includes a cannabis industry apprenticeship program; a robust network to provide industry access, resources, and support; and efforts to develop the nation’s first Cannabis Equity Program. 

Hood Incubator has also created an accelerator program expressly for Black and Brown entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. That accelerator offers business education, technical assistance, mentorship, and access to industry resources. 

To date, the Hood Incubator’s Cannabis Business Accelerator Program has grown its membership to more than 2,000 people across the U.S., and the accelerator has directly supported 10 entrepreneurs. The program is currently centered in Oakland but plans to expand across the country. 

The Application Process

The Hood Incubator’s accelerator program runs once per year. Applications are currently closed, and the website doesn’t share info about the application process at the time of writing. Interested companies are advised to check back in early 2020 for application updates.

6. The Initiative

The Initiative is a cannabis industry incubator program that’s partnered with big industry names including Miller Nash Graham & Dunn, Hotbox Farms, R2C Group, and Sentia Wellness, as well as dozens of educators and mentors from all over the U.S. 

Amidst a sea of cannabis incubators, the Initiative stands out for several reasons. Not least among them? It’s focused exclusively on cannabis businesses with at least one woman founder. 

The Initiative provides a variety of resources for women entrepreneurs in the cannabis space, including networking and educational events, special “office hours” where founders can come for strategic advice and growth planning, executive and leadership training programs, and an accelerator program. 

That accelerator program provides tools, education, mentoring, fundraising support, and networking for women-founded, post-revenue cannabis businesses with a consumer goods focus and aggressive growth strategies. 

Participants spend three months working in-house in Portland, OR while attending classes, meetings, and networking events. The program has several areas of focus, including strategic growth, pitch deck creation, executive training, team building, financial education, and marketing education. 

At the program’s end, businesses pitch to a group of investors who are committed to funding women-founded businesses. Alumni receive ongoing feedback and mentorship. 

The Application Process

Applicants for the program need to meet several criteria, including: 

• An interest in aggressive national growth
• Readiness for raising money
• A product that’s already in production in a legal state

Applications are currently closed, and the full application is not available at the time of writing. 

7. Leaf Forward

Located in Canada, Leaf Forward claims to be that country’s “first and leading cannabis business accelerator.” 

The program seeks to advance early-stage cannabis companies through a number of pathways, including mentorship, access to licensed space, and connection to capital and industry networks. 

To that end, Leaf Forward holds a variety of education meetups across Canada, offers 4-day intensive training bootcamps for cannabis entrepreneurs, and has developed a three-month accelerator program for startups in the cannabis industry. 

That program, the Leaf Forward business accelerator program, has worked with more than 40 cannabis startups since its launch in 2017. It focuses on early-stage companies that are solving an existing problem in the cannabis value chain, have a clear path to market, and have a defensible concept. It also prioritizes companies with more than one founder, demonstrated subject matter expertise, existing cannabis industry experience, and existing startup experience.

Here’s how the accelerator works: The program invests up to $75,000 ($52,5000 in cash and $22,500 in services, in exchange for 10% equity) in promising early-stage companies. The 16-week accelerator takes place in Toronto, though participants are not required to be on-site for the entire program. Startups enjoy mentorship from more than 60 experts as well as access to members of the accelerator’s industry-wide network. 

At the end of the program, participants have a chance to pitch to investors and possibly gain more funding. 

The Application Process

To be considered for the Leaf Forward business accelerator program, applicants must meet the focus outlined above. They’ll also need to submit an application that addresses in-depth questions about the following information (and then some): 

• What problem the company solves 
• What the company does
• The company’s unique positioning
• The founders’ relationship to each other 
• A video introduction of the founders
• The company’s progress thus far
• The company’s financial opportunities and current stats
• The founders’ understanding of the industry 
• Competitors
• Customers 
• The company’s structure
• Equity
  

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. After submitting an application, applicants might be contacted with follow-up questions. Applicants who move forward will participate in in-person or video interviews. If selected, applicants work with the accelerator’s Investment Committee to select a start date and sign on to terms. 

8. Marijuana Accelerator

The aptly named Marijuana Accelerator is a division of Player’s Network, Inc., a publicly traded diversified holding company that’s focused on marijuana and media. 

The organization is committed to developing partnerships in the cannabis industry via a variety of initiatives, including: providing capital, tools, and resources for entrepreneurs; identifying opportunities for partnerships and joint ventures; presenting companies with growth potential to their network of investors; and placing seasoned professionals into their portfolio companies. 

To achieve that first initiative, the MJ Accelerator Program offers a 14-week, mentor-led intensive boot camp for technology and media startups in the cannabis space that have high potential to scale. 

The program has locations in Las Vegas, USA and Barcelona, Spain, so it has a global perspective and focuses on potentially world-changing companies. MJ Accelerator partners with startups at all stages, though it prefers early-stage companies that are focused on some aspect of seed to sale (e.g. companies that grow, extract, or sell marijuana products) or technology (e.g. companies that utilize technology to serve the cannabis industry). 

The accelerator program is structured according to three phases: Discover, Validate & Build, and Invest & Grow. Participants receive initial seed capital, guidance from qualified mentors and industry experts, access to discounted products and services, the opportunity to work in a collaborative office space and receive daily support, and participation at a culminating Demo Day. 

After “graduation,” participants enjoy membership in an extensive alumni network. 

The Application Process

Beyond basic personal and company info, applicants will need to provide information about: 

• Their company type
• Their company stage
• Number of employees
• Competition
• Current investors
• A company website
• Current financials

9. Momentum (from Eaze) 

Some people will recognize Eaze as the company that’s made a name for itself as the “Uber of weed.” And it certainly is true that Eaze offers on-demand and compliant cannabis delivery in dozens of cities throughout California and Oregon. 

But the company is so much more than a delivery service. 

It also provides educational materials for consumers; has developed an online marketplace that connects cannabis retailers and customers; publishes Eaze Insights, which shares data about cannabis industry economics, consumers, and so on; and has created a cannabis business accelerator dubbed Momentum. 

The Momentum accelerator targets underrepresented founders in order to build a diverse industry that helps combat the War on Drugs. The advisory committee is refreshingly diverse, and Eaze is working to help clear hundreds of thousands of criminal records related to the War on Drugs.

How does the accelerator work? Ten qualifying startups are awarded $50,000 (equity-free!) grants and benefit from a 10-week curriculum that includes mentorship from industry professionals along with training for managing and scaling a business, compliance best practices, and more. Participants also benefit from access to Eaze’s network of investors, brands, and retailers as well as teams who specialize in analytics, marketing, legal, and other industry-specific areas. 

At the end of the program, participants pitch to investors and are considered for inclusion in the Eaze marketplace — meaning their products could become part of the Eaze delivery ecosystem. 

The Application Process

Because Momentum applications are closed at the time of this writing, we’re unable to share exactly what’s required of applicants. The accelerator is no longer taking applications for 2020, but check back often to learn more about the application process for 2021.

10. Redfund Capital

Redfund Capital is distinct from other options on this list, because it’s not exclusively devoted to the cannabis industry. But it has partnered with a variety of mid- to late-stage heavy hitters in the space. The fund is composed of bankers and entrepreneurs with more than 100 years of combined experience in business, consulting, capital markets, corporate finance, and healthcare services. 

The organization offers incubator and accelerator programs that partner with first mover, high-growth companies to provide them with capital (in exchange for equity), resources, and infrastructure access. Program participants benefit from close advising around their business plans, revenue growth, (possibly) introduction to public markets, and more. 

The organization has a strong focus on financial returns. In other words? This program is for cannabis companies that are confident in their ability to generate high returns. Currently, Redfund Capital supports the likes of Mary’s Wellness and Wahupta Ventures, Inc.. 

The Application Process

Redfund Capital does not seem to publicize its application process on its site. To learn more about the process, companies should reach out to Redfund Capital directly. 

The Bottom Line on Cannabis Business Incubators

As you can see, there’s a ton of variety when it comes to the focus, terms, and resources offered by various cannabis incubators and accelerators. 

No matter your personal background, your niche in the cannabis industry, or your goals for your startup, you should be able to find a cannabis business incubator or accelerator that will help you refine your focus, clarify your branding, and chart a clear path toward growth. 

With the help of one of these incubators, you’ll soon be eating your slice of the cannabis industry pie! 

By Laura Newcomer

The cannabis industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and that means new companies are entering the space seemingly every day. 

In fact, a 2017 report from Statista suggests there are nearly 30,000 cannabis-related businesses in the United States alone — and that number is only expected to increase. 

Expanding legalization and growing acceptance of cannabis have both spurred the cannabis and hemp industries, which are expected to reach a whopping $44 billion in the U.S. alone by 2024. 

As the industry grows, cannabis companies find themselves needing to innovate in order to stand out from the pack. While some companies may be rolled under by the surging industry, others are out in front thanks to cutting-edge ideas, products, or services. 

Case in point? Here are 10 innovative cannabis businesses to keep an eye on as the industry grows by leaps and bounds. 

10 of the Most Innovative Cannabis Businesses

No matter whether you’re looking for inspiration for your own cannabis company or you’re simply interested in trends that are happening in the space, these businesses represent some of the remarkable diversity and innovation that’s characteristic of today’s cannabis industry. 

1. Eaze

The Business

These days, it seems like a ton of industries are developing their own “Uber” equivalent, from on-demand food delivery apps to healthcare delivery services and everything in between. So it was only a matter of time before someone developed the “Uber of cannabis”. 

Enter: Eaze. 

While it’s not the only marijuana delivery service on the market, it is arguably the most well-known. When Keith McCarty first started Eaze in 2014, he and just a few employees ran the business out of an apartment. Today, the company offers compliant, on-demand cannabis delivery in dozens of cities throughout California and Oregan, including San Diego, Los Angeles, and Oakland. 

Safety is baked into the entire Eaze delivery process: Customers are required to provide valid proof of ID when ordering through Eaze’s platform, and background-checked drivers (who are employed by licensed cannabis retailers) verify customers’ identification at the point of delivery. 

The “Wow” Factor

Successfully developing the “Uber of weed” is reason enough to land on this list. But Eaze is also much more than a delivery company. 

In addition to its delivery services, the company produces Eaze Insights, which publishes info about cannabis consumer demographics, economic data about the legal cannabis market, and more in an effort to inform public policy. 

The company has also created an online marketplace that connects retailers and customers and provides customers with a seamless online shopping experience. And it produces educational materials to help consumers navigate product selection and promote safe consumption. 

The company also stands out for placing a strong emphasis on social impact. It works to address various harms caused by the War on Drugs by, for example, helping to clear hundreds of thousands of criminal records, advocating for compassionate care, and developing a cannabis company accelerator. 

That business accelerator, dubbed Momentum, offers $50,000 equity-free grants and 10 weeks of industry-specific training to underrepresented founders. Participants who complete the program have a chance to pitch to industry investors and are also considered for inclusion in Eaze’s marketplace. 

All these efforts have added up. To date, Eaze has recruited around 600,000 registered users and is responsible for more than five million legal deliveries. The company has worked with more than 100 licensed brands and 42 partners. In the process, it’s helped spur the creation of 1,200 jobs. Talk about innovating for impact! 

2. Flowhub

The Business

This combo hardware-and-software retail management platform helps cannabis companies manage every stage of their retail operations. 

FlowHub’s tools allow retail cannabis companies to manage their inventory, maintain compliance with state laws, handle retail sales, create a smooth and efficient customer experience, and generally streamline every stage of their operations. It also provides comprehensive reports to help users track their evolution over time. 

The “Wow” Factor

While traditional point-of-sale (POS) systems are sometimes wary of supporting cannabis businesses, Flowhub has devoted itself to the industry. 

In the process, the company has provided marijuana dispensaries with essential and industry-specific tools for tracking company data, maintaining compliance, minimizing losses, sustaining organization at all points of operation, and identifying opportunities for scaling those operations. 

As of this writing, the platform processes more than $1 billion in cannabis sales annually for boutique, enterprise, and franchise cannabis retailers. With $3.8 million in funding, Flowhub is poised to continue serving both its hundreds of existing customers and the up-and-coming crop of cannabis retailers. Without platforms like FlowHub, the cannabis retail space would not be nearly as equipped to successfully grow and scale. 

3. Higher Ground 

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The Business 

Higher Ground is a marketing and PR agency that’s exclusively devoted to working with companies in the cannabis industry. 

To that end, the agency offers a comprehensive suite of marketing- and PR-related tools, from brand design to media training, crisis communications, web design, social media content strategy and development, web marketing, and advertising. 

The eclectic team of branding, PR, and web experts also produces a blog that’s jam-packed with useful education for cannabis companies looking to make a name for themselves in a unique industry landscape. 

The “Wow” Factor

At a time when cannabis use is still widely stigmatized (and, in many places, illegal), Higher Ground is helping to normalize the industry by providing the same marketing and PR tools that are standard in… pretty much every other industry. 

By helping cannabis companies effectively brand and market themselves, Higher Ground empowers industry players to broaden their reach — and normalize the industry’s existence in the process. 

The company accomplishes those aims via a variety of strategies, from helping cannabis companies define their brand identity, mission, vision, values, and so on; to building custom website for cannabis companies; developing ecommerce solutions or landing pages; developing social marketing campaigns; boosting SEO and SEM; developing market research through analytics, tracking, and reporting; and developing a variety of advertising collateral including print ads, digital banners, web videos, and email campaigns. 

These resources might be commonplace in other industries, but some PR agencies are still wary of working with cannabis companies. Higher Ground flips that dynamic on its head by going all-in on cannabis. 

4. Honest Marijuana Company

The Business

Honest Marijuana Co. is a young cannabis startup nestled in the Rocky Mountains south of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. While its distribution is currently small, the company aims to expand — and drive big changes in cannabis industry practices in the process. 

Most notably? The company strives to model eco-friendly approaches to growing and selling cannabis. To that end, the team uses organic growing methodologies and is devoted to achieving Zero Waste. 

The company is also developing a variety of new marijuana consumption methods and pioneering the science of marijuana preservation — all while educating consumers about the value of these techniques. 

In the process, they hope to prove that it’s possible to “green” the industry and produce outstanding products. 

The “Wow” Factor

Honest Marijuana’s unique approach to cannabis growth, preservation, and consumption is evident in all of its products and growing practices. They’re approaching these processes in ways that are decidedly different from the industry status quo. 

To wit? The company’s practices for growing cannabis are 100% pesticide-free, and plants are grown in organic soil and hand-trimmed. (The brand says it’s exceeded EPA and USDA standards.) The brand further minimizes its eco-footprint by working toward Zero Waste. It achieves this via a variety of strategies including efficient LEC lighting, reducing water waste through a process called “top feeding,” composting used soil, using a low-electricity climate control system, and more. 

Meanwhile, the company is pioneering new ways of consuming marijuana. It created Honest Blunts, the first blunts in the world to be hemp-wrapped, whole-flower, and machine-rolled. It’s also developed “Honest Wax,” a line of “whole plant” concentrates. 

The company preserves these and other products using a nitrogen preservation process that should help maintain a product’s entourage effect (or the ability of various terpenes, cannabinoids, and so on to work synergistically) over the long term. This process is unique in the industry, and it’s helping to spur innovation on the preservation front. 

As these practices gain traction, consumers might come to expect eco-friendly cannabis that stays fresh for longer. 

5. Leafly 

The Business

Since 2010, Leafly has been making a name for itself as a platform for discovering and learning more about a cornucopia of cannabis strains, dispensaries, CBD products, at-home growing strategies, and so much more. Name an indica, sativa, or hybrid strain, and Leafly can probably tell you a lot about its possible effects, benefits, and downsides. 

With more than 15 million monthly visitors, Leafly has become the go-to site for cannabis education around the world. It incorporates feedback from those visitors in the form of strain and dispensary reviews, so visitors to the site can enjoy crowdsourced information from other cannabis enthusiasts. 

The “Wow” Factor

In keeping with its role as a robust info hub for all things cannabis, Leafly’s news wing consistently delivers thoughtful, breaking, and industry-changing insights. And it’s this work that really sets Leafly ahead of the pack. 

The news team covers a huge variety of pressing and cutting-edge issues ranging from new cannabis science to legalization guides for newly legalized states, whether landlords can ban cannabis use in legal states, protecting legacy cannabis strains from Big Ag, and much more. 

Leafly’s news team really earned its keep during the “vaping crisis” of 2019, during which the team (most notably David Downs) undertook intensive investigative reporting to help blow the lid off discoveries that weren’t yet being covered by larger media outlets. They were at the forefront of uncovering the shady practices and additives that contributed to the national health scare. 

For its news team alone, Leafly stands out as an innovative cannabis business to watch. The rest of the company’s offerings are a big slather of icing on top of the cake. 

Leafly Headquarters (Seattle, WA)

6. Medical Genomics

The Business 

Medical Genomics combines multiple innovative technologies — including unique testing processes and the blockchain — to develop testing technologies that assist growers, dispensaries, and other testing labs. 

This work helps industry businesses and organizations develop quality products, and it helps give patients and consumers peace of mind that the products they’re consuming are safe. 

Meanwhile, the company’s strain identification and registration program helps growers protect their strains from corporations and competitors in an industry that generally lacks such protections. 

The “Wow” Factor

Medical Genomics has pioneered a number of unique testing processes for cannabis, including microbial testing and point-of-grow screening. 

The PathoSEEK® Microbial Safety Testing Platform is (according to the brand) the only microbial testing method designed specifically for cannabis flower, extracts, and infused products. The testing platform draws on qPCR technology, a safety testing method that’s already established in medicine and the food industry. When it comes to testing cannabis, the brand has customized this test to provide results in mere hours. 

Meanwhile, the StrainSEEK® Strain Identification and Registration Service provides comprehensive genetic sequencing data for cannabis strains by sequencing millions of data points pertaining to cannabinoids, terpenes, sex determinants, seed production, and so on. This tool allows growers to map the genetics of a huge variety of strains. 

Finally, the youPCR® Plant Screening Platform allows both cannabis and hemp growers to screen seedlings for sex, genetic traits, pathogens, and so on. These early screenings can help growers preempt growing issues and save costs in the process. 

Bottom line? Medical Genomics’ testing methodologies are contributing to a more informed, more efficient, and safer cannabis industry. 

7. MJ Freeway/MJ Platform

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The Business

For nearly a decade, MJ Freeway has been developing seed-to-sale cannabis tracking software that helps cannabis companies manage their inventory, maintain compliance, and streamline operations at each point on their supply chain. 

In 2016, the company launched its second-generation product: MJ Platform, a cannabis-specific enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. The software has grown along with the company’s clients’ needs (over 1,500 clients and counting!) to account for a variety of industry shifts around licensing, production capacities, legalization, and more. 

The “Wow” Factor

The MJ Platform is an all-in-one system that claims to have been the first-of-its-kind technology to cover the entire cannabis supply chain. It’s been leading the way with industry-specific software for longer than many cannabis companies have been in business. 

But the company isn’t one to rest on its laurels. The platform’s tools have evolved to allow for effective tracking across the supply chain, including: 

• Cultivation (allowing users to forecast yields and calculate costs)
• Manufacturing (managing suppliers, customers, and workflows and tracking sales and marketing data)
• Distribution (tracking shipping and deliveries, managing sales and inventory, and sharing market insights)
• Retail (real-time tracking sales and inventory, automating loyalty programs and online menus, and delivering customer analytics)
• Delivery (optimizing delivery routes and delivering inventory analytics)

Also worth noting: In an industry that’s often male-dominated, MJ Freeway was co-founded by a woman, Jessica Billingsley. 

8. MTrac

The Business

Otherwise known as MoneyTrac Technology, MTrac provides payment processing solutions for companies operating in high-risk industries and/or processing high-volume cash payments, two qualities that often apply to businesses in the cannabis industry. 

The company has developed a secure and compliant payment processing platform that offers customized reporting and allows cannabis companies to effectively manage their money while respecting regulations. 

The “Wow” Factor

These days, many banks and payment processing services are skittish about cannabis companies, whether medical or otherwise (if not downright opposed to working with them). But MTrac has developed services exclusively for companies working in high-risk industries such as cannabis. 

To do that, it’s leveraging innovative technologies (in the form of a permissioned blockchain) and developing unique payment processing solutions. 

For instance? MTrac has created a credit and debit card payments platform that offers compliant card processing and allows consumers to slide a card just as they would for any other type of purchase. Its Virtual Wallet software serves as the “middleman” between these consumer funds and companies’ coffers. Funds that back the Merchant Wallets are held in FDIC-insured U.S. bank accounts. Meanwhile, record keeping is conducted on blockchain technology. 

It’s a unique way to help cannabis companies safely manage their money by leveraging cutting-edge tools and technologies. Without this service and others like it, the industry would be less equipped to handle its funds. 

9. PotBotics

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The Business 

As PCMag so effectively puts it: Think of PotBotics as a cross between Leafly and WebMD, for both cannabis users and retailers. 

The PotBot app helps folks identify cannabis strains that might be best suited to their specific ailment(s) or needs. The company’s SaaS platform, PotBotMD, is a HIPAA-compliant platform that enables doctors and patients to tailor cannabis treatments toward their desired outcomes. 

The company also works with dispensaries to help budtenders swiftly and easily deliver personalized recommendations to the patients and customers who come through their doors. 

The “Wow” Factor

PotBot is helping to normalize cannabis as a medicinal product. And it’s doing that via a variety of unique tools and services. 

Its PotBotMD platform unites doctors and patients around achieving desirable health outcomes by providing a patient portal complete with secure medical records, medical cannabis recommendations, and tracking for patients’ responses to different cannabis strains and products. The portal also allows patients to make appointments, access scientific research about cannabis, and participate in consultations from the comfort of their homes. 

Folks who aren’t comfortable working with a cannabis doctor can still benefit from the PotBot App, which allows users to select symptoms or conditions and identify strains and cannabinoid levels that might help them find relief. The app will even recommend local dispensaries that carry those suggested products. 

All told, the service helps demystify cannabis and make it more accessible to folks who are interested in cannabis as a medical tool. 

10. Seedo Lab 

The Business 

Seedo Lab is the mastermind behind Seedo, a self-contained, hydroponic, and fully automated grow box that can be used to cultivate not only cannabis but also a variety of fresh herbs, vegetables, flowers, and more. 

The space-minimizing design is meant to produce maximum yields in a small area. To do that, it utilizes a patent-pending lighting system that adjusts itself to suit the plant’s growing stage. (It utilizes LED lights to cut down on energy usage.) And because it’s an enclosed system, it’s temperature- and humidity-controlled. 

The “Wow” Factor

Cannabis is notoriously challenging to grow, but Seedo makes home-grown cannabis more accessible and cost-effective by taking the guesswork out of the growing process. 

The grow system features several benefits that won’t be found from a more conventional DIY grow setup: It’s hermetically sealed, so odors don’t leak out. (It has built-in cartridges for releasing CO2.) It doesn’t use any pesticides, so it’s safer and more eco-friendly. And it incorporates EC and pH sensors, so users know exactly when to add additional minerals. 

The system also integrates with the Seedo App, which makes it easy to monitor plants’ progress. The app includes HD live streaming from the growing pod’s internal camera, notifications about the growing process, and lock/unlock functionality.

This one-of-a-kind product has the potential to revolutionize home growing and make cannabis more accessible to folks who may be wary of (or financially unable to access) retail cannabis. 

The Bottom Line: Innovation in the Cannabis Industry 

As this roundup of innovative cannabis businesses demonstrates, the cannabis industry contains a huge variety of companies tackling different pain points, challenges, and opportunities from a variety of angles. 

These innovations range from providing legal weed delivery to helping cannabis companies develop effective PR strategies, empowering medical cannabis users, making it easier for everyday citizens to grow their own cannabis, developing more eco-friendly cannabis growing practices, delivering heavy-hitting news, developing advanced testing processes, providing dispensaries with user-friendly point-of-sale systems or seed-to-sale tracking software, and more. 

All told? Innovation is a hallmark of the cannabis industry. While the companies featured here have distinguished themselves amidst a sea of tens of thousands of cannabis-related companies, there will undoubtedly be more waves of businesses looking to shake up the industry. 

It’s an exciting industry to watch, so keep an eye on these and other standout innovators! 

By Cecelia May Thorn

So you want to start a marijuana business? I get it. It’s a booming industry, and it’s only growing. 

This guide will walk you through how to start a marijuana business. But first, let’s look at why there’s such a big opportunity here.

The Marijuana Industry: An Overview

These days, it seems like everyone and their sister wants to start a marijuana business. And no wonder: Legal cannabis sales in North America are expected to top $20 billion by 2021, and exceed $47 billion by 2027.

Today, recreational marijuana is legal in 11 states, and medical marijuana is available in 33. The majority of Americans now live in states where cannabis is legal in some form.

Canada, meanwhile, has legalized recreational marijuana across the country. Many wonder when the United States will follow suit.

As mainstream attitudes shift, some experts predict that cannabis could soon displace alcohol — especially among millennials. The potential windfall has attracted investors and entrepreneurs from nearly every sector of the economy.

Plus, cannabis entrepreneurs are helping to shape a new industry — one that actually helps people. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?

With all these heady predictions, you might be tempted to dive right in. But first, let’s cover the basics, so you can avoid unrealistic expectations.

Starting a marijuana business isn’t just about growing weed and getting stoned. 

In fact, in most states, it’s illegal to consume marijuana at licensed cannabis facilities. And even if you are growing wholesale marijuana, that requires licenses, fees, taxes, financing, and a great deal of paperwork — all of which is probably best left to people who are not stoned.

Operating a successful cannabis business also requires up-to-date legal expertise. Many companies don’t just retain expert legal counsel; they also employ full-time “compliance officers” to keep up with the ever-changing laws.

If regulatory compliance isn’t something you want to think about on a daily basis, starting a marijuana business may not be right for you. Marijuana is regulated more strictly than alcohol, tobacco, and even firearms. (In some states, cannabis is regulated more strictly than fissile plutonium.) 

In the cannabis industry, one regulatory infraction can shutter an entire company for good. Sting operations are not uncommon.

If all of this sounds like a turn-off, but you still dream of working in cannabis, don’t worry: you could start an ancillary business. These companies, which don’t “touch” the marijuana plant, encounter far fewer compliance-related headaches. (We’ll break down the different types of marijuana businesses later in this article.)

Also, if you expect to be rolling in profits the second you open your doors, you may want to think again. Thanks to high tax rates and fierce competition, cannabis can be less profitable than you might expect. (Longtime cannabis growers often curse legalization, recalling their glory days on the black market.)

Today, many would-be entrepreneurs face tough barriers, including access to capital and adequate real estate. Increasingly, successful founders are those with more experience in the corporate boardroom than the grow room.

In an increasingly crowded industry, those best poised to weather these storms are often those with the deepest pockets — or those who can afford to lose money the longest.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Read on to discover how to actually start a successful marijuana business.

First, you’ll need to decide what sort of marijuana business to start.

Let’s break these into two major categories: 

The licensed marijuana businesses are those that “touch” the marijuana plant, at some point on its journey to the consumer. These types of businesses include cultivation facilities, facilities that manufacture infused products, and dispensaries.

(Some states also include a fourth license category for companies that distribute or deliver cannabis products.)

Starting a Marijuana Business: The Application Process

As we explained above, starting one of these licensed marijuana businesses involves significant regulatory hurdles.

It also involves significant start-up costs. 

For example, depending on where you’re applying for a business license, the application fee alone can cost tens of thousands of dollars. (This application fee is non-refundable, and will be forfeited regardless of whether your application is approved.)

An important question to ask yourself in deciding whether (and where) to start a marijuana business is: How much money am I willing to lose immediately?

It’s not just the non-refundable application fee. 

If you want to submit an application that has a decent shot at winning state approval, you may need to hire a consultant — or even a team of consultants — to assist you with the application process. These consultants aren’t cheap. They, too, can cost tens of thousands of dollars. (They may even try to negotiate an equity stake in your new company.)

These consulting groups are usually founded by successful cannabis entrepreneurs from early-adopter states (like Colorado, California, Washington, or Oregon) who are happy to share their expertise with less-experienced cannabis entrepreneurs. Those with successful track records of winning business licenses can charge a premium, especially in states like Connecticut and Illinois, where licenses are limited to a predetermined cap — and competition for licenses is fierce.

Tips on Hiring Cannabis Industry Consultants

If you’re hiring a consulting group, make sure you research them carefully. 

The unregulated world of self-appointed “consultants” does include many successful, thoughtful experts who can be indispensable to your venture. 

But it also includes failed entrepreneurs and hustlers taking a shot in the dark. Make sure you do your due diligence, and ask questions about their background, before hiring any consultants.

What About Ancillary Services?

The consultants are part of the broad world of “ancillary services.” 

Ancillary companies are those that provide goods or services to the industry. 

In addition to consulting, ancillary services can include security detail (helpful in a cash-heavy industry), cannabis inventory tracking software (required and monitored by law enforcement in most states), electrical and HVAC installation, and cannabis-specific job recruiters and temp agencies. Ancillary companies could also provide goods like packaging supplies, grow tents, grow lights, nutrients, extraction equipment, or surveillance cameras (which are required in licensed cannabis facilities).

Ancillary companies, which don’t “touch” the marijuana directly, are not bound to the strict compliance measures of licensed cannabis companies. They don’t have to apply for state or local licences.

So if you don’t have access to hundreds of thousands of dollars in start-up capital, you may want to start an ancillary business. 

But if you’ve read this far, and you still want to start a licensed cannabis company, you’ll need to choose which type of cannabis business license to pursue.

Types of Marijuana Business Licenses

There are three main types of cannabis business licenses: 

1. Grow facilities
2. Infused products manufacturers
3. Dispensaries 

Some states also offer additional licenses for transport companies — while other states don’t allow cannabis delivery companies at all. Other states offer licenses for testing laboratories, which test cannabis for potency and potential contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals.

Feasibility of Different Types of Marijuana Businesses

The application requirements for these types of businesses — and the likelihood of actually getting one of these licenses — varies widely by state. In some states, the window for accepting applications has closed, and it’s unclear when (or if) more licenses will become available.

(But determined entrepreneurs, take note: That doesn’t necessarily mean those states are off-limits. In some cases, these licenses can be bought and sold, and transferred to new licensees, pending state approval.)

Your decision about which type of marijuana business to start — and where — will likely depend on which types of licenses are available to you. This, in turn, depends on your access to capital. Different states and different types of licenses have different requirements.

Want to start a cannabis cultivation facility in Pennsylvania? Those applicants had to shell out a $10,000 initial fee and a $200,000 permit fee. They also had to provide proof of $2 million in capital, of which a half million dollars had to be readily available in their financial institution.

Real Estate is an Issue for Marijuana Businesses

If you’ve found a way to meet the capital requirements, you’ll need to see what kind of real estate is available. 

Most states will not approve licenses until the business location had met all the requirements for that type of business, and, after all necessary construction and modification, been granted a Certificate of Occupancy. This isn’t always feasible for the kind of business you have in mind. 

For example, if you’re trying to start a dispensary, but you can’t find any retail-zoned properties that aren’t too close to a school or daycare, you’re out of luck. (This radius between schools and marijuana businesses is usually determined by local regulations.) You won’t even get past the application phase — and you should probably fire your consultants.

Profitability of Different Types of Marijuana Businesses

If your real estate landscape is brimming with possibilities, it’s time to consider the profitability — and desirability — of different cannabis businesses. Would you rather grow cannabis, or sell it to consumers? 

You should give this question some thought. 

Unless you’re in Arizona, where the correct answer is “both.” (In Arizona, the law of “vertical integration” still governs cannabis companies: To own a grow facility, you must also own a dispensary. Vertical integration is allowed in other states, like California, and prohibited in other states, like Washington.)

All these different business models have different profit potentials, and it can be hard to get a straight answer on their profitability. According to the 2016 Marijuana Business Factbook, compiled by leading industry publication the Marijuana Business Daily, nearly 90% of marijuana businesses are profitable “or at least breaking even.”

But their analysis relies on self-reported data. And marijuana business owners tend to “self-report” pretty generously. (Also, their weed is the best weed ever grown in the history of the world.)

Also, the Marijuana Business Factbook admittedly did not include data from the marijuana businesses that had already folded.

The analysis by the Marijuana Business Daily staff notes that cultivation facilities and infused products manufacturers report more profitability than the stores. 

But this Marijuana Business Daily analysis doesn’t quite tell the whole story. There’s another reason dispensaries may appear less profitable than their counterparts in production facilities: Dispensaries are often taxed at higher rates than other kinds of licensed cannabis businesses.

Different Types of Marijuana Businesses Face Different Tax Laws

Thanks to an obscure section of the U.S. Tax Code, dispensaries can’t write off expenses. Section 280E stipulates that you can’t deduct any expenses related to distributing a federally controlled substance — and marijuana is still federally prohibited, according to the Controlled Substances Act.

That means dispensary owners can’t deduct normal business expenses, like rent, wages, and upkeep.

However, marijuana businesses are allowed to write off the cost of goods sold. The costs of growing marijuana — which are not directly tied to “distributing” a controlled substance — can be deducted normally. That means grow facilities can deduct expenses, while dispensaries cannot. So cultivation and processing facilities face a much lower tax burden than dispensaries.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that cultivation facilities are raking it in, either. They pay different taxes, often referred to as “excise taxes,” on any product that leaves their facility. These rates vary by state and municipality.

And companies that grow wholesale cannabis are subject to another challenge that may affect their profitability: price volatility. 

Wholesale Cannabis Prices Can Fluctuate Wildly

If you decide you want to start a cannabis cultivation facility, keep in mind that writing a realistic business plan will be difficult — particularly if you’re entering a newer market, where medical or recreational cannabis has been legalized only recently.

Because cannabis harvests can’t legally cross state lines, each state’s cannabis supply is determined by how many cultivation licenses were awarded, and how many plants each facility is permitted to grow.

In states where barriers to entry are low (like Oregon, which has some of the lowest capital requirements and license fees), the market has been flooded with wholesale product. 

Oregon’s oversupply problem has made national headlines. With more pounds of cannabis than its residents could even consume in years, wholesale prices have plummeted. Cultivators, unable to recoup their investment, have folded — or turned to the black market.

These wholesale price wars are less common in states with higher barriers to entry. When a state only awards a few grow licenses (like in Connecticut), the market is less likely to be flooded with an oversupply of product. Wholesale prices in these states tend to remain more stable in these states, and grow facilities can generate more profits.

Developing Your Cannabis Product or Service

When writing your business plan, you’ll want to explore how your business could fit into — and differentiate itself from — the existing cannabusiness landscape.

First, you’ll need to make sure your intended product or service is legal. For example, delivery services are only allowed in certain states, like California.

You’ll also need to make sure your intended business venture is feasible. Are any licenses available? Can you afford the license application fee in this state? Can you meet the proof-of-capital requirements in this state?

Once you’ve got these basics covered, you’ll want to make sure your product — or your store’s inventory — appeals to your customer base.

Knowing your customer is crucial. For example, if your dispensary is located in a lower-income neighborhood, you may want to carry more budget-friendly options.  

Developing Your Brand

You can also try to differentiate yourself with innovative branding. 

For example, some cultivators try to build a brand story that establishes them as a “boutique” cannabis brand. If you have health-conscious customers, for example, it can be helpful to highlight that your cannabis is organic, or “pesticide-free,” or soil-grown, or “sun-grown.”

Your branding could be even more specific. You could follow the lead of some CBD companies, and sell “glyphosate-free” cannabis. (Glyphosate is a toxic pesticide found on most agricultural products.) 

Try to learn about what your customers want. 

If your customers are interested in regenerative agriculture, for example, they’ll probably pay a premium for biodynamic cannabis. (Of course, you’ll need to check the regulations to find out whether you can call your product organic or biodynamic, without running afoul of any laws.)

Other marijuana producers try to build a cult following around certain cannabis strains, which they provide exclusively to select dispensary partners. (They often advertise to their social media followers which dispensaries are carrying their sought-after strains.)

Image Source

If you discover that cannabis branding is where you can excel, you may want to find a cannabis company that offers “white labeling.” Some cannabis companies will produce infused products and cannabis to be sold under another brand name. If you want to focus more on your branding, and less on production and compliance, this kind of “white labeling” partnership could be perfect for you. 

On the other hand, if you know branding is not your thing, don’t worry: Cannabis marketing firms abound. You can easily outsource the branding to experts, and focus on growing or manufacturing your product.

But branding has its limitations. 

For cultivators, branding is only effective if you sell your cannabis to dispensaries already pre-packaged, or if the dispensaries agree to display your branding alongside your product. (If the dispensary staff simply dumps your product into a glass jar and sticks it on the shelf, your social media presence isn’t going to drive any sales: Nobody will know who grew that strain.)

Manufacturers of infused products, meanwhile, have been able to leverage branding and marketing campaigns more effectively than growers. Edibles and concentrates are swaddled in layers of child-proof packaging, as required by state and local regulations. 

All this packaging provides more built-in branding opportunities.

How Much Does it Cost to Open a Marijuana Business?

As we’ve explained, marijuana businesses require significant start-up costs.

These costs can vary widely depending on the state where your business will be located, but you can expect to spend at least $5,000 on your non-refundable application fees. 

But you might have to spend $100,000. Every year. (That’s the annual cultivation license fees in Arkansas and Illinois. In Connecticut and Hawaii, that annual fee is $75,000.) For more information, check out this guide provided by the Cannabis Business Times, which breaks down the license fees state-by-state.

Many states require proof of at least $1 million in liquid funds. Some states require you to prove you have upwards of $2 million.

Does this sound exclusive?

Historically, requiring people to have a million dollars has been an exclusive practice. And in the marijuana industry, this practice (combined with other policies) has led to an industry that is almost exclusively white, according to a Buzzfeed investigation. In recent years, some activists have pointed out this irony: the communities most hurt by marijuana prohibition aren’t the ones benefiting from its legalization.

Recognizing this, states like Massachusetts and cities like Oakland, California have experimented with ways to prioritize business applications from minorities and groups hurt by marijuana prohibition. (Activists point out that more could be done in every state.) For more information, check out the resources at the bottom of the page.

Don’t have a million dollars in the bank? 

You may be out of luck. Institutional investors remain wary of investing in what they still see as a turbulent industry. And you can’t exactly apply for a traditional business loan at a bank. (Since cannabis is still federally illegal, most banks won’t work with marijuana companies. That’s another thing to consider in your business plan: non-traditional banking services, and cash management and transport.)

If you can’t afford your state’s license fees or capital requirements, you have a couple options. You could pivot to an ancillary business, which does not require a license. (Start that cannabis marketing agency!)

It’s much easier for ancillary businesses to secure funding. Because they don’t “touch” the plant, investors see these ventures as inherently less risky. You can even apply to cannabis-specific business incubators, which provide funding to ancillary start-ups in exchange for equity in their fledgling business.

Or you could choose to start a marijuana business in states with lower application fees (like Oregon). But in these states, with lower barriers to entry, you’ll be entering a crowded market, and will face more price competition. Your profit margins may be lower.

Conclusion and Further Reading

Despite all these obstacles, many marijuana businesses do succeed. Why not yours?

You’ll need smart people, adequate funding, and an unrelenting focus on regulatory compliance.

Here are some helpful resources:

• State-by-State Guide to Cannabis Business Licenses
• State-by-State Map of Notable Cannabis Business Regulations
• The Guardian explores why it’s so hard to make money in legal cannabis
• Information on how to become a social equity applicant in Massachusetts
• Information on how to become a social equity applicant in Illinois 
• Information on how to become a social equity applicant in Michigan 

By Alexa Peters

In 2018, the cannabis industry edged its way into the cultural and financial mainstream, suggesting a strong 2019 on the horizon. Unfortunately, 2019 was more a mixed bag than a banner year for cannabis. 

Marijuana stocks—though now on the upswing—have been disappointing overall, and the vaping controversy, which sickened more than 2,200 people this year, did not do much to combat persisting anti-cannabis attitudes. 

At the same time, 2019 was a historic year for pro-cannabis policy. This year the House Judiciary Committee became the first congressional panel to approve a bill to end federal cannabis prohibition, and a cannabis banking bill, which would give cannabis companies access to FDIC-insured banking institutions, was approved by the House in September.

In this way, 2019 was a necessary stepping stone to a prosperous 2020—which offers much to look forward to and consider. On that note, here are the top cannabis stats and major business trends for 2020.

2020 will Bring an Even More Educated Consumer

Either spurred by concerns about unregulated CBD, or by plain curiosity about the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids and terpenes, the mainstream consumer got much more interested in learning about cannabis in 2019—and that should continue tenfold in 2020.

According to Sara Rose Kennedy, a veteran of the industry who previously ran a marketing agency that worked with over fifty cannabis brands, and recently co-founded PuraPhy.com, a cannabis information website: “I think there’s going to be a more sophisticated consumer, both on the cannabis and the hemp side of the business. I think, you know, consumers are learning about the different cannabinoids, like CBN and CBGs, so there’s a lot more university research and clinical research that’s starting to happen.”

Hannah Brand, co-owner of Autumn Brands Farm found something similar. 

“I think more people are educating themselves on terpenes and terpene profiles, which are the correlation to how it’s going to make you feel and what health benefits it’s going to have,” she said. 

Sure enough, 2019 saw a lot of ground-breaking cannabis research published that met curious consumers halfway. In August 2019, a study from the University of New Mexico found strong evidence that cannabis can “significantly alleviate pain,” and in November 2019, another study from New York University found that states with more liberal cannabis policy saw a decrease in problematic cannabis use by adults and teens. 

Plus, it’s looking like these strides in research and consumer understanding will continue into 2020—the U.S. government is slated to spend $3 million to “fill gaps in cannabis research,” especially when it comes to CBD. 

Major Markets Will Continue to Grow, New Legal Markets will be Born

Image Source: Getty Images

Cannabis is projected to be one of the fastest growing industries of the next decade, especially in North America. According to The Motley Fool, “Worldwide weed sales have more than tripled, from $3.4 billion to $10.9 billion between 2014 and 2018, and Wall Street has forecast that sales will grow to between $50 billion and $200 billion by 2030.” 

Five legal states in particular are to hit the $1 billion sales mark by the end of the year—California, Colorado, Washington, Florida (medical only), and Michigan (medical only)—and these states are projected to continue to boom big-time in 2020. 

As well, 2020 will see the birth of new legal markets, helping move the industry and the bid for federal legalization forward. 

New Jersey residents will have the chance to vote for cannabis legalization in their state in 2020, and on Jan. 1st Illinois will officially have an adult-use cannabis program—which they decided on without a ballot initiative. Michigan is another state worth watching in 2020, as they kick-off their adult-use program too.

Already, according to The State of the Legal Cannabis Markets report from Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, Illinois is projected to make $1.14 billion in annual sales by 2024. Michigan, too, is projected to be a billion-dollar top-ten market by 2024.

For Mainstream Consumers, Low-dose Products with Therapeutic Application will be Most Popular

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

Cannabis business experts are already seeing a pivot in the mainstream market towards non-combustible products with a wellness component, and they anticipate that will continue in 2020. This is largely because smoking still carries a lot of stigma and mainstream consumers want to avoid getting uncomfortably high.

“Consumers that are more mainstream that [aren’t] traditional smokers will feel a lot more comfortable having a gummy or an edible than they would be lighting up something, just because a lot of people, from my interactions… have a hard time seeing that as medicine,” said Kennedy.

“But, being able to take something that, you know, you can walk into a CVS or a Walgreens and…get…in a gummy form is a lot easier for mainstream consumers to accept.”

Many mainstream consumers are more interested in treating back pain than getting intoxicated, and still associate joints with the overwhelming stuff they used to smoke under the high school bleachers.

With edibles and other non-combustibles, though, consumers feel they have more control over dose, according to Hannah Brand, of cultivators Autumn Brands.

“The more and more people that have been talking to me about micro-dosing with mints or just low-dosing pre-rolls. Stuff where you can smoke or take an edible and know that you’re not going to get, you know, people say too high or anxious,” Brand said.

“A lot of people are turning to these lower dose solutions for helping with headaches or using, you know, in the middle of the day and knowing you can keep going on your day and being sharp and focused at work, but you don’t have that migraine or that back pain.”

More Women Will Filter into the Industry and as Consumers and Entrepreneurs

A large reason why low-dose wellness products are growing in popularity is because women are the fastest growing demographic of cannabis consumers, according to CFN Media, and they care about cannabis’ applications for health and wellness.

According to The Global Wellness Institute, women control 85% of the $4.2 trillion Health and Wellness market. What’s more, women now use cannabis more than men, with 53 percent having tried it compared to just 42 percent of men, The Cannabis Consumers Coalition (CCC) reports. 

“A lot more women are getting into using cannabis for their own health and wellness. And I think because it’s become more socially acceptable and then also more easily accessible and convenient,” said Brand.

“More and more women are using it to help with anxiety or insomnia, nausea, and [more.] Instead of taking a pill, you can take a little hit from a vape pen or pre-roll or a tincture.”

As a result of discovering cannabis’ application for issues specific to women’s health, women are not only consuming cannabis but entering cannabis industry as entrepreneurs.

For instance, Leslie Apgar, who is a licensed OBGYN, designed the first line of women-oriented cannabis products called Blissiva, with her friend Gina Dubbé. The two also have their own medical dispensary called Greenhouse Wellness.

Since the dispensary opened and Blissiva hit shelves, it’s been a “rip roaring success,” according to Apgar.

“I’ve been taking care of women for over 20 years. I know what they want and what they’re complaining about. So, we found a really amazing opportunity to step into this cannabis space and create a line of products for women that were attractive,” said Apgar.

“A [Blissiva pen] is pretty, feels good in your hand, it is easy to use, smells amazing, tastes amazing, and it’s very light—doesn’t put you down. It’s like a glass of chardonnay with no calories.”

Still, the cannabis industry is male-dominated, and the two encountered a lot of raised eyebrows and mansplaining as they endeavored to join the green rush. This is something that Sara Rose Kennedy hopes will start to change in 2020, especially as growth presents more job opportunities in the sector.

“I would love to see more minorities as entrepreneurs and more women, for instance, in some of the more technical traditional male roles, either as, you know, a cultivator or you know [processing] side,” she said.

Vaping will decline in popularity

2019 was an exceptionally bad year for all e-cigarette and vaping companies—and for valid reason. As of December 10, 2019, a total of 2,409 people in the U.S. have been hospitalized from vaping disease, dubbed “EVALI.”

Photo by Isabella Mendes from Pexels

The CDC still doesn’t have a complete understanding of what causes this sickness, and thus has discouraged the use of any and all vapes. 

As a result, the entire vaping market has taken a major hit—even if their products have never made anyone sick. Consumers are shying away from the area, and officials at the state and federal levels are cracking down on “anything that looks like a vape,” said Matt Harrigan, founder KININ, a brand of aromatherapy wellness pens with CBD.

KININ wellness pens do not contain any tobacco or vitamin E acetate, one ingredient linked to EVALI cases by CDC labs.

According to Harrigan, KININ formulated their pods with blends of essential oils and CBD, and they have been third-party tested for safety. Still, because of the fear of vaping sickness and new restrictive vaping laws, KININ no longer has a leg to stand on.

“The reason we may not exist within thirty days is because the state of California, which is the single largest consumer of consumer goods in America, has decided we are a tobacco product,” he said.

“[And] both [KININ and our competitor, MONQ] were set up to do e-commerce-based advertising through Amazon, Facebook and Google, and third-party channels, but most of those are gone now because Facebook recently decided that personal aromatherapy is a vape. To them, that word means ‘bad,’” Harrigan said. 

Kennedy saw a similar trend towards wide-scale elimination of vaping businesses at this year’s MJ Biz Con 2019.  She sees this as an overall industry pivot for 2020, especially as consumers become more educated.

“About 40% of the brands from last year to this year went out of business or were heavily hit and you know, with numbers like that, I think, the industry has to evolve into a different direction,” said Kennedy.

“I think that you know, between cheap hardware and poor extractions, consumers are definitely going to be [wary.] The consumer is just going to demand better products.”

By Alexa Peters

While many cannabis consumers are in it for the buzz, others are using the plant to combat medical issues—and for good reason. 

According to current research, medical cannabis has shown real potential for treating issues like chronic pain from arthritis, cancer, epilepsy, anorexia, irritable bowel syndrome, and as a result, medical cannabis sales in the U.S. valued $5.9 billion in 2019 alone. 

And overall, U.S. retail cannabis sales are projected to rise as high as $30 billion by 2023, according to exclusive projections from the 2019 edition of the Marijuana Business Factbook. 

Hence, starting a medical cannabis business not only offers a way to help people, but it is also a foot into a market set to explode once federal adult-use policy passes. 

Still, starting a medical cannabis company is about much more than opportune timing. 

Whether you want to grow cannabis for specific conditions, process and formulate a therapeutic cannabis product, or connect patients with illnesses to the right cannabis treatment for them, or do all three as a vertically-integrated cannabis monolith—starting a successful medical cannabis company requires an understanding of the medical cannabis market, state and federal cannabis compliance, and the money involved to get off the ground. 

To start, let’s dive into cannabis retail, and then I’ll explain the differences for processing facilities and a grow-ops.

Starting a Medical Marijuana Dispensary

There are a few things you need to grok before starting a medical marijuana dispensary. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Understanding medical cannabis and the market
• Understanding compliance
• Understanding your finances

1. Understand medical cannabis and the market

Every medical cannabis dispensary should understand the product they will be selling and who their target market is.

Medical cannabis plants or products are designed to help treat a medical issue, not necessarily to just induce a strong “high.” Hence, while adult-use cannabis is often grown, processed and marketed with psychoactive THC content in mind, medical cannabis is about attention to levels of therapeutic cannabinoids (like CBD, known for its calming effect), beneficial terpenes (like myrcene, an anti-inflammatory), and getting the right product into the patient’s hands.

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Know Your Medical Marijuana Business’s Target Customers 

Additionally, the consumer for medical cannabis is different than for recreational, and their needs are specific. Medical cannabis patients are usually older than recreational consumers, and more often suffering from debilitating conditions. 

According to statistics from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, 35.18% of medical cannabis users in the state registry are 51 years of age or older, only 26.02% of medical cannabis users were aged 30 or younger. Severe pain was the reason many were seeking medical cards in the state, with 93.23% of patients on the registry reporting the condition.

This is opposite of recreational cannabis consumption. A 2016 survey that focused on all types recreational use found that young adults “aged 18 to 25 are three times more likely to be current users compared to older adults.” 

Think about the Customer Experience

In the interest of better-serving medical patients,  Greenhouse Wellness, a Maryland-based medical dispensary founded by Gina Dubbé and Leslie Apgar, M.D., chose to model the dispensary like a medical residency program in a hospital, all the way to dispensary décor—sleek, clean, and white—as opposed to the casual look and structure of most recreational dispensaries.

“We approached [our medical dispensary] with a medical director on site—which is me—and turned it into a residency program so that all the wellness consultants behind the bar are chief residents,” said Apgar, a licensed OBGYN.

“They were trained from a very medical standpoint—forced to read textbooks, articles. They’re quizzed all the time. They are learning from their colleagues from a very medical approach about how to talk to patients and how to gently ask questions about their medical background—it’s just a completely different experience then a recreational facility.”

It’s having a legitimizing effect. 

As Apgar, noted, the medical community has begun accepting Greenhouse Wellness and referring patients and family members to them because of their very educational and medical approach, which specifically serves a subset of cannabis consumers who are often overlooked or underserved at adult-use facilities.

“You don’t go to the pharmacy and just kind of wing it with the pharmacist when you get there. That’s what [the Maryland cannabis program] is asking patients to do,” said Apgar. 

“They’re asking patients to go to a dispensary and wing it with a budtender. It’s absurd. Our patient demographic is much, much older, [and] a lot of our patients have either never tried cannabis or certainly haven’t tried it since the ‘60s and ‘70s. This is not the cannabis of their youth.” 

2. Understand compliance in the medical marijuana industry

Another key part of running a successful medical cannabis dispensary is understanding both federal and state compliance because it will affect practically everything about your business—from how you obtain the business license you need to open your doors to how you protect your profits. 

But, prepare yourself: Dubbé and Apgar say compliance continues to be the hardest thing they’ve ever done. 

“Compliance changes all the time and they don’t tell us it changed. It’s cumbersome and some of it doesn’t make a lot of sense,” said Apgar.

Firstly, anyone who wants to open a dispensary—recreational or medical—is required to apply for the appropriate business license in their state. 

To start a medical dispensary in Maryland, the business-owner must submit an application fee with an application that enumerates legal names, address of the dispensary, operation procedures—which includes storage and security—as well as a “plan” for how the business will continue to abide by Maryland’s medical marijuana regulations. 

As well, according to Marijuana Business Magazine: 

“Business owners make the decision to vertically integrate early on, and in some markets, the state chooses for you. In Washington state’s recreational market, vertical integration is prohibited, and in New Mexico’s medical marijuana market, it’s required. Other states, such as Colorado and Oregon, allow vertical integration but don’t mandate it.”

In other words, your state laws may dictate how your business is structured—as do the tax laws and license types available—and that creates “a different risk-reward for being vertically integrated versus not,” as Troy Dayton, CEO of The Arcview Group in San Francisco, told Marijuana Business Magazine.

Hence, the process of figuring out what they wanted their company to look like, writing the application, and getting it approved took Dubbé and Apgar over a year. 

“I thought it would be 20 hours of work, it was more like 120 hours of work. And 600 pages later we submitted our proposal and a year later got the word that we had, out of 1000 applicants, won,” said Dubbé.

And, once a dispensary opens, there are more imperatives to follow. 

Most states have policies for both recreational and medical dispensaries, that include restrictions like how much cannabis can be sold in one transaction, age limits for who can buy cannabis, and banning consumption of cannabis on the dispensary premises and within a certain distance of schools. For a full list of state regulatory agencies and their policies, visit here.

There are some additional state regulations specific to the treatment of medical marijuana patients in a retail facility. 

Currently, 21 states are medical-only, and in 20 of these states only those patients with conditions deemed “qualifying” can purchase cannabis with a state-issues medical marijuana card. And, you guessed it, these qualifying conditions vary from state to state. 

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For instance, according to Maryland state law, the only qualifying conditions are: “cachexia, anorexia, wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, severe or persistent muscle spasms, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or another chronic medical condition which is severe and for which other treatments have been ineffective.” 

Meanwhile, Florida has more than 50 qualifying conditions. (To fully understand the laws in your state for medical cannabis patients and businesses, refer to this resource from the National Conference of State Legislators.)

And, then: there are a couple of federal compliance hiccups that may get in a business-owners way:

• Real Estate
• Banking 

Real Estate is an Issue

Firstly, it will likely be hard to find a space to rent for your business because cannabis is still a schedule 1 illegal drug according to the federal government, and most big retail buildings are somehow tied to public money.

“Truthfully, [finding] real estate, is a nightmare. No real estate investment trust or large buildings will take you because they are publicly traded. Any building that has a mortgage on it the bank won’t allow a dispensary to be in there,” said Dubbé

For six months, the pair from Greenhouse Wellness looked for a space to rent but could find nothing. Luckily, an open-minded colleague with a privately-owned wellness building offered them a space, but not all cannabis businesses are so lucky.

Banking is Tough, Too

Additionally, because cannabis is still a schedule I drug under federal law, cannabis companies cannot bank with the majority of FDIC-approved banking institutions.

“It’s harder to hell to process our payments, nothing can cross the wires, we have to have Garda pick up bags,” said Dubbé.

That said, some banks that do not cross state lines may be more progressive about working with cannabis companies, and Apgar and Dubbé were able to secure one of these rarities. 

“There are a couple in Maryland that have told the federal reserve what they’re doing and are working with us,” said Dubbé. “But again, we don’t get interest on our [cannabis] money in the bank. The bank has to be very careful not to violate the FDIC rules but it’s at great cost to us.” 

3. Know your financials

On that note, a new business needs capital, and none of it can come from a loan from a federally-insured bank. That means the capital—a lot of capital—either has to come from your own savings, or from private investors. 

“No cash equals death in running a business,” said Dubbé, a serial entrepreneur who typically estimates how much she will need and then adds 50% more. “[And] you can’t finance anything [in cannabis]. Everything is cash.”

Andrew Reich, the Vice President and General Manager of Operations at iAnthus Capital Management, a major cannabis private equity firm, said:

“The retail side is easily a million dollars that you need upfront to just get it started, and then you’re going to have burn rate 3/4 in your first couple years to stay afloat, and you need to buy all the inventory to start out. So, I’d say it’s about 2 million-dollar investment to expect.”

Whether or not a medical dispensary makes that back depends on who you ask. 

While some business-owners have been discouraged from getting into medical cannabis because of lower profit margins, Greenhouse Wellness is doing quite well, and some Wall Street analysts think that medical cannabis will be the “smarter play” for investors.

Even then, it is exceptionally rare for a new business to make a profit within the first 2 years (hence the need for burn rate, or the amount of money your company is spending or losing per month) and sales data shows that the recreational cannabis is outpacing medical.

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According to The Motley Fool:

“Arcview and BDS Analytics also offer year-by-year breakdowns of global medical and recreational sales. After adult-use revenue hit $6.1 billion in 2018, to go along with $4.8 billion in medical marijuana sales, the duo will be looking for recreational revenue to expand to $26.7 billion by 2024, with an accompanying $13.9 billion in medical weed sales. Over this six-year period, recreational pot sales growth will handily outpace medical weed growth, since medical patients in recreationally legal countries or states will simply bypass a costly doctor’s visit to purchase legal cannabis.” 

What’s more, it’s customary for medical cannabis dispensaries offer medical cannabis at lower costs to patients, and some states even offer tax breaks for medical cannabis, largely because cannabis is their medicine and cannot be covered by federally-regulated medical insurance.

Leafly reports:

“Imagine your medicine was also highly taxed and thus very expensive since it also doubled as a recreational joy for many people—that would be the reality of patients if they only had access to recreational dispensaries.”

Though this affords medical patients have more access to care, this can also impact your profit margins, especially if you’re in a state with recreational retail competition.

What about Medical Cannabis Producers and Processors?

There are multiple ways to enter the cannabis industry. 

Aside from starting a dispensary or retail brand, there are producers who cultivate the plant and processors who turn the raw plant into a cannabis product. 

For these business types, much of what has already been discussed for medical cannabis retail still applies, save a few key differences.  

Starting a medical grow-op

To start, there are many state compliance rules you need to familiarize yourself with and stick to, and they can vary from the rules for dispensaries. (For instance, have a look at Oklahoma’s Commercial License Application Checklist.) 

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As well, producers and processors are not customer-facing like a dispensary, unless the facility is part of a vertically-integrated company that controls every step of the supply chain (these sorts of companies are common in Colorado, for instance.)

Hence, though your product is still medical cannabis, your customer will be a brand or dispensary, and your success will be reliant on the success of this separate entity. Hence, for growers, the retail relationships you cultivate are as important as the quality of the plant you grow.

Then, you can get to the nitty gritty—resources and agricultural know-how. 

Dean Taylor, owner of Laughing Gas Farms, LLC, began his medical grow-op in Oklahoma with his wife right after the state legalized medical cannabis in June of 2018. It had been a dream of theirs for a while, and after receiving money from a family death and a lawsuit, they moved forward. As Taylor puts it:

“With what we all put together, my wife and I, we’ve invested $30,000 in the company and that’s nowhere near what we need. It is [expensive]. When people ask me what you need to do I say, ‘How much money do you got? You’re gonna need more.’”

Reich, too, says a cannabis farm is the most expensive start-up on the supply chain by far:  

“Probably need 3 years burn rate, and the facility is going to cost you minimum 6 or 7 billion to build out. It doesn’t even matter if you find an existing greenhouse—the infrastructure that’s required and the state regulations for product quality control, it’s inevitably expensive.”

Even if you have the funds, growing cannabis takes time to learn. No matter if you’re running an indoor or outdoor facility—growing effective medical cannabis requires a solid understanding of plant biology. The quality of your yields will be affected by countless variables like light, temperature, pests, that need to be controlled by the grower. 

Plus, while much adult-use cannabis is often grown with psychoactive THC content in mind, medical cannabis is cultivated with attention to levels of therapeutic cannabinoids and terpenes. This process is highly nuanced and requires a solid understanding of plant genetics and “managing your variables,” as Taylor said. 

Hence, though many new growers find eventual success, it’s usually veterans in agriculture that do well right from the beginning. Taylor, for instance, grew up on a tobacco farm and has a degree in hazardous waste management and environmental reconstruction.

But he is optimistic that anyone can get into it if they do their research, in fact, he has successfully consulted with patients on their own grows.

“Research your nutrients and what they’ll be able to do for you. Overall, look at the plant science and all the equipment associated. Managing the variables is the hardest part. Learn to manage those variables, and you’ll learn to be a good grower,” said Taylor.

Starting a processing facility

Another way to get into cannabis is through starting a processing facility where raw cannabis is transformed into oils, topicals, edibles, and other products, and then packaged for sale. 

According to Reich, who’s helped start a few processing facilities from the ground up, processing is, money-wise, a “sweet spot.”

“The equipment that you need to do the basic set-up run you about a quarter of a million dollars, and you’ll want a burn rate, so you’re probably at about three-quarters of a million in.”

That said, processing is also specialized. You will need scientists at the top of their game and like with cultivating, time to get the product just right. According to Reich:

“Quality is such a big fact[or]—it’s a combination of art and science. You need someone who’s talented and has years of experience processing. It’s not something you could just learn in 6 months.”

For instance, KININ eco is a personal aromatherapy pen that uses various blends of essential oil pods with CBD. They spend months painstakingly toying with the chemistry of their products for quality of effect, safety, taste, and design, and then they have them third-party tested to doubly verify each blend meets their standards.

Here’s how Matt Harrigan, founder of KININ, explains the process:

“We start, for one blend, there are 200 to 300 possible options. And then, there are ten that we think actually will be consumable in a way that’s meaningful to a human, and then, out of those, there are maybe 5 we consider semi-final candidates, and by the time we get to the bottom there’s like 2 options. That process—for one blend—takes months.”

Once you’ve got your product where you want it, processing also requires fluency in manufacturing-specific compliance laws, like state packaging requirements. 

For instance, on all marijuana products sold in Alaska, the state requires opaque, resealable, and child-proof packaging as well as a labeling that contains several statements, including ‘Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive.’ (For a state-by-state guide to packaging compliance, see here.) 

Meeting these requirements can be expensive and should be included in your budget. 

As Karli Warner, owner of cannabis brand Garden Society, told Sonoma West Times, “What’s on the market [for child-resistant packaging] is either inexpensive and terrible for the environment or expensive and working on not being so terrible.”  

Conclusion

In the end, retail, cultivating, and processing are all good ways to get into the medical cannabis industry, and all of them offer a lot of reward for the entrepreneur—as long as they understand the nature of the medical cannabis market, compliance, and the financials.

For Dubbé and Apgar, their business has become about patients like Adam Kern, a 23-year-old patient with Muscular Dystrophy who they helped get off opioids and “get his life back,” said Dubbé. 

Taylor, of Laughing Gas Farms, expressed something similar. “It’s no longer about us as a company but the people we’re helping in the community,” he said. 

And, despite how difficult this industry can be—especially with the convoluted laws and persisting stigma around cannabis—all of these business-owners agreed on one thing. The most important step to starting a medical cannabis business is just to start. 

As Apgar said, “Just do it. Don’t ask for permission.”

We are excited to announce the launch of Everything But The Plant, a premium marketplace to supply you with everything you need to build, manage, and grow your cannabis business.

Here you’ll find a large and ever-expanding selection of grow tents, grow lights, nutrients, cloning systems, hydroponics, packaging, and other supplies.  With Free US Shipping, a Best Price Guarantee and our Concierge Buying Service we are NOW here to provide what you need, when you need it so you can grow your business and service your customers. 

Why Everything But The Plant?

We’ve spoken with hundreds of cannabis entrepreneurs, suppliers and industry leaders to understand your business frustrations.  Today, we are actively solving  your biggest pain points head-on:

• Sourcing is a massive pain 
• Lack of price transparency throughout the market
• Minimal industry-specific information, content, and reviews

With Everything But The Plant, you count on our team for your sourcing and procurement work, saving you a ton of time to spend on revenue-impacting efforts like managing and growing your business in an ever-changing and challenging market.

Who Is Everything But The Plant For?

Everything But The Plant is built for anyone in the business of hemp or THC.  Growers, extractors, retailers, professional businesses, home operations and everyone in-between will realize the value in simplifying sourcing and consolidating purchasing with Everything But The Plant. Essentially, you’ve got the best one-stop shop for everything cannabis-related you need (everything…BUT the plant, of course).

Thanks to Our Launch Sellers

We’re honored to be working with this stellar group of launch partners and brands for our launch!

What to Do Next

Well if you’re a buyer – start buying, knowing that we’ve got a best price guarantee.  We also have a Concierge Buying Service – if there’s something you want and we don’t have it listed, we can procure it for you.

If you’re a supplier and would like to have your products sold through Everything But The Plant’s marketplace get in touch with me – we’ll do all the set-up work for you.

How can we help you better serve your customers?  Let me know – reach out to me for any reason at gg@everythingbtp.com or 814-422-5544.

A HUGE shout out and thanks to everyone on the EVERYTHING team that helped get us to this milestone.  I’m truly honored and fortunate everyday to be working with you.

Thank you, 

Gregg Greenberg, Co-Founder & Co-CEO