Founding Partner Diane Czarkowski shares her 11-year cannabis journey with VoyageDenver. Her story is included in the section that features inspiring stories from Boulder. This unique publication “…want[s] the stories we share to help give our big city a little bit of that small-town community charm, where people know each other and their stories at a deeper, more personal level.”
Diane Czarkowski spoke to MJBiz Daily about the stricter stance and increased enforcement of state cannabis regulations, plus the push-pull between businesses and regulators.
“You have to remember that state governments are building their teams. As they bring in more tax revenue and licensing revenue, they’re able to mature their staffs.” -Diane Czarkowski
Founding Partner Diane Czarkowski is quoted in MJBiz Daily‘s article, “What marijuana companies can learn from federal legalization of hemp”. Diane weighs in on what medical marijuana companies can expect once federal legalization is passed based on lessons from the hemp industry.
Our team helped guide Missouri-based business teams to 29 cannabis license application wins in the state’s recent round of awards for its new medical marijuana program. While some of Missouri’s licenses were won by large corporations with operations in multiple states, Canna Advisors’ clients were teams made up primarily of local entrepreneurs seeking to build opportunities and serve patients in their communities.
Canna Advisors’ clients were awarded six cultivation licenses, eleven processor licenses, and twelve dispensary licenses, comprising nearly 10% of all the licenses granted in the state. Successful licensees represent a wide swath of Missouri’s geography, including St. Louis, Springfield, Kansas City, St. Joseph, Kirksville, Macon, Moberly, and Columbia.
Director of Client Services Greg Huffaker III is quoted in the Chicago Tribune article, “Marijuana dispensaries can boost foot traffic and sales at nearby businesses, but not every neighborhood wants a pot store.” Greg discusses how some cities, in states where cannabis is legal, keep dispensaries away from downtown areas by prohibiting retail shops near schools and daycare centers.
“Some in Colorado ended up in the outskirts of town because those were the only places that zoning allowed them. The individual layout of the town set back some (cannabis) businesses. Even if there were no daycares, if the area was zoned for residential, dispensaries couldn’t come in.”
Jay Czarkowski spoke to MJBiz Daily about the major competition amongst dispensaries in Oklahoma and the price wars going on in the state. The article, “Glut of Oklahoma medical marijuana dispensaries driving price wars” gives details about the pressure and competition dispensaries are facing.
“It’s going to be survival of the fittest. People get into cannabis because they think it’s going to be instant riches, but the reality is, it’s competitive. If you’re a dispensary, one of the big things you have to do is stay engaged with your patients and delight your patients, provide good customer service and good product at a good price.”
Diane shared some of her insights with Marijuana Business Daily’s finance reporter, Nick Thomas, at MJBizCon 2019. The topics she touched on in this 10-minute podcast include:
Canna Advisors Founding Partner Diane Czarkowski is quoted in a Chicago Tribune column about four things to consider before investing in a friend’s cannabis business.
“Has your friend ever started a business before? This is not an industry for first-time business owners. It is challenging to be a start-up and being a start-up in a start-up industry is even more complicated.”
Diane invests in and advises numerous startup and ancillary businesses in the cannabis industry. She is heavily involved with The Arcview Group and helped start the Arcview Women’s Investment Network (AWIN), which brings women together to put more focus on connecting female entrepreneurs and investors.
Lisa Jordan, our VP of Marketing, spoke to Greenway: The Missouri Cannabis Industry Publication on cannabis packaging strategies that apply to Missouri‘s new medical marijuana market. An expert in brand development and marketing strategy, Lisa discussed the importance of compliance and presenting a consistent brand image in cannabis product packaging.
“At its simplest, that means child-proofing everything. At the most complex, that is making labeling that doesn’t “junk up” your packaging, yet complies with all regulations. That can be a graphic designer’s nightmare and requires a good bit of creativity — and staying vigilant about knowing if and when regulations change.”
Breaking Down Cannabis Packaging
Director of Client Services, Greg Huffaker III, shows his broad scope of regulatory and program knowledge in a Post Herald article about the slow rollout of Maine’s adult-use cannabis program. He talks about Governor LePage’s anti-cannabis position and how it has greatly affected the program’s progress.
Founding Partner Jay Czarkowski joined the Cannabis Legalization News broadcast to discuss winning license applications and the workings of the cannabis industry. Having worked with clients in 29 states and being an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry for a decade, Jay is an authority on licensing and business operations.
Jay has the closing quotes in the article “Building a management succession plan for your cannabis business” in the October issue of Marijuana Business Magazine. He speaks to the importance of hiring for culture fit and looking for people on the management level who can replace the owner.