If you love cannabis, it seems like a dream job to be around it all day, talk about it all day and help people find the best strains to smoke and edibles to eat. Here’s the thing — this dream can become a reality.
Cannabis brought it more than $50 billion in sales and a nearly 80% jobs increase in a recent calendar year. Needless to say, opportunities are abundant.
With a little bit of research and a lot of sweat equity, you can open a dispensary of your own. This is a big obligation that you won’t want to jump into without doing your homework.
Consider the points in this article to open a cannabis dispensary.
1. Learn the Cannabis Industry Like the Back of Your Hand
The cannabis industry is yours for the taking when you learn the ropes. All your heavy-lifting, in the beginning, should involve researching the industry. Learn how it works, the legal landscape, major players, market forecasts, and strategies.
Opening a dispensary is one thing, but the cannabis industry is vast and only growing. Until you’ve researched these sorts of details you’re not ready to jump into such a rapidly growing field.
2. Become a Connoisseur of Strains of Good Weed and Learn the Differences
Strains are where the rubber meets the road with cannabis enthusiasts. Everyone has a preference, so you need to learn all about them.
Find out why people love Sour Diesel and Blue Dream, what kind of strains they are and what ailments they’re helpful at healing. Learn how edibles hit different based on body fat and metabolism, and how CBD is taking the business by storm.
The cannabis plant has trichomes, terpenes, cannabinoids, and other attributes that you can fill encyclopedias with. Fall in love with the weed before you start a marijuana dispensary and you’ll always be passionate about your work.
3. Volunteer at or Study Under Dispensaries
Consider this your education into the game. It takes everything you’ve learned and puts some real-life experience behind it.
When you’re granted an inside glimpse into how a dispensary is run, you’ll see what it requires and can envision yourself doing it. This makes your steps more practical and offers valuable on the job training.
4. Study Up on the Prerequisites of Opening the Dispensary
Always make sure you’re satisfying the law to run a dispensary.
Take the time to learn the laws in your state and federally. Opening a dispensary requires several red tape like getting permits, applying for licenses, understanding where and how you can cultivate cannabis, and paying fees.
Consider the tax implications of running a dispensary so that you’re not fined and shut down.
5. Hammer Out a Business Plan
Never open a business without a formalized plan. The business plan lays out all of the broad strokes and details needed to open your dispensary.
People often spend $25,000 and up on a business plan, so don’t overlook its importance or shy away from investing in yourself. This will carve out a path for you so you know how much money you’ll need, what positions you need to fill, projected operating budgets, and so much more.
6. Consider Your Business Capital and Seek Financing
It takes money to make money, so consider what capital you have to open a dispensary.
Figure out how much upfront cash you have and whether you need a business loan. If you need a loan, you’ll want to get your credit in order and formally register your business.
Make sure that you turn to a cannabis-friendly bank that will offer you loans and also process credit card transactions.
7. Find a Brick and Mortar Space For Your Dispensary, Market it and Build Your Team
Your dispensary is nothing without a team. Hire employees that will help you achieve all your goals and accommodate customers.
When building a team, make sure you also have aggressive real estate agents that can find you the best property. Work with real estate agents that can help you put in an offer on an affordable property in an ideal location.
Consider hiring a cannabis-friendly marketing company. They’ll understand which avenues you should explore since several platforms don’t allow cannabis ads.
Content will be a huge part of your marketing strategy from the very beginning. Commit to putting out video content, blog posts, and to have an active presence on cannabis-friendly social media and forums.
Hold an open house and a grand opening event for your new dispensary location.
Let customers take tours of the dispensary all day and let them know about the programs and specials you’ll offer. Sign up some volunteers so that you get helping hands and insight into the cannabis scene.
Take down e-mail addresses and phone numbers so that you can build your marketing list and start growing your company in earnest.
Open the Best Cannabis Dispensary
Consider these tips when you’re getting ready to open a cannabis dispensary. Nothing says living a life dream like becoming your own boss doing something you love. If cannabis is your passion, you can earn life-changing income while helping people each and every day.
Be prepared for a labor of love and plenty of trial and error. This is the life of any entrepreneur, but with the right information and determination, the fruits will be worth every second.
We can offer you more on starting a dispensary and a host of other topics. Come back when you’d like to learn more about cannabis, CBD, business, and so much more.
Samantha Gaines wrote this article on behalf of FreeUp. FreeUp is the fastest-growing freelance marketplace in the US. FreeUp only accepts the top 1% of freelance applicants. Click here to get access to the top freelancers in the world.
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