The cannabis industry has many different types of businesses. Adding to the complexity, each state has its own license type. A license type is a term used to describe the types of cannabis operations that are permitted by a state. A state may permit cannabis retailer licenses (to sell cannabis), cultivation licenses (to grow cannabis), manufacturing or processing licenses (to convert the plant into a product), and more. These three license types are typically the main types that people know about. There are other license types available, depending on the state and the cannabis program (e.g. delivery licenses, wholesale licenses, distribution licenses, laboratory licenses, transportation licenses, etc.).

You can see why identifying which cannabis license you want to pursue is an important first step. Determine what type of cannabis business you want to operate and select the license type that fits that operation. By example, if you want to grow cannabis, you may find that a cannabis cultivation license is the right type for you. Of course, this is a bit of an oversimplification, as there are many considerations that you should think through as you make this decision, but this is an important first step.

While it is important to assemble your company and core team, what we are referring to is the team of experts that will surround you in executing on this project. Hiring the right cannabis application consultants and cannabis lawyers is critical to ensuring everything else works smoothly. Get this stop wrong, and you will find yourself losing significant time, money, energy, and competitive edge.

To better illustrate the importance of this step, our team at Canna Business Services provides Corrective Services. This service was created because so many groups had partnered with awful cannabis consultants who took their money and failed to support them; consultants who came in at a cheap price and their work quality reflected that price; cannabis attorneys who underwent the massive learning curve of learning the cannabis industry using their clients’ retainer. Time and time again, we hear of clients who were promised the moon and instead, were handed garbage. Our team is frequently hired to clean up the mess for the client and help the client get to the finish line with the limited time they have left to submit their application. The end-product and experience could have been magical for the client, but instead they encountered issue after issue with their former consultants and attorneys. It is important for our team to work with the right client who understands just how crucial this step is in reaching their goals.

Prior to obtaining a cannabis license, or in many cases, prior to submitting your cannabis application, you will need to secure property that is zoned correctly and able to support the needs of a cannabis business. This can, at times, be one of the most challenging parts of the process. Our team has worked with countless municipalities to assist our clients in obtaining compliant properties in correctly zoned areas. We are frequently hired to support our clients’ efforts in educating a municipal council, updating their ordinances to permit our client’s cannabis property and operation, obtain variances, obtain letters of support or resolutions, prepare ultra-competitive cannabis applications for a municipality, and present to a council on behalf of or with or clients. There are many missteps that occur here for teams, and if you’re not careful, can set you back by months or years.

Cannabis applications can range from light paperwork forms to massive behemoth stacks of written responses, exhibits, and narratives. Every state outlines its own requirements and if not done thoroughly and with extreme attention to detail, you can get denied while your competition wins a license. Your applications must be compliant with all state, local, and federal regulations. Ensuring that you are compliant is one of the most important steps in the application process. Canna Business Services has years of experience drafting award-winning applications for our clients in competitive states. Set up a meeting with us today to discuss how we can help you with your business.