Starting a business is not easy. There is a lot of work involved, as any entrepreneur will be quick to tell you. Even after all of the research has been done, the start up money has been spent, and the business is launched, there are almost always things that you wish you could go back and do differently. ‘If I only knew that ahead of time’ is something that every entrepreneur has said before. Opening a cannabis business is even harder in a lot of ways than a traditional business because the rules are either murky, and/or constantly evolving. That’s a rough landscape to navigate through.
One of the best pieces of advice that I offer up to any marijuana entrepreneur, especially ones that are fairly new to the marijuana world, is to learn from people that have walked your path before you. Seek out the best at what it is you aspire to do, or if your idea is different, than someone that is of a similar invention/product/service type to try to gain as much knowledge off of them as possible. Someone that is bursting with cannabis industry knowledge is Chloe Villano of Clover Leaf Consulting. I first met Chloe in Denver when I was there on a trip with my business partner Travis, and I was very impressed with her perspective on the industry and politics.
I think that’s a rare combination. I know a lot of policy wonks that don’t know the first thing about running a successful business top to bottom, and I know a lot of people that have a high business acumen but don’t know the first thing about public policy. To have both is rare. If you are trying to learn more about the industry, or if you are already in the industry but want to take your idea to the next level, you should strongly consider attending the 2015 Cannabis World Congress And Business Expo in New York City. Below is a description of Chloe Villano, from the event’s website:
Chloe Villano is a former paralegal and entrepreneurial executive with 15 years of experience in business startups and turning companies toward success with consulting services. Chloe is also the owner and founder of Clover Leaf Consulting, working for years as one of the most sought-after cannabis business consultants in the industry. Chloe Villano has consulted for, developed, started, sold, and performed due-diligence for valuation on more successful cannabis business than any other. After working with hundreds of dispensaries, centers, mass cultivation facilities, kitchens, and cannabis brands, she is poised to use her experience to influence the growth of the industry to be safe, well-managed, and beneficial to all.
As a nationally recognized cannabis expert, she has worked to expand the industry as a public speaker, policy advisor, former dispensary owner, and consultant, specializing in medical marijuana industry compliance. She has a strong know-how from the most basic needs of the marijuana industry to the most complicated and challenging aspects with compliance. Most recently, she founded Clover Leaf University, the only cannabis education program approved, regulated, and licensed by the Colorado Department of Higher Educations Private Occupational School Board. She has advised various government agencies in the development of both local and state regulations and compliance standards since the inception of the current system. Experience in this area has allowed Chloe to author 4 books on understanding these complicated compliance standards. Recently she has developed certifications through Clover Leaf University that provide safety and compliance training to cannabis vendors, cultivators, and product manufacturers. Her businesses now have educated, coached and trained a wide variety business professionals, and developed countless procedures and best practices for the industry. Expanding her reach as Executive Director of the Cannabis Business Association, she offers national policy consulting and legislative expertise to other states and their leading government agencies that are constructing new legislation.
Chloe Villano is going to be leading a workshop on how to open a cannabis business with a focus on certification. Certification is an important, yet complicated thing. You can pay an attorney huge sums of money and hope that they know what they are talking about, or you can do some research on your own and be better positioned to approach the process of getting your paperwork in order. Hearing what Chloe and others have to say at the 2015 Cannabis World Congress And Business Expo in New York City is an efficient way to learn more than you ever thought you could about the marijuana industry and cannabis politics. Getting that many experts in one place is rare, and it’s an opportunity you shouldn’t pass up if you are serious about the marijuana industry. To find out more about the event, click on the banner below:
