Those servicing that 95%, and those in the medicinal end, have relatively little experience running successful large scale businesses in established legal markets. They will get left in the dust if they don’t have a professional holding their hand. Their urge to move out of the shadows and pay taxes won’t be enough. Many started in the business without a successful professional career to lose, so they lack outside experience. I hope that investors understand the help many will require to reach the next level of success, or many great innovations in the business will be lost.

The rapid rate of breakthroughs in the business will take a long time to penetrate the market, and educate black market users. No doubt those users will be amazed and overwhelmed when they see what’s coming. But, until using cannabis carries the same stigma as having a glass of wine, many users will not do much as brand ambassadors. There is also a large incentive for local shops to produce their own in house products and keep major labels out of their stores. With state laws changing so quickly, each requiring local permits, the balance between local and national companies will be slow to play out.

Marketing restrictions will also play a major role in how brands are advertised. The grey market nature of the business makes all this inherently different. Including the difference between marketing something as medicine, or for fun. It will take time and responsible use/marketing to gain naysayers acceptance.

All that said, I agree that a cannabis business needs to be run like any other business when it can; well planned, organized and reactive. But, with a few more hurdles and turns. This doesn’t apply as much to ancillary businesses. They are clearly a safer bet and seem preferred by Ms. Ferrara and Arcview. I appreciated all of her other insights, and advice to those pitching investors. I think it’s wise for many to in the business to hire a business consultant before pitching investors.

On another note, I’m glad to find this website. There is a real demand to bring the two knowledge bases together (business experience/grower-processor experience). It’s a deeply diverse and volatile business. Many of the most experienced growers and sellers in the business tested too much of their own product to make through their MBA, but they can tell you everything about Cannabis and have a lot to teach the suits about product and process. Conversely, the only way a 20 year grower/breeder/processor will ever cross over is with the help of great experienced business professionals from other industries, with money. They have a lot to teach one another. Kudos to Cashinbis.