As California prepares for a transition to a new kind of commercial cannabis market, people who want to establish legal and compliant cannabis businesses will need to get permits, get organized, and get prepared for a new statewide market. Whether it’s developing a brand, getting your accounting in order, or figuring out the next steps in business development, cannabis business owners are trying to take on a lot of different topics to keep up and establish themselves in the new permitted marketplace.
Mendocino Cannabis Resource, which brought a cannabis business and policy conference to the Little Lake Grange, is hosting a series of four cannabis business workshops starting Wednesday, July 26 in Willits. The workshops will include cannabis business experts from around the region giving advice about sales, taxes, business plans, accounting, standard operating procedures, good record keeping, business structures, and much more.
The workshops will be held at the Mendocino Cannabis Resource at 399 D South Main St. Willits CA and cost $35 each. You sign up by calling 707-223-4367 or email mendocinocannabiresource@gmail. All the details on the workshops, including more information about the presenters, is included in the full press release below.
Mendocino Cannabis Resource(MCR) is excited to announce their Cannabusiness Development – 2017 Summer schedule. Starting Wednesday July, 26th and for the next three (3) Wednesday’s, ending on August 16th MCR will offer four (4) workshops covering a variety of business skills.
The Cannabusiness Development – 2017 Summer Workshops is a project of Karen Byars founder of the Mendocino Cannabis Resource LLC. With over 25 years of experience in grassroots organizing for Cannabis legalization Karen & MCR bring together a line-up of presenters that will be inspirational and informative, all experts in their field.
Currently cannabis companies that work directly with the cannabis plant cannot receive support from their cities/counties Small Business Development (SBD) centers because they receive federal funds. MCR, with the support of the workshops sponsor, Flow Kana, has organized SBD workshops to guarantee that cannabis cultivators, medicine makers and manufacturers have the business foundation they will need to survive the challenges of the rapidly developing cannabis industry.
These workshops are for anyone applying for a cannabis permit or their team members, & those who are interested in working with licensed cannabis providers.
Here’s the list of workshops that are scheduled.
Cannabusiness Development – 2017 Summer Workshops
Wed. July 26th ‘Sales and Tax Workshop – How to file your BOE taxes Presented by: Jojo O’Donnell & Mike Goodbar w/ Liana Limited, LLC
This workshop will be in two parts – an informational session then a Q&A and work session. In the presentation, we will first provide you a basic understanding of accounting and record-keeping needs for our industry. We then will transition into a detailed discussion of sales and use taxes for cannabis businesses. In the Q&A and work session, we will answer questions and go through the step-by-step process of preparing and filing your sales and use tax returns.
Wed. Aug. 2nd ‘Writing your Individual Cannabusiness Plan’
Presented by: Cara Cordoni, Asherah Consulting & Thomas K. Edrington, Humboldt Nomad Consulting
Every business needs a plan. In this hands-on workshop begin writing your individual cannabusiness plan. A business plan is a living document that helps you identify and reach your business goals by defining major components of your business. Your plan is a tool for reaching goals, recruiting new talent, soliciting investment and completing licensing.
In this workshop, we’ll introduce business plan components and show what they mean for your business. We’ll cover Organization and Management; Production Process Overviews; Branding and Marketing Plans; and other business plan sections. Then you’ll get your hands dirty writing out portions of your own plan, with help onsite. By the end you the day you’ll have a concrete start and understand your next steps to completing a useful and meaningful plan for your business.
Wed. August 9th ‘Cannabusiness Structures & Housekeeping’
Presented by: Liana Held, founder of Liana Ltd. & Jojo O’Donnell
Liana Held will discuss various business structures currently used in the cannabis industry and business development, with an eye towards tax considerations such as Section 280e. After the break, Jojo will go through “corporate housekeeping” – maintaining records and keeping them up to date. We will then go through a work session and walk-through for participants with existing businesses on to get certain records current. This will include filing current Statement of Information forms with the California Secretary of State.
Wed. August 16th ‘Standard Operating Procedures(SOP) The Recipe Book for your Cannabusiness’
Presented by: Cara Cordoni, Asherah Consulting & Thomas K. Edrington, Humboldt Nomad Consulting
Compliance, employee training, and investment searches all require entrepreneurs to be able to explain their routines. Cutting waste, scaling, and developing new products need clear, detailed knowledge of the tasks you perform. Good Standard Operating Procedures can meet all of these needs. SOPs are the recipe book for how your organization does what it does, defining step-by-step the roles, responsibilities, and actions you’ll be relying on every day. In this workshop, we’ll walk you through the process of creating a good Standard Operating Procedure. We’ll cover what topics needs SOPs, what they should include, and how to easily assemble them. By the end of the day you’ll have a concrete start and understand your next steps to completing SOPs for your business.
All Workshops:
Time : 1pm to 4pm
Location : Mendocino Cannabis Resource office @ 399 D South Main St. Willits CA
Cost : $35 a workshop
To sign up call 707-223-4367 or email mendocinocannabiresource@gmail.
Presenters Bio’s
Jojo O’Donnell, Liana Limited
With more than 10 years of experience working with attorneys in assisting cannabis businesses, Jojo (Joanna) O’Donnell understands business formation and compliance. Jojo enjoys translating jargon and helping clients learn how to maintain their businesses and records – with an eye to solving problems before they happen.
Mike Goodbar, Liana Limited
Mike has been in the cannabis industry for 17 years, with 9 years experience in bookkeeping. He has worked with not-for-profit corporations of all sizes over the past 29 years. He currently specializes in bookkeeping and sales tax preparation for cannabis businesses.
Cara Cordoni, Asherah Consulting
Cara is a seasoned cannabis consultant who learned business management while working in San Francisco for Charles Schwab and the nuances of the emerging cannabis industry while at Green Rush Consulting in Oakland. Cara helps her clients with a focus on strategy, compliance docmentation, marketing and public relations.
Thomas Edrington, Humboldt Nomad Consulting
Thomas is a business planning and strategy consultant who has successfully worked with Humboldt County farmers to obtain their commercial cultivation permits. From 2010 to 2015, he served as the Executive Director of the Arcata Holistic Health Center, a small business incubator. Thomas has worked with nonprofits, activist organizations, and cannabis entrepreneurs to promote wise cannabis policies and practices.
Link – Mendo Voice
