K. Mike Merrill

As you head into the “Launching Legally: Licensing, Compliance, and Capital for Cannabis Startups” session at MJBizCon2025, don’t forget one of the most overlooked funding tools in the industry: Roll Over Business Startups (ROBS) — a powerful mechanism for funding cannabis startups and enabling future tax-free exits. ROBS structures can give founders access to their retirement funds without triggering taxes or penalties—and they remain one of the few compliant, scalable capital pathways available for early-stage cannabis operators. If you’re exploring startup capital, entity structure, compliance, or long-term exit strategy, make sure ROBS is on your radar. Drop by our booth #C25929 (Trust Integritas) to learn how ROBS, combined with compliant governance and tailored retirement plan architecture, can support your launch and your long-term growth. https://lnkd.in/gAXiFZEY #CannabisStartups #CannabisLicensing #CannabisCapital #MJBizCon #TrustIntegritas #LeadingRetirement

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2026 is already reshaping cannabis marketing. Here’s what’s quietly shaping cannabis marketing right now: • Biddable CTV becoming standard • DOOH growth accelerating • First-party data driving personalization • AI moving into planning + optimization • Owned media regaining priority These aren’t trends to watch. They’re shifts to structure around. Before you finalize budgets and channel allocation, walk through this framework and see where your strategy stands. Read the full breakdown: https://bit.ly/418ClSY #CannabisMarketing #CannabisIndustry #CannaTech #DispensaryMarketing #AdStrategy

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Wow! Thanks Peter Su, CTP, CCBP, CCCE, GRCP, GRCA, IDPP, ACBP, CBE for including Alibi in this great discussion of the New York cannabis space. It was exactly 5 years ago that I started making connections and building my network in NY, so we definitely took a long time, but so far it has worked! "Too often, out-of-state brands prioritize speed over fit. But the ones finding success are those who spent months, not weeks, identifying operators who shared their standards and could help them build trust — not just move units. In a market this fluid, alignment matters more than volume." https://lnkd.in/gS4_R3ws

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Cannabis is chaotic by design. Vertical integration forces operators to run six or seven businesses at once — then replicate that model across states with different regulations, all without economies of scale. It’s no wonder the industry feels messy. The bigger problem? Too many companies are chasing the wrong metrics and ignoring the lessons other industries already learned. This week we sit down with Mitchell Osak — a veteran strategist across pharma, CPG, financial services, and cannabis — to unpack the hard truths and strategy lessons MSOs can’t afford to miss. Summary: In this episode, Bryan Fields, MBA and Kellan Finney, M.S. engage with Mitchell Osak, a seasoned consultant in the cannabis industry. They explore Mitch's journey into cannabis consulting, the importance of strategic planning, and the challenges of standardization in the market. The conversation delves into the differences between large operators and middle market firms, the significance of understanding metrics, and the need for innovation. Mitch emphasizes the importance of learning from other industries, the role of AI, and the necessity for scenario planning in navigating the evolving landscape of cannabis. The episode concludes with insights on the future of the industry and the importance of external consultation. Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights. At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry. The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast

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🌿 **Navigating the Oregon Cannabis Conundrum: Insights and Opportunities** 🌿 The recent OPB article sheds light on the intriguing dynamics unfolding in Oregon's cannabis industry. While demand remains steady, a surge in production has led to record-low prices. This oversupply presents challenges, but also opportunities for innovation and strategic positioning. **Key Takeaways:** - **Market Dynamics**: Despite consistent consumer demand, Oregon's record-high cannabis harvests have pushed prices below $4 per gram for two years. This hyper-competitive environment poses a risk to growers and sellers struggling with razor-thin margins. - **Regulatory Shifts**: The recent reclassification of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III offers some operational relief, particularly in banking. However, industry leaders argue that full descheduling is crucial to unlocking real potential and financial flexibility. - **Opportunity for Innovation**: As the market stabilizes, the focus must shift to value-added products. Diversification through unique strains, CBD-infused wellness products, or sustainable farming practices could differentiate brands and capture niche markets. **Thought-Starter**: With supply outpacing demand, how can businesses pivot to leverage this surplus? Is the answer in enhancing product quality, or should efforts focus on tapping into underexplored markets? **Call to Action**: Let's discuss how the industry can turn these challenges into catalysts for growth and innovation. Share your insights on competitive strategies or examples of successful pivots in the comments! 👉 Dive deeper into the evolving cannabis landscape and its implications for the CBD market: [Explore More](www.pharmabinoid.eu)

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Inventory tracking in the cannabis industry isn’t just about staying organized; it’s a critical piece of your compliance strategy and your bottom line. Because cannabis is so heavily regulated, most states require seed-to-sale tracking systems. But many business owners assume that if their METRC or BioTrack data is up to date, their financials must be too. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Your compliance system and your accounting system don’t automatically talk to each other, and that disconnect can cost you. Without accurate inventory accounting, you risk overpaying taxes, underreporting cost of goods sold (COGS), and missing opportunities to spot waste, theft, or margin gaps. This is especially important under Section 280E, where your COGS calculation plays a direct role in how much tax you owe. When your inventory records are inconsistent or incomplete, your tax strategy suffers, and so does your profitability. A well-designed accounting process will align with your inventory system, offering real-time visibility into your costs and compliance. It’s not just good practice—it’s protection for your license and your long-term financial health. If your financials and inventory system aren’t working together, it’s time for a deeper look. You will need an accountant who specializes in cannabis accounting. You will need a plan that focuses on the processes and procedures for building an inventory management system so that they can stay compliant and profitable. If you are wondering if your current inventory management system needs improvement, send me a message and so we can set up some time to chat. #CannabisBusiness #CannabisAccounting #CannabisProfits #TheBluntAccountant

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Every industry has places that helped shape its identity. For cannabis in Northern California, many of those places exist along what is now known as The Cannabis Trail. From the East Bay to the Emerald Triangle, it connects farms, dispensaries, lounges, and communities that played a major role in bringing cannabis out of the shadows and into the legal market. Spring is a particularly interesting moment along that Trail. Planting season begins. Travel picks up. And the relationship between culture, agriculture, and tourism becomes visible again in real time. People are not just visiting destinations. They are reconnecting with the origins of the modern cannabis movement and the people who built it. In a new Beard Bros Media article, Brian Applegarth explores why spring travel along the Cannabis Trail offers something deeper than a typical tourism experience. It is a chance to understand place of source, cultivation craft, and the cultural networks that continue to shape the industry today. For cannabis professionals, the lesson is simple. Culture and community still drive this industry as much as product and price. If you were advising someone new to cannabis travel in California, which region along the Cannabis Trail would you tell them to experience first? Brian Applegarth lays out the full story in the article. https://lnkd.in/dhzTPnFK

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We’re excited to open the doors at Vertosa HQ in Berkeley next week as Budist launches their new Thought Leadership Report series with a conversation on the future of cannabis premiumization. Gatherings like this, which bring operators, founders, retailers, and industry leaders together to share ideas and challenge assumptions, are part of what makes this industry special. Click through the linked post below to secure your ticket. Looking forward to hosting the community next week!

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Most cannabis operators we talk to share the same concern: compliance keeps them up at night. Seed to sale software was built to solve that problem. It keeps the state informed and helps you stay within the rules. The issue is that it stops there. It wasn’t designed to help you understand costs, margins, or how to scale in a tough market. That’s where cannabis ERP changes the conversation. Instead of running compliance on one system and your business on spreadsheets and QuickBooks, ERP ties everything together. Compliance, financials, inventory, costing, production, analytics. All in one place and built for operators, not regulators. We just finished a piece that breaks down the real difference between seed to sale and cannabis ERP. If you’re looking at the next stage of growth or feeling the pain of manual reporting, this will help you see where each tool fits. https://hubs.ly/Q03XS50c0 Are you evaluating your tech stack for 2026? What’s been your biggest challenge: compliance, costing, or visibility? #CannabisERP #SeedToSale #BusinessCentral #SilverLeaf #CannabisOperations #MicrosoftDynamics365

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Los Angeles Cannabis Policy Update: What You Need to Know 🌿 WHO: City of Los Angeles City Council, SPECIAL MEETING – Government Operations Committee WHAT: Agenda item #9: a proposed motion to modernize Los Angeles’ cannabis ordinance, specifically focusing on Delivery and Cultivation licensing. WHERE: JOHN FERRARO COUNCIL CHAMBER, ROOM 340, CITY HALL 200 NORTH SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 WHEN: Friday, March 27, 2026 - 8:00 AM WHY IT MATTERS: Los Angeles established its legal cannabis framework in 2017, but the market has evolved significantly: • State regulations have changed, creating misalignment with local laws • Delivery now accounts for ~25% of cannabis sales (Headset data) • Cultivation and delivery licenses opened to the general public as of Jan 1, 2026 • The City has yet to launch a general application process for these licenses 👉 Agenda Item 9 – Key Motion Highlights regarding the City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR): The Council is considering directing the DCR to develop a clear, phased process for issuing cultivation and delivery licenses to the broader public, while the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney prepares a supporting ordinance. This signals a major shift toward: ✔ Expanding legal market participation ✔ Increasing tax revenue ✔ Strengthening regulatory alignment with California ✔ Reducing illicit market activity ✔ Supporting modern consumer behavior (online + delivery) Bottom line: The City of Los Angeles is positioning itself for the next phase of cannabis regulation, one that prioritizes access, compliance, and economic growth. 🔗 Full Agenda: https://lnkd.in/guGNPeD7 Submit written comment at LACouncilComment.com Stay tuned for more cannabis sector news, regulatory updates, events, and more on WeedingTheNews.com. California NORML Fat Nugs Magazine Rolling Stone Culture Council Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association #LosAngeles #Cannabis #Policy #Regulation #WeedingTheNews

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🌱🏛🔍 The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board would focus on “Hemp-Derived THC Products” before hosting the reformed Alcohol Advisory Council following a refresh of the cannabis council the week prior. https://lnkd.in/dmAG9BFs #cannabis #cannabispolicy #cannabisindustry

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I was asked recently: what’s the difference between our cannabis AI and others on the market? It’s a fair question — especially as more tools start entering this space. The difference comes down to what the AI is built on. Most cannabis AI systems rely primarily on published research. The challenge? In cannabinoid therapy, the published data is still limited, inconsistent, and often behind real-world use. Our approach with Chakra Cannabis® AI is different. We’ve built it using decades of front-line experience, including early clinical observations, patient outcomes, and foundational insights connected to pioneers like Raphael Mechoulam — combined with work from one of Canada’s earliest medically guided access models through National Access Cannabis. Because in this space, anecdotal evidence isn’t the problem — it’s the starting point of discovery. The key is knowing: • what signals matter • how to interpret them responsibly • and where to validate them as science evolves Most AI can only tell you what’s already been written. We’re building AI that helps uncover what’s been observed but not yet fully documented. That’s the gap we’re solving. The future of cannabis isn’t guesswork or hype — it’s guided, personalized, and grounded in both experience and science. #Cannabis #AI #HealthcareInnovation #EndocannabinoidSystem #ChakraCannabis #Leadership https://lnkd.in/g83hZJET

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The cannabis industry has failed to create new revenue streams. Corporate operators recycle the same dispensary, cultivation, and extraction models while layering superficial branding to disguise stagnation. Mergers and acquisitions shift ownership but do not produce structural innovation. Price compression and oversupply erode margins, leaving operators dependent on cost cutting instead of market expansion. Regulatory capture favors capitalized multi-state operators that protect existing licenses rather than incubating novel outlets. Social consumption lounges remain the only sanctioned addition since initial retail rollouts, and even these are limited to brick and mortar footprints that cannot scale without subsidy. THC beverages, which could drive event based and hospitality markets, remain tied to liquor store style distribution and fail to exploit mobile or experiential venues. No dominant player has built a platform that merges cannabis with mainstream entertainment, transportation, or adaptive real estate. Legacy operators continue to identify and test such concepts mobile lounges, cooperative processing, hemp industrial offshoots while corporate boards fixate on quarterly EBITDA. The result is an industry dependent on a single product category, flower, with incremental derivatives masquerading as diversification. Until capital is directed toward venue creation, cross-sector partnerships, and consumer driven experiences, the market will remain a high tax commodity trap with declining retail margins and no defensible moat.

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