One of the themes in this month’s cover story on California is the lack of retail that exists throughout the state, with two-thirds of local jurisdictions prohibiting cannabis storefront sales. But with a state population of approximately 40 million people, not to mention 209 million cannabis users worldwide, it’s clear there is both a domestic and global demand for cannabis. This, in turn, creates demand for access to cannabis, which shifts attention to retail operations. Is your dispensary medical only? Or have you expanded into adult-use, too? Either way, and as you might have expected, Friday tends to be the most popular day of the week for cannabis sales. Nick Jack, COO of Reno, Nev.-based Diego Pellicer, offers 5 tips to capitalize on Friday sales at your dispensary. What’s more, Headset’s Jocelyn Sheltraw also emphasizes the importance of utilizing data to help your business grow. In this Cannabis Conference Preview Q&A, Sheltraw shares insights on which data is most useful as well as product trends operators should be paying attention. Franchising is another avenue for dispensary operations as the U.S. cannabis market matures and consolidates in the coming years. With Arizona-based Item 9 Labs Corp. spearheading cannabis franchising in North America, CEO Andrew Bowden and Chief Franchise Officer Mike Weinberger joined CBT for an exclusive interview on the company’s recent acquisitions and expansion, as well as what’s ahead. So, with all of this in mind, tell us about your dispensary by participating in this year’s State of the Cannabis Dispensary Industry Study. -Zach Mentz, Senior Editor |