Cannabis Conferences Make Their Way To The South, Showing Everyday Businesses The Benefits Of Embracing A Slice Of The Green Rush.

This Bri Smith-penned article is a sponsored post presented by CannaCon. The organization’s next cannabis business-focused convention will be taking place just a few hours north of Dallas in Oklahoma City on Thursday, May 27, and Friday, May 28. You don’t want to miss it! Head here for more information on the upcoming convention.

Even from under the rock we’ve all been the last year and a half, you’ve surely heard by now that cannabis and hemp have been making their way south, gaining traction with new decriminalization, medical and adult-use legislation.

In 2018, hemp/CBD was legalized nationwide — and, today, the total number of states with some form of cannabis legislation outnumbers the volume of states without.

In fact, fewer states (13) have yet to legalize THC in any capacity than those that have approved it (17) for adult use — commonly referred to as “recreational”. Many consumers have been on board for a while, but there’s no doubt that recent legislation has afforded a shift in the minds of skeptics and opened doors for businesses to service a whole new industry.

Map courtesy of Rolling Stone.

Speaking of new business: The cannabis industry requires services from many other industries. There’s a lot of money in cannabis and hemp — and we’re not talking about becoming a cannabis or hemp business, but rather one that supports, services or provides equipment to them.

On the very light end, a cannabis or hemp startup can expect to spend at least $150,000 on first-year costs alone. On the higher end, that number can climb to more than $2 million — a number that explodes for cultivation- or retail-focused operations.

From seed to sale, there are processes and steps that require hardware, software and services from an alarmingly vast number of markets. These businesses include but are not limited to agriculture, farm machinery, construction, HVAC, lighting, lab testing, packaging, POS, finance, marketing, graphic design, security, legal, real estate, staffing and so much more.

That means that you don’t have to have a cannabis business to benefit from the booming market. Offering your services to cannabis companies means you’ll benefit from the boom in the same way a cannabis business would.

One way to step into servicing cannabis companies is by meeting them firsthand.

Luckily, there’s a unique opportunity to see exactly how big and booming the southern industry is at the fast-approaching CannaCon Conference in Oklahoma.

CannaCon is the nation’s leading business-to-business cannabis conference, where the next generation of cannabis technology, consumer products and trends influencing the future marketplace are showcased and discovered. Additionally, it’s where thousands of business relationships and deals are made every year through intimate networking opportunities.

In 2019, Texas signed new legislation regarding the production and sale of CBD, which means even if cannabis won’t be legalized in the state for some time, hemp-based businesses will still need support in Texas and the South at large.

That said, establishing your business within the industry now — at the ground level — will position it for massive growth and longevity in this young but booming industry.

It’s CannaCon’s mission to provide a global venue for cannabis businesses, entrepreneurs, investors and community partners to showcase industry products, experts, and innovations; and to cultivate responsible and equitable business values within the cannabis industry.

The next CannaCon cannabis conference will be held May 27 and 28 at the Oklahoma City Convention in Oklahoma City — just 200 miles north of Dallas.

If your business isn’t quite ready to step in as an exhibitor, consider attending as a visitor and soaking up the wealth of knowledge from industry experts and speakers, all while networking and shaking hands with established cannabis businesses, and learning how your business could fit into the marketplace.

Can’t make it to the Oklahoma event? Attend a CannaCon event in Detroit, Chicago, Biloxi, Columbus or New York.

To learn more about tickets or how to become an exhibitor, visit CannaCon here.

No more articles