Business

As the cannabis industry matures, PR and marketing demand greater discipline, credibility, and accountability. We asked a group of respected agencies to share what operators need to know about earned media, attribution, trust-building, and sustainable growth and how to make smarter decisions in a regulated market.

Solventless concentrates are in high demand, but scaling these chemical-free extraction methods takes precision. From fresh-frozen material prep to automated hash washing and rosin pressing, this guide explores how cultivators and processors can optimize for higher yields, repeatability, and product quality.

In an exclusive interview, cultivation icon, philanthropist, and mentor Michael "BigMike" Straumietis talks about his companies' global drive to advance cannabis genetics and transform cultivation, reshape industry standards, and prepare growers for the most innovative era in modern cannabis.

Most cannabis operators rely on incomplete or inaccurate data when calculating COGS, and the fallout is brutal. Hidden labor, compliance fees, packaging, taxes, and channel costs quietly erode margins long before pricing decisions are made. In this foundational guide, Azam Khan explains the most common COGS mistakes, the traps that sabotage pricing strategy, and how operators can rebuild their data, rethink margins, and price every SKU for true profitability.

MJBizCon panelists said AI offers major promise in cultivation, but only after operators fix environmental inconsistencies that undermine data and automation.

Effective cannabis branding starts at retail. From experiential events to field marketing, dispensaries have become the true gatekeepers of customer education, product discovery, and long-term brand loyalty. A multistate brand owner reveals the secrets to building profitable retail partnerships.

The cannabis industry’s biggest financial challenge isn’t banking access alone. It’s fragmentation. Operators juggle separate solutions for payroll, lending, insurance, and payments, leading to repetitive work, high fees, and compliance headaches. A unified, purpose-built financial infrastructure could eliminate duplicative workflows, automate compliance, improve access to capital, and give operators room to grow. Here’s how that vision could look.

With price compression squeezing margins, more dispensaries are shifting away from discount-driven strategies and toward curated menus that create real differentiation. By focusing on relevance, selection, and customer value, retailers are carving out a competitive edge in saturated markets.

Green Lane Communication makes the case for trust-first public relations — where credibility, preparation, and respect for the press matter more than shortcuts, hype, or empty promises.

Surfside brings a performance-first lens to cannabis marketing, using retail media, attribution, and data-driven personalization to connect media investments directly to measurable business growth.