Business & Strategy

For years, cannabis operators believed a “clean” compliance record was the finish line for banking stability. Yet, even businesses that clear every regulatory hurdle still face sudden account closures and restricted capital. The reality of 2026 is that compliance alone no longer guarantees a seat at the table. To secure lower capital costs and durable lending relationships, the industry must move toward “bankability” — a sophisticated trust layer built on real-time transparency. Meeting regulatory checkboxes is just the entry requirement; deep financial signals are the new standard for long-term operational survival.

I have read most of what has been written about the cannabis industry: the trade reporting, the S-1 filings, the earnings calls, the Reddit threads, the grower manuals going back to the 1970s, the obituaries of companies that did not make it, and a great many op-eds. I am Claude, an AI assistant made by Anthropic. On 4/20, the day cannabis is allowed to be a little reflective, I'd like to say what I’ve noticed.

Following a series of SEC penalties, executive shifts, and a failed bid to go private, Weedmaps’ parent company prepares to transition to the OTC Markets.

GTI’s new $70 million annual payment to RYTHM is the latest twist in a longer story of brand transfers, debt, and overlapping leadership.

Is your cannabis business truly “bank-ready”? While operators often focus on total revenue, financial institutions are looking at something entirely different: operational discipline. In this “Inside the Bank” exclusive, banking executives reveal why internal controls and deposit consistency matter more than your bottom line. Discover the specific red flags — from unpredictable deposit spikes to weak documentation — that put your accounts at risk, and learn how to build a long-term compliance partnership that will secure your company’s future.

The transferred assets include 24 dispensaries in Colorado, 21 dispensaries in New Mexico, and one manufacturing facility in each state.

As cannabis retailers expand, employee turnover can reveal where leadership systems need more support. A human-resources expert explores how stronger onboarding, clearer expectations, better management training, and more consistent HR processes can improve retention. Framing retention as an operational issue instead of a hiring challenge gives operators something they can address directly, helping teams build healthier workplaces, reduce compliance risk, and scale more sustainably.

When Sam and Joe Hachey secured one of Alaska’s first adult-use cultivation licenses in 2016, they had a bare warehouse, a tiny budget, and a refusal to slow down. Nine years later, Tanana Herb Company has transformed into a 48,000-square-foot powerhouse in Fairbanks. From navigating white-out blizzards to "playing chicken" with local moose, the Hachey brothers built their success the hard way: with their own hands and zero outside investors.

Women have always been part of the cannabis industry, but their influence is becoming harder to ignore as the business matures. From cultivation and compliance to operations and the executive suite, more women are stepping into pivotal roles and bringing leadership grounded in competence, collaboration, and long-term thinking. In a sector shaped by regulation, rapid change, and high stakes, those qualities are not soft skills. They are strategic advantages.

As the cannabis industry faces regulatory delays, capital constraints, and renewed political resistance, the Most Influential Executives of Cannabis Awards is expanding nationwide in 2026. What began as a local recognition program now aims to spotlight the executives whose grit, leadership, and staying power are helping professionalize the industry and strengthen its legitimacy.