Starting & Running a Marijuana Business (Idiot's Guides)

The most comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide to starting and running a marijuana business.

Legal marijuana is one of the fastest growing industries on the planet, and aspiring entrepreneurs are chomping at the bit to get in on the "green rush". However, while starting any new business can be challenging, starting one in an emerging field with a new and changing legal landscape can be downright daunting.

But whether your ambition is to start a grow facility or cannabis dispensary, Idiot's Guides: Starting & Running a Marijuana Business will help you navigate this complex industry with careful planning and special considerations to make the most of your new venture.

In this comprehensive overview, you get:

• Best practices for securing locations and permits, dealing with the financial restraints from the U.S. Government, and managing all of the day-to-day aspects of running a business.

• Insights on the legal challenges from state-to-state and how to navigate them to maximize earning potential. 

• Expert advice on locating cultivation/dispensary sites, creating a business plan, securing finances, training staff, dealing with security measures, paying taxes, and offering medical patient counseling. 

• Marketing strategies to ensure the business grows and operates legally and effectively.

• Checklists for any owner and manager to incorporate in their business and training to ensure all systems are covered.

Debby Goldsberry has more than 25 years as a leader in the medical and adult use marijuana industry. She is Executive Director at Magnolia Wellness, an award-winning dispensary in Oakland, CA. She co-founded the Berkeley Patients Group (BPG) medical cannabis collective in 1999, and she has developed and implemented standard operating procedures for procurement, product safety, patient relations, and business management and operations, which have been replicated by dispensaries around the nation. As a community leader, Ms. Goldsberry  co-founded and directed Americans for Safe Access (ASA), Medical Cannabis Safety Council (MCSC), and Cannabis Action Network (CAN). She is a board member at California NORML, is a former board member of the Marijuana Policy Project, and teaches procurement and patient relations at Oaksterdam UniversityMs. Goldsberry has been a staff writer at DOPE magazine and High Times Medical Marijuana magazine, and was a featured blogger at "Smell the Truth."