There are a lot of free videos in the classroom section about brand building & on my YouTube channel Cannabiz Academy. In this group you’ll get access to a FREE weekly PDF guide to grow and scale your brand, early access to my videos, general discussions about strategies and priority access to insider information about industry secrets. The most value will come from our exclusive class which includes very in depth step by step videos on how to start and scale your licensed brand without owning licenses. The content and information I provide are based on my expertise, I've been in this industry for more than a decade and have had success with my personal brands as well. Have questions? Post in Discussions or message me directly 🌿 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@cannabiz.academy?si=rlfG9TGwOHyYZrbo

Having a strong brand identity online is based on three things: perception, voice, and culture. Aesthetics matter, but thats only the surface. Here’s how to properly build your brand identity: 1. Define Your Brand’s Voice & Values - Be clear on what your brand stands for: recreational? premium? wellness? etc. - Communicate online in a tone that reflects this, whether it's playful, educational, or bold. - Consistency builds recognition. 2. Brand Design - Use brand colors, fonts, and visual themes consistently across posts. - Invest in a clean logo and core design assets (templates, icons, etc.). - I would recommend hiring a professional designer to design all visual aspects of the brand and ensure everything is consistent. - Visual consistency = credibility. 3. Post With Strategy • Use content pillars: - Education - Behind-the-scenes - Community/culture - Testimonials • Be consistent with posting, choose a posting schedule that you can actually manage and stick to it. • Engaging with people is also important, reply to comments & dm’s. 4. Show Your Face - Let people see who’s behind the brand, having a face behind the brand helps build brand credibility. - Showing the real founders, the team, and sharing customer stories build trust. 5. Engage With Your Niche - Comment on similar pages. - Share others' content with your take. - Build a proper community, not just followers. If you have any further questions, I’ve linked below my in-depth video guide on social media mastery for your cannabis brand based on how I do things for my own brands.

The strength of your cannabis brand depends heavily on the suppliers you work with. Reliable partners not only ensure consistent quality but also keep you compliant, two factors that directly impact customer trust and long-term growth. Here’s what to focus on when picking your suppliers: 1. Compliance - Work only with licensed suppliers who follow state and federal regulations. - Verify chain-of-custody paperwork and testing protocols. - For hemp-derived THCA, confirm pre-harvest delta-9 THC levels remain under 0.3%. 2. Quality Consistency - Request samples plus third-party lab reports for potency, contaminants, and stability. - Remember: THCA naturally degrades into THC over time, ongoing testing matters. 3. Reliability - Check references and industry forums to confirm their credibility. - Avoid suppliers known for delayed orders or poor communication. 4. Flexibility & Growth Potential - Look for suppliers  offering small-batch orders, white-labeling, or custom formulations. - Local growers and manufacturers often provide better pricing and faster turnaround than larger corporations. 5. Contracts & Negotiation - Negotiate bulk discounts and payment terms. - Secure agreements that define liability and quality standards. Strong supplier relationships aren’t just one time transactions, this will create your network of key players in the industry that will help you scale and grow.

Finding the right cannabis suppliers and licensed operators isn’t just about cold outreach, it’s about building real relationships for your brand through the right channels. Here’s how to do it effectively: 1. Go to Local Trade Shows & Industry Events - Attend B2B cannabis expos or local cultivator showcases. - Walk the floor, introduce yourself, and collect contact info directly from cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors. - Go to after hours networking sessions, that’s where the real deals often happen. 2. Use Online Licensing Databases + Cross-Reference - Pull state licensing data (e.g., from BCC, OCM, etc.) to find active operators. - Then cross-reference names on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Weedmaps Biz to see who’s active and open to partnerships. 3. Leverage Personal Referrals - Ask friends, consultants, or other brand founders who they trust. - Join cannabis X(Twitter) groups,  Facebook groups, or Instagram communities where operators openly share resources. 4. Show Up at store events - Hit local drop events, taste tests, or brand pop-ups. - Operators respect people who participate and support the scene, that’s who they’ll want to work with.

In 2025, even if you get your cultivation facility dialed in perfectly, that doesn’t guarantee every harvest is going to hit. You’re always up against problems like mold, bacteria, pesticides, heavy metals, employee mistakes, robberies, constant inspections. One bad run can set you back hard. On top of that, cultivation is insanely expensive. The cost of goods sold is through the roof lights, HVAC, labor, nutrients, testing, it all adds up. Just keeping the place running and pulling off consistent, quality harvests is a nonstop battle. And then you’ve got the market. Wholesale flower prices have been dropping every year. Right now, they’re basically sitting at rock bottom, almost at the cost of production. That means cultivation is quickly turning into a commodity game, you don’t set the price, the market does. Margins get thinner and thinner, and for most growers, there’s not much room left to survive, which is why this is the perfect time to start your own brand while the prices are falling.