Houston, Texas 2021

This panel will provide the audience with insight from professionals from a wide variety of canna-businesses who used the skills and experience they already had to expand into the cannabis industry. Hear from successful entrepreneurs in various industry roles on how they each got started, how their prior experience helped, challenges faced, and advice for those starting out. The panel will be moderated by cannabis industry lawyer Andrea Steel, and panelists include a medical entrepreneur, retailer, cultivator, and national distributor.

Hemp businesses are booming throughout the nation as legalization is expanding on both the federal and state level. Hemp businesses seeking to capitalize on the recent, monumental legal transitions in federal and state laws need to ensure that their brand is protected, which can be accomplished by obtaining a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Easier said than done.

The presentation will be provided by a Texas licensed physician who is registered with the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), along with an attorney who has been serving the cannabis industry since the inception of TCUP and have assisted the market evolve. The discussion will look at the current status of medical marijuana programs on a national level, including the legal status involving conflict of laws issues, Medicare, DEA registration and issues with cannabis in healthcare settings.

In this session, we review recent enforcement trends and discuss ways companies operating in the hemp-CBD marketplace can limit their risk, while still be truthful and not misleading. This includes identifying high-risk verbiage and providing examples of lower-risk ways to get the same message across. This discussion reviews the dos and don’ts of digital marketing such as best practices for blog posts.

One of the most difficult things I’ve heard from farmers and entrepreneurs is marketing, branding and developing relationships wirh governments and big business. To solve this issue, I am going to share my experience on how to go from 0 to 100 in record time. With attention to detail, care about the product and respect for the industry.

Companies operating in cannabis, hemp and CBD can face very stringent regulations and requirements. From federal taxation complexities to state seed-to-sale tracking requirements, your passion for the plant can be quickly tempered by incorrect or incomplete accounting. In this crash course, we’ll discuss the 11 basics every cannapreneur should know about accounting for your cannabusiness. Whether you’re new to the industry or a canna-veteran, you’re sure to find this session fun and informative!

Did you know the IRS can deny deductions completely if
you are operating without good records? Also since there
are no “deductions” in cannabis it’s important that your
cost of goods sold is flowing properly through inventory
which is a business asset.

Under an audit having actual receipts looks great. You can
try to recreate your expenses from a bank or credit card
statement… but what if they are paid in cash?

In this session we’ll cover the six most common product label mistakes companies make that cost them money and time, and how to avoid them. Participants will leave understanding which mistakes they might be making right now, a checklist of the essentials they should consider when designing their labels, and how to work with their print vendor to ensure they receive the highest quality labels.

CEA (Controlled Environmental Agriculture) is a technology-based approach toward production. CEA optimizes resources such as water, energy, space, capital, and labor. Upon planning and design of a facility, choosing an integrated MicroClimate System vastly reduces monthly operating costs utilizing less energy, less maintenance, less labor and reduced initial capital outlay.

This review will identify how to reach maximum operational efficiency along with lowering your initial cap-ex.

Find out what consumers really want! And learn the key foundations for success in hemp retail. We will discuss unique customer retention strategies and the key reports that you MUST run regularly. In this presentation, we will also share our latest consumer feedback surveys from hemp tours in Texas.

They say, “If you build it, they will come”. That is further from the truth, especially in the CBD and cannabis business. 80% of all new businesses are OUT of business within 2-5 years due to that mindset. Having owned 13 startup companies, there are 5 key essential rules to starting up or building a business that have helped me go from an initial concept to seven figures in revenue with multiple companies. I will share the 5 main components to building a solid business foundation in the CBD and cannabis market that will put you ahead of the competition and significantly increase your odds of having a successful and profitable cannabis business. These are lessons that have been learned the hard way in the new evolving cannabis market that will save you time, frustration, and money when it comes to owning or starting a business in this incredible market. If you are thinking about getting into the CBD or cannabis business or if you’re looking to grow your current business, this workshop is not to be missed!

When asked what dose of CBD you should take, many CBD products and purveyors will give you a one size fits all answer. This does our industry a disservice. Finding the desired dose can take time and, despite what we are often told, is very personal and depends on several factors, requiring us to ask many questions for optimal efficacy. For what reason/ailment are you taking CBD? Is the amount you’re taking actually having the opposite desired effect? What is happening in your body at the time you take CBD that can also affect the bioavailability of a product? Did you know that how your CBD is extracted and the formulation of each product can enhance, or even abate, the efficacy of your dose. Are there added herbs, adaptogens, other cannabinoids in your product – and what is the terpene profile?

And, importantly, how can you “dose” and/or “microdose” to make your CBD most effective for you? And what do we need to know about dosing other cannabinoids (CBN, CBG, and D8)?

If you’re new to the cannabis space, there are some fundamentals you should understand prior to getting involved. During this session we will cover certain Federal Regulations in regard to cannabis in addition to the different types of products extracted from the plant and how they’re used for both medical and industrial purposes. We will also cover testing and how it ties into setting prices for your products along with some lessons learned. Lastly, we will cover some reputable companies you may consider contacting.

The presentation would cover the subject of hiring a search engine expert to help promote your business and what to look for to avoid falling for SEO companies that offer cheap services that will not move the needle and can actually harm your web presence.

Where does your cannabis come from? Why is it important to know the grower and source of your cannabis products? Cannabis is often portrayed as au naturel it doesn’t mean that all cannabis is grown equally. Just like the farm-to-table concepts finding success across the globe, standardized certifications like the CCOF Organic certification are creating seed to sale clarity that translates into healthier plants, a healthier planet, and healthier cannabis products.

Seems like everyone is getting into the CBD space, it’s a green rush, and until federal regulations come out, we’re going to continue to see a hyper excitement in this industry with everyone trying to get a piece of the pie. This talk will delve into how you can make your pie stand out, and build a lasting brand in the space. Industry expert Shayda Torabi will discuss how she’s leveraged non traditional tactics to help grow her brand into one of the leading CBD brands coming out of Texas and stand out!

Discuss the current state of the medical cannabis industry in Texas in terms of patient access and what is lacking. Also, address potential medical business expansion opportunities that exist in Texas in the near future.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, TDA Industrial Hemp Council Member Lisa Pittman, and Texas Hemp Coalition Executive Director Ilissa Nolan will discuss the evolution of the Texas Hemp law through the 2019-2021 Sessions, the relationship between the Texas program and the USDA, and the economic and practical development of the Texas hemp program over the past year, including challenges faced and successes shared, as well as the Commissioner’s expectations for the near and long term future of the industry.