2026 marks a pivotal year for Minnesota’s cannabis entrepreneurs, operators, and investors. The state’s adult-use market has finally launched, opening new opportunities for business. Leading cannabis attorney Jason Tarasek will share insights on regulatory changes, licensing, compliance, and zoning, and the unique opportunities for private-sector businesses to partner with Minnesota’s Tribal Nations. Attendees will learn how to navigate the market and thrive in Minnesota’s new cannabis economy.

Stabilizing your facility workforce, tools/resources to create a thriving workforce, planning on the unknown production surges, transformational onboarding verses transactional, combatting turnover, creating a culture of excellence in the cannabis and hemp space, training your key employees to support growth within the facility.

Learn how to market your dispensary like the country’s biggest retailers. This session breaks down five proven strategies Fortune 100 brands use to drive growth: like data-driven decisions, consistent customer experiences, and unified brand presence, and demonstrates how dispensaries can apply them. Whether you’re a single-store operator or scaling up, walk away with actionable insights to power smarter marketing.

Explore how financial inclusion can drive sustainable growth in the cannabis industry. Erica El Hilali shares strategies for becoming more bankable, navigating compliance, and building strong financial foundations to help cannabis businesses thrive in a complex regulatory landscape. Attendees will gain insights into the current landscape of cannabis banking and regulatory hurdles, what banks look for in cannabis clients and how to improve transparency, compliance, and operational readiness.

Learn how the shortcomings of traditional security measures
are negatively impacting the cannabis industry and discover
the most effective strategies to safeguard your business
investment using advanced security technologies
With over thirty years of experience in the security industry,
Tim offers a comprehensive, 360-degree perspective on this
critical service. His expertise includes Event Security,
Executive Security and Industrial Security, along with leading
high-performance teams.

Take a deep dive into why stable & exotic genetics are so important!  What is tissue culture and how can I take advantage of it. This will educate & teach growers how to achieve frosty & flavorful buds time after time!  Understand what to look for when choosing the genetics that you will be cultivating under your BRAND.  This session is designed for growers, entrepreneurs, investors, and advocates looking to understand how advancements in genetics and cultivation techniques can shape the future of their brand in the cannabis industry.  Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back!  The cream always rises to the top! 

This session offers a strategic framework for cannabis operators who want to build their business on a solid financial & operational foundation. The presentation lays out the essential systems, controls, and KPIs that need to be in place before scaling, all from the lens of a CPA who understands the unique regulatory and tax environment cannabis businesses face. Attendees will leave with a practical checklist of what a “scalable-ready” business looks like, and how to avoid the disorganization,

As Minnesota’s cannabis market takes shape, licensed businesses are facing new compliance requirements that demand thoughtful, proactive planning. This session will walk you through the physical security standards that cannabis operators must meet—and how to implement and maintain them effectively.

Topics include essential physical security measures like surveillance, access control, and intrusion detection as well as how AI-powered tools and smart technology can support long-term compliance.

Compliance in the cannabis industry can be make-or-break to maintaining the value of your license and avoiding regulatory fines and delays. The fractional compliance model allows operators to use a third party to audit their operations, update their SOPs and operations materials to the code and regulations, and ensure that compliance tasks are being performed without the cost of an additional compliance officer’s salary.

Learn the fundamentals and the pitfalls to avoid in developing a premium exotic flower grow facility and operation. Learn about facility development starting with selecting the correct property, the type of facility to build, how to precisely control the environment, and setting up a perpetual rotation and cultivation program.

The session will substantially help in avoiding costly mistakes and make sure growers are on the right path to developing a successful premium flower operation.