Karen’s journey with Cannabis spanning five decades. Karen hopes to empower and encourage others to get involved in the legislative process by sharing her truth and motivations on why she became a Texas Cannabis Advocate. She has actively participated in six Texas Legislative Sessions. She became an Advocate for Reform in 2013.

Cannabis business owners face a unique set of challenges when planning for growth, liquidity, and succession—limited buyer pools, regulatory complexity, and the ongoing impact of IRS Code 280E. An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) offers an alternative path that can provide liquidity, preserve independence, and deliver significant tax advantages. In this session, Rick Jaye of Business Transition Advisors will break down how ESOPs work specifically within the cannabis industry.

Best Practices for Modern Cannabis Retail is a practical session on how to create cannabis retail stores that are functional, compliant, visually memorable, and built for a better customer experience. Drawing from real-world experience the session will focus on what operators, brands, designers, and project teams should consider before, during, and after a retail buildout to avoid common mistakes and create stores that support both staff efficiency and customer confidence.

As AI tools become more accessible, cannabis businesses have an opportunity to market more efficiently without sacrificing authenticity. This session explores practical ways cannabis brands can use AI to improve content creation, streamline workflows, strengthen campaigns, and support business growth. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies, real-world examples, and a clearer understanding of where AI adds value in cannabis marketing.

The cannabis and hemp industries are navigating a period of rapid and often conflicting regulatory change. Intensifying enforcement around synthetic and hemp-derived cannabinoids, renewed momentum toward a federal CBD framework, and the recent push toward rescheduling are reshaping the legal and commercial landscape in real time. This session provides a clear, practical breakdown of these converging developments and what they mean for operators, investors, and emerging brands.

The future of cannabis cultivation depends on innovation in genetics, breeding, and sustainable production. This session highlights research on seed germination, seedling vigor, plant resilience, adaptability, and trichome imaging, connecting science-based cultivation strategies to practical applications for growers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. Attendees will learn how plant breeding can improve crop performance, quality control, harvest timing, and long-term industry sustainability.

As the legal landscape evolves, consumption lounges are emerging as the next major evolution in the Texas cannabis industry. This session explores the operational, legal, and social hurdles of establishing a safe consumption space. Using the DFW market as a case study, we will discuss zoning complexities, community engagement strategies, and hospitality-focused business models. Attendees will learn how to navigate the current regulatory environment to create sustainable, compliant social spaces.

What is cannabis odor? What are Terpenes? What are VOC’s? How does odor emanate from a grow facility- open field, greenhouse, and indoor facilities. Why cannabis odor is a flashpoint for the industry. Typical odor control approaches, their strengths and weaknesses. Why deleting odor is the only acceptable odor control measure. Why empirical odor monitoring matters.

Not all cannabinoids are created equal. This session clarifies the differences between naturally occurring, converted, and synthetic cannabinoids — addressing the science, safety data, and regulatory considerations needed to ensure consumer protection in a rapidly innovating market. This session will also discuss if/when/how these distinctions matter to the government and consumers.

Curing for Quality delivers a practical, repeatable SOPs for commercial cannabis curing, built around water activity, product temperature, ambient conditions and controlled airflow. Learn how to protect terpenes and other secondary metabolites while reducing microbial risk, avoiding common failure points, and documenting process controls for consistent, test-ready results, batch after batch. Includes stage targets, sampling techniques, and QA checkpoints.

Early and accurate pest detection is one of the most overlooked factors in successful indoor and greenhouse cultivation. Many growers rely on reactive spraying instead of proactive monitoring, which leads to crop loss, resistance issues, and unnecessary chemical inputs. This session breaks down practical, proven monitoring methods that help cultivators stay ahead of pest pressure while reducing overall labor and spray frequency.

As an emerging cannabis market matures beyond initial licensing euphoria, savvy investors are discovering compelling opportunities amid cannabis facility failures and consolidation. This presentation examines distressed cannabis license acquisitions, equipment liquidations, and strategic positioning as over-optimistic operators face margin compression. Discuss how to identify undervalued operations, navigate typical transfer approvals, and capitalize on cash strapped businesses.

An overall crash-course in trademarks. In this presentation, the following items are covered: trademark basics, the importance of registration of trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, pathways to registration, cannabis-related trademarks, and questions regarding all aforementioned topics.

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! 

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.