Member Blog: 4 Budtender Onboarding Tips To Help Keep You Compliant
by Tommy Truong, KayaPush
A recent survey by Headset.io found that 55% of budtenders leave their jobs within the first year of employment.* But why?
Some believe improper onboarding could be a culprit.
First impressions matter – and improper onboarding can leave budtenders feeling underprepared and unappreciated. Moreover, budtenders who don’t receive proper compliance training might be terminated due to compliance infractions and could even be at personal risk for their errors.
Luckily, by setting up solid budtender onboardingSOPs that put compliance first, you are more likely to keep great hires – and avoid compliance infractions.
The following information will help dispensary owners implement hiring and training strategies to increase retention, avoid compliance infractions, and simplify dispensary onboarding.
1 – Look into legal before you hire.
Compliant onboarding starts with understanding your budtenders’ requirements to work at your dispensary.
Every state has unique requirements regarding background checks, legal age, and budtender certifications – so it is essential to research each of these elements before you begin the hiring process.
Once you have established your hiring guidelines regarding legal requirements – you can take it one step further and set up an applicant tracking system that is customized to only reach out to applicants who qualify for your set terms.
Using tools that automate these processes will make compliant dispensary hiring easy.
Social equity hiring initiatives in cannabis
While we’re on the topic of hiring for your cannabis dispensary, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the importance of researching potential social equity programs for dispensary hiring opportunities.
You can use these resources to find qualified social equity candidates for your dispensary based on the state in which you are located.
2 – Have an organized onboarding documentation process.
The next step to a smooth and compliant onboarding process is to know all the forms you need to provide and gather from your new hire.
If you are an American business owner, the forms you will need to collect from your employee include:
W2
Criminal record check verification
1-9
State Tax Form
ID or Passport
Social security information
A void check
A signed employer agreement
Any certifications you have requested they acquire
The forms you will need to share with your new hire include:
Business owners who don’t use employee onboarding software manage a lot of paperwork.
From chasing new hires around for signatures or documents – to figuring out the best way to store things – it’s a time-consuming headache, and it’s not ideal.
Here’s how it works. When a new hire joins, a dispensary owner can share their onboarding link, where their new hire will upload digitized documents directly into the system for central storage.
If any documentation is missing, the system will send a reminder to ensure they provide all the information needed for dispensary owners to stay compliant.
4 – Provide compliance training for budtenders
Compliance training should be a critical part of the budtender onboarding process – but what does that mean?
For budtenders, there are four main areas of compliance to master: How to sell products to customers and with a POS system, how to handle products, and overall regulations comprehension.
Selling products to customers training might include:
Learn how to greet guests in a compliant way
How and when to properly ID guests
Knowledge of strains, potency, and effects
Understanding different types of products based on clients’ needs
POS training might include:
Knowing how to input ID information
Learning how to ring in products correctly
Understanding product limits per customer guidelines
Knowing how to use and report sold products with a compliant POS
Understanding the compliance factors behind customer loyalty programs and incentives
Compliance is one of the most challenging aspects of running a cannabis dispensary – however, if you surround yourself with the right team, use cannabis software built for dispensaries in your state, and check in often on regulatory updates – you will be alright.
Author Tommy Truong is the CEO at KayaPush; the cannabis software helping dispensary owners manage their employee HR, scheduling, and payroll. KayaPush also integrates with leading dispensary POS systems. Tommy loves hot sauce, fried chicken, and running with his Boston terriers
KayaPush delivers an innovative, unified compliance solution that meets payroll and HR needs without compromising speed and accuracy. Implementing KayaPush will save you time and money and help eliminate the financial risks associated with non-compliance.
Member Blog: Finding Workplace Equity In The Year 2020
Our world in 2020 looks vastly different from years past, and we have been ripped open and exposed as a human population, with the birth of COVID-19, the protests and riots resulting from brutality, and the belief that our systems are flawed and need to change at the root level. We are on the precipice of a social revolution and it is time to recognize and change the social paradigms that have shaped and dictated our lives on a personal level. We must also begin the hard work of re-shaping and shifting the practices and policies we have put in place in our work environments, that have disproportionately impacted underrepresented populations. Recent legislation has created the structure for us to begin to edit our current practices and to better support these populations; to aid change in our businesses and create a more equitable place for all employees to work. But it is not always easy as a business owner to understand what that means in our daily lives or to adopt the new practices that will support this evolution.
To begin to understand this, we must first look at where the first missed step begins. We need to break down the different employment practices and approaches we’ve built and begin to analyze the data to understand what prevents us from being who and where we want to be as an organization and we must find the insight that will help us correct it.
When we think about diversity and inclusion in the workplace, we may automatically be drawn to our hiring philosophies and our marketing strategies. Diversity has long been rooted in our recruitment and hiring processes, but we often miss the mark when that’s as far as we dare to look. It’s not just about hiring a certain percentage of a particular demographic or providing recruitment materials that represent the diversity we seek. We must also understand the unconscious bias that lives within all of us and its potential impact on the hiring and employment choices we make. It’s important for businesses to understand not only the laws that help govern equal opportunity but also to implement practices that support the growth of diversity and inclusion within the workplace.
What does your company do to ensure hiring practices are fair?
Have you looked at the unconscious biases that may live within your organization and impact the candidates you seek and ultimately hire?
Do you know the recent legislative changes that impact your ability to ask questions about criminal convictions and salary history, at the time of application or during the interview process?
Do you understand the impacts of background checks and the responsibility of the business to prove the correlation between a conviction and the type of damage it may impose on the business?
These questions tip the iceberg and only begin to open the pathways to investigate what other areas of your workplace may unknowingly rebuke the diversity initiatives you are chasing. Hiring is step one; from there you must identify and foster inclusion and equity in the workplace. In order for a person to feel included, and to experience equality, they must first believe they have the same opportunity to succeed; they must know they are paid fairly and that they have the power to speak up and voice their opinions safely. They must know they have the ability to develop within the organization, to access training and mentorship, allowing them to earn promotions and recognition. When every person in our workplace can recognize and acknowledge equal opportunity in all employment practices, we can begin to say we are winning the battle. Only then have we managed to create an environment of equitability.
It’s important as business owners and as leaders that we take a deep dive into the employment practices we have established and identified the areas where we fall short, where we fail to see diversity thriving.
As NCIA and the cannabis industry work hard to promote social equity for all and to be a leader for change, it’s important that cannabis businesses also look internally at employment practices and how they can impart change, building equality in practice and in policy.
As the founding partner of Eolàs HR, I’ve watched and worked alongside brilliant people who wanted to make a difference but didn’t know how, and who wanted to do the right thing but didn’t know where to start. It has long been a passion of mine to ensure employees of all races, ages, genders, religious beliefs, nationalities, etc. feel they have a workplace where they can thrive, and that businesses and business owners understand how to put practices in place that support and honor that basic human need. It’s important that businesses have the resources, tools, and support needed to build smart employment practices that not only support the employee but reduce the legal risk for the business. In working together, we become part of the solution and we stand as one population united.
Erin Lemmons is passionate about helping small businesses avoid the risk of legal challenges that many companies face as they navigate the growth gap from 1 to 150 employees. She is the Founding Partner of Eolàs HR, a Denver based HR consulting firm and has worked with multiple start-up organizations, within the technology, hospitality and retail industries. Erin’s specialty is supporting employee management strategy and process. She provides the tools, resources and support businesses need to build strong employment practices and reduce legal risk.
She thrives when working with companies who are philanthropic, value innovation, and are dedicated to both environmentally sound and strategically profitable business practices.
Having graduated in 1997 from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree, Erin is also certified as a Professional in Human Resource (PHR) and is an active member of the prominent HR organization, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Numerous cannabis organizations have taken advantage of the global health crisis to cut staff and combine positions. We saw the role of HR lead added (yet again!) to the job description of the CEO, CFO, or another officer. Unfortunately, we witnessed several companies perform these cuts and layoffs during the pandemic as a way of cleaning house. Without a strong HR foundation in place, many of these exits were messy and resulted in angry ex-employees and disgruntled employees who are preparing their resumes to manage their exits proactively. While this transition is always challenging, it doesn’t need to end with poor relationships with ex-employees. As we know, the world of cannabis is small, ensuring a good reputation is critical. As the overall and cannabis economy opens back up to our new normal, it is even more important than ever to ensure your organization has the vital piece of the puzzle in place.
The human resources profession in and out of cannabis has evolved in recent years, and with it, the role of the Chief Human Capital (or ‘Resources’) Officer has changed as well. It progressed from fighting for a seat at the table to playing a vital role in the executive team as a strategic partner to the CEO and CFO. The CEO, CFO, and Chief HC/HR Officer should be viewed as equally responsible for executing the business strategy, with distinct yet highly interdependent roles to play. In essence, the CEO defines &/or leads the vision/strategy; the Chief HC/HR Officer articulates and drives people’s DNA, while the CFO manages financial resources and investments. It takes people and financial resources to implement the business strategy, which is why the relationship between these leadership roles is so vital.
The role of the Chief HC/HR Officer is becoming increasingly complex. It is continuously changing due to a range of factors, including the evolution of technology, artificial intelligence, automation, the changing profile of the workforce, new ways of working, and the increased focus on talent, especially in the cannabis industry. The profile has shifted from a traditional HR professional, narrowly focused on his/her function to a well-rounded business leader who can contribute meaningfully in all areas of the business. Today’s HR Chief is a culture champion and change-agent who is commercially astute, analytical, and technologically savvy, who speaks truth to power and influences softly yet assertively.
Hiring and retaining the right talent.
Human Capital Management is essential for hiring, managing, training, and retaining talented and high performing employees. Employees are the most valuable resource in an organization. Individuals who spend the maximum part of their day contributing towards the success of an organization are its most crucial resource. Employees can either make or break an organization, truly making them an organization’s lifeline.
Making new employees feel comfortable/orienting them to the organization.
Human Capital management plays a vital role in orienting a new employee to the system. Boring and meaningless onboarding programs lead to confusion and eventual loss of employee interest. Most new hires develop very strong positive or negative vibes about their new employment within the first 24 hours in their new role; it’s a lot easier to enjoy the positive vibes from getting that first 24 hours right than dealing with the negative vibes from the start. Turnover can cost an organization 2.5 x the salary. Incorporating professional onboarding into your standard SOPs is critical for new hires who make a “stay” vs. go” decision within the first 24-48 hours in a new job. This includes not loading someone with unnecessary information on the very first day (s)he steps into the organization. Making him/her feel comfortable, which during a pandemic and isolation can be challenging. Clickherefor tips on creating a connection virtually. Such small initiatives go a long way!
Training employees
Employees need to stay current and continue to learn to prepare themselves for adverse conditions. Human Capital Management helps train employees and makes them a valuable resource for the organization. Employees who do not brush up on their skills from time to time find it difficult to survive in the long run. Human Capital Management helps develop the skills of employees, which creates a positive impact on the overall organization. Human Capital Management plays an essential role in increasing the knowledge, well-being, and efficiency of employees. Individuals are in a position to contribute more towards the system, eventually increasing the overall productivity of the organization. Take the steps now to add this essential team member to your roster.
A productive, thriving workforce is the most crucial component of a successful business. This requires viewing people as human assets, not costs to the organization. As with any other asset, a talented workforce can be used strategically to add value to an organization.
Bryan Passman is a father, a husband, a trailblazer, and Co-founder and CEO of Hunter + Esquire. My professional background before launching H+E was entirely in retained executive search for 18 years in MedTech/Pharma (15 yrs) and Food and Adult Beverage CPG (3 yrs). My deep knowledge of those highly regulated and nuanced industries has helped H+E significantly understand the needs and wants of our cannabis clients. My deep and genuine networks within those industries have helped us deliver that rare talent “unicorn” our clients desire to fit their particular needs. My client-first approach helps us provide a very customized, white-glove, headhunter treatment to client and candidate.
Member Blog: Suggestions For Cannabis Economy Leaders As We Navigate the COVID-19 Crisis
As COVID-19 swept across the globe, shutting down countries, there was an unexpected side effect taking place in the cannabis economy. Many cannabis companies that may have made hiring or operational errors have used the pandemic as an opportunity for correction even as they are staying open and deemed an essential service. Companies who over-hired based on “what if” scenarios of possible growth have used this to exit or furlough unexpecting employees with little to no explanation why.
Working in the cannabis executive recruitment space for several years (and being in the people business for decades), this is heartbreaking to see and hear. New hires should be based on new and real business needs grounded in data and facts instead of staffing up because a company is hoping for amazing growth. Companies using this pandemic as a correction must be more transparent and human in their actions. Acknowledge and realize some employees are losing their jobs (sometimes after stellar performance reviews) with little to no severance and little explanation. However, we all can learn from this experience and make some changes to how we operate moving forward.
Treat people as you would like to be treated.
The impact of a bad employee exit has a trickle-down effect. There’s a lot more good to come from understanding that former employees, along with their family members, friends, and colleagues, are all potential consumers, investors, and future employees. The (relative) smallness of our cannabis economy should be further inspiration to behave accordingly towards others during this time of crisis. When an employee is let go in an unprofessional manner, it impacts the morale of those employees who are still with the company. Relationships matter. We’re not saying that there isn’t a need to let people go and make organizational changes; you’re still running a business. Look for ways to make an unpleasant experience more positive. Furlough some people instead of flat out laying them off, and then communicate a lot with them during the time they spend in that holding pattern for you. Evaluate performance over salary when deciding on cutbacks. Consider bringing in an Industrial Psychologist to speak with your remaining employees who are probably suffering emotionally and thinking they’re next on the chopping block. Offer more perks to show that you care. Reach out to those individuals who are no longer with the company and see how they’re doing. Offer to pay for resume writing services or actively connect them to career support services or recruiters.
Invest in a strategic HR or Human Capital position.
You need a dedicated strategic HR leader in your organization to help guide your company vs. simply hiring an HR body to keep you out of a courtroom and to keep your files organized! This is a critical role, often overlooked by young and growing companies. Employees are the most valuable (and only appreciating) asset in an organization, and they can make or break an organization. Companies spend a lot of time and money on M&A diligence, vetting strategic partnerships, etc. However, many miss putting the same consideration into their human capital management. Hiring, training, and retaining best-in-class talent provides some of the best ROI for any organization, and that requires an individual (or entire department) dedicated to the recruitment, onboarding, training, continuous employee relations activities, and ultimately increasing employee happiness and effectiveness.
Evaluate Everything
Every company is looking to save money and improve their operations. Take this time to evaluate your current operational partners critically. Are you paying too much in additional fees? Are you getting the ROI you expect? Use this time to interview and seek out new partners who might be a better fit. What are the pillars of your culture? Is your leadership team the right mix? Do you have the right people on board to steer you toward the culture and future you hope for? Who do you want to attract to the organization? You may need to take some time to reflect and make some adjustments to the culture or team members to build the company you aspire to be.
Moving forward, companies who survive this can come out on the other side with better processes for employee hiring, onboarding, training, management, and retention. Many of us are in this business for the love and respect of the cannabis plant. Cannabis is a great connector of people, and this is an opportunity for us all to shift our operations to pay tribute to that fact and to improve our human relations processes.
Bryan Passman is a father, a husband, a trailblazer, and Co-founder and CEO of Hunter + Esquire. My professional background before launching H+E was entirely in retained executive search for 18 years in MedTech/Pharma (15 yrs) and Food and Adult Beverage CPG (3 yrs). My deep knowledge of those highly regulated and nuanced industries has helped H+E significantly understand the needs and wants of our cannabis clients. My deep and genuine networks within those industries have helped us deliver that rare talent “unicorn” our clients desire to fit their particular needs. My client-first approach helps us provide a very customized, white-glove, headhunter treatment to client and candidate.
Member Blog: Best Ways to Attract Top Talent to Your Cannabis Business
The cannabis industry is growing rapidly. As more people look to cannabis for the health benefits it provides, the industry is on an upward trajectory and now is a great time to get in on the ground floor.
If you are starting or growing your cannabis business, the people you hire will be very important. Your staff will include customer service reps which will be the face of your business, people who work behind the scenes to make sure you are compliant and organized, a marketing team and those in the warehouse who are responsible for making sure your products arrive safely and securely.
While the market is growing, the industry is quite competitive and you need to do what you can to make sure your business stands out. Hiring the right people can give you that edge. With that in mind, this article will explore the best ways to attract talent to your cannabis business.
Seek the Help of a Specialized Search Firm
It’s important to remember that the best candidates might not be the ones looking for jobs. They are often people that are already in respected positions and, with an attractive enough package, you may be able to lure them in to start working for you.
Certain search firms will know exactly where to look for the talent you need. They will have a network of qualified people that they will sort through before using other tactics. This will ensure that they are picking from a pool of experienced candidates who will know what it takes to help your company grow.
When considering what type of search firms will be best, look into retained recruitment and executive recruitment firms. Retained recruiters are dedicated to finding the ideal candidate for your position and they won’t stop until their job is done.
Executive recruiters, on the other hand, are skilled in finding candidates for top-level positions. Consult them to find qualified people who will see to it that your company is running smoothly and reaching its goals.
Show Your Company in the Best Light Possible
If you are looking to find top tier candidates for your positions, you have to show your company in the best light possible. Remember, you will be picking from a pool of highly skilled candidates who may have their choice of positions to choose from. Therefore, not only will it be important for the candidate to make a favorable impression, it will be important to the company as well.
Companies can do this by offering comprehensive compensation packages including competitive pay, benefits, and perks. A great work environment will also be a bonus.
You also want to do all you can to impress the candidate in the interview process. During this process, be sure to not only ask the candidate questions about themselves but leave them plenty of room to ask you questions as well. Bringing in members of the staff to meet them will also make them feel as if you are showing a real interest in them and want to make them part of your team.
Establishing your brand is another thing you can do to make your company look impressive. Your brand should have a logo, a well-designed website, a strong online presence, a clear mission statement, and a strategic marketing strategy before even attempting to look for top tier talent. A lack of these qualities can make qualified candidates run the other way.
Accurate Job Descriptions
Whether you are going through a search firm or doing your own headhunting, having an accurate job description will be a real bonus. It may seem obvious, but leaving out valuable information like the basic duties of the job, the hours, the benefits and pay offered, the location and anything else that might be relevant can make candidates skip over your ad and move on to the next.
Be sure to add as many details as possible when creating your wanted ads.
Offer Smooth Onboarding
Once you have decided on a candidate you would like to hire, follow up with a smooth onboarding process.
It may be surprising to find out how easy it is to lose qualified candidates during the onboarding process due to lack of communication, lack of support of just general confusion. Make sure that you maintain plenty of contact with your employees while they are becoming integrated into your system. Provide helpful feedback and encourage them to share their feelings and opinions during this pivotal time.
If you are looking to make your cannabis business stand out by hiring a first-rate staff, the steps you take during the hiring process are very important. Team up with the right search firms, make sure you look impressive to the talent, provide accurate job descriptions and continue to support them throughout the onboarding process. Then you can look forward to having a team that will help your company grow.
Jacob Carlson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fortuna Business Solutions. Fortuna is proud to be one of the first east coast staffing agencies in the cannabis industry being based out of Portland, Maine. Jacob is a serial entrepreneur having previously co-founded a corporate event service (Just Enjoy!) and social media automation tool (RapidCrowd), and he is primed for scaling his next venture with his two co-founders, the Ellis brothers.
Hiring in the cannabis industry is hard, Fortuna Business Solutions makes it easy. We help businesses in the cannabis, CBD and hemp industry find quality candidates to hire on to their team. If you are tired of weeding through thousands of unqualified applicants or struggling to find someone with specific experience, we can help.
Committee Blog: What The Recent Layoffs in the Cannabis Industry Mean
Many in our industry have heard about the recent layoffs announced by cannabis companies, including some of NCIA’s members, in the U.S. NCIA’s Human Resources Committee views the layoffs as an unfortunate but sometimes necessary part of business, and overall remain optimistic about the industry as a whole.
On the face of it, the recent headlines regarding cannabis industry layoffs appear grim. One of California’s best-known cannabis brands announced a reduction of 20% of its labor force. Another grower is reported to have had a similarly sized cut. Listening to the news coverage, one might have the impression that the industry as a whole is going through a massive negative upheaval. This could not be further from the truth.
At the same time, we have seen hiring trends in 2019 that are overwhelmingly positive. According to an article in Forbes earlier this year, the cannabis industry added almost 65,000 jobs in 2018, with a substantially greater amount expected for this year. Clearly, cannabis is a significant growth engine for employment across the U.S. Add in Illinois, Massachusetts, and other states legalizing cannabis for medical or adult-use, and the numbers continue to grow. The state of the cannabis industry is strong!
Since its founding nearly a decade ago, NCIA has dedicated itself to promoting the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry. During this time, the industry workforce has swelled to over 200,000 people, and new people are joining us daily from coast to coast. NCIA’s HR Committee, which is comprised of human resource practitioners devoted to bringing best practices to the cannabis industry, carefully monitors hiring trends and other people-related developments.
NCIA’s Human Resources Committee regrets any job losses for their impact on the lives of employees and their families. History has shown that layoffs often happen in high growth industries. These reductions in force occur when companies who have over-invested ahead of anticipated growth must adjust their labor counts to rapidly shifting business dynamics. While painful in the short term for employer and employee alike, this represents a chance for other companies to acquire top talent, and for that top talent to secure new and exciting opportunities.
NCIA’s HR Committee is unwavering in its faith that the cannabis industry will continue to grow as an economic force in this country for many decades to come, and that these short-term changes will make the industry better, stronger and more resilient in the long run.
There are many ways you can get involved and help. Attend NCIA’s national trade shows and regional networking events to get your foot in the door of our dynamic industry. Start a business. Educate yourself on the latest issues, and contact your congressperson. Whatever road you choose to take, we look forward to welcoming you as our partner on this amazing journey!
The success of your dispensary relies on many things – your location, the quality of the products you sell, and the people who work for you. While it might seem as if you can put just about anyone behind the counter and have them ring up transactions, the art of being a budtender is a completely different animal. Managers and owners who are in the position of needing to replace or expand their current staffing may not fully realize how their employees can make or break their business, so let’s go through a few important considerations.
It goes without saying that anyone can end up unintentionally hiring someone they shouldn’t have, so if any of the following scenarios have happened to you, don’t feel bad. This information can help in many types of businesses and will specifically save you a headache if you work in the cannabis industry.
Cannabis Knowledge
On-the-job training is certainly something that every dispensary manager should provide, as it’s impossible for someone to walk right in and run the show on their very first day. However, it’s another situation entirely if your new hire doesn’t know the first thing about cannabis. Not only is a basic understanding required pertaining to strains, methods of consumption, and weed culture in general, but if they bring knowledge to the table that impresses you, they’re a keeper.
Anyone who can’t answer simple questions about cannabis or CBD may not be the best choice for your operation unless you have the time and patience to teach someone from the ground up. Ultimately you want your customers to feel as if they’re consulting with experts, not the other way around.
Don’t Neglect Background Checks
This tip can take a two-fold approach, as the person you end up hiring is going to be trusted with access to tons of product, money, and maybe even the store keys someday. Reference checks are a must in today’s day and age, so if they don’t readily have people available for you to chat with, you may want to dig a little deeper.
Aside from simply calling previous employers, it doesn’t hurt to run a full background check on your potential new employee. You never know if people are representing themselves truthfully and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Again, if your prospect is uncomfortable with this idea, you don’t simply want to brush it off and continue hiring them anyway. That’s not to say that you should instantly dismiss them either as some people have a criminal record they are embarrassed by but have changed.
Common Sense And Intuition
When it comes down to it, working as a budtender does require a specific set of skills but in general isn’t that much different than many other professional retail occupations. Take some time to consider everything a person brings to the table, listen to your gut, and above all else, let common sense guide you. If something doesn’t feel right about your new hire, pay attention to that notion or else it could cost you your business.
Courtney Elder is a cannabis and CBD expert. She’s a mother of 2 from Portland, Oregon and has done countless hours of research around both cannabis and CBD benefits. She’s written for some of the industries top authority sites and is the lead content creator at CBD Nerds.
NCIA is seeking a Business Development Specialist
NCIA is now hiring to expand our ten-person national team!
We’re seeking a Business Development Specialist. The application process is detailed below. (Do not call NCIA’s office to apply or follow up.)
Business Development Specialist – Membership and Relationship Sales:
This position can be based in any of the following regions: Denver, CO; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; or San Francisco, CA. NCIA, the undisputed leading trade association in the fastest growing industry in the US is seeking a sales consultant and account executive, able to up-sell existing members and attract new members to the organization, and its mission.
This full-time position will handle business development and current client relationships in a specified territory.
We’re a hard working team seeking a candidate who is self-motivated, innovative, and dedicated to giving our team and clients the very best.
Key Responsibilities:
Prospect multiple direct-to-plant businesses, via cold-calling (50-70- cold calls per day on certain days), networking, and email/e-marketing.
Attend cannabis industry events to network and prospect, and represent the association.
Articulate the association’s value proposition to decision-makers to assess buying interest.
Promote the association’s products and services with various management levels and professionals across business disciplines.
Achieve or exceed goal for evaluations and first meetings on a monthly basis.
Qualify all sales leads based upon specific lead qualification criteria definitions.
Provide baseline research within targeted accounts to identify the key contacts and critical account information prior to calling.
Develop superior customer service relationship with prospects.
Learn and demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the association’s products and services, and clearly articulate capabilities and advantages to prospective members.
Contribute to every component of the critical functions associated with fulfilling the sales cycle (forecasting, reporting, customer database maintenance and data entry, correspondence, and communications).
Engage with social media platforms, create alerts on keywords, research topics and share information with individuals responsible for decision making in this industry.
Update lead rank/stage and prospect interaction in CRM. A high level of proficiency with CRM workflow, web-based demonstrations, shared calendars, Skype and instant messaging, as well as with office software such as Word and Excel and their Google equivalents is required.
Qualifications
Professional level sales experience required. Experience in association sales is preferred, as is experience in the cannabis industry. Ideal candidates will be located to work from the Denver, CO office, or work from home office in Seattle, WA, Portland, OR or San Francisco, CA.
Your sales process will be primarily telephone and online application based with regular territory visits. The Business Development Specialist reports to NCIA’s Director of Development. Frequent travel throughout the U.S. is required.
How to apply
Follow all of the instructions below to e-mail a one-page cover letter and resume to jobs@thecannabisindustry.org.
Please include the job title, “Business Development Specialist” in the subject line of your email.
In your cover letter, please specify how you learned about the job opening, your stance on marijuana law and the industry’s role in reform, and why you think you would be an excellent fit for the position sought. Feel free to include any other information you deem relevant, as long as your cover letter is limited to one page.
Your cover letter and resume must be sent as one single PDF document that includes your first initial and last name in the file name.
When your application is received, you should receive an automatic email confirmation. Do not call NCIA’s office to follow up. If we are interested in more information or an interview, we will contact you within about a week.
Salary:
Base salary plus commission, negotiable.
Benefits:
Full health, dental, and life insurance coverage, an employer-matched retirement plan, and a generous PTO policy.
Education:
4-year Degree
Guest Post: Best Practices for Interviewing Candidates in the Cannabis Industry
As our industry continues to grow and develop, it is important that we make sure that our human resource practices are in line with that of other established industries. This includes the recruiting and hiring of employees…the most critical part of this process being the interview. Here are a few things to keep in mind when interviewing potential candidates for your cannabusiness:
1. Set the tone and boundaries of the interview from the beginning
If you set expectations from the beginning of the interview that you will only be discussing the individual’s work experience and how this qualifies them for the role, you set a tone that will hopefully avoid any disclosure of information that could put the organization at risk. What makes interviewing candidates in this industry more difficult than others is that many have a very personal relationship with the plant and launch into telling you the story about this relationship if you don’t initially set the tone. Why this could end up being difficult for employers is that the information a candidate may want to volunteer could potentially put you at risk. Hiring decisions should be based on an individual’s qualifications for the job and culture fit for the organization.
For example, if an individual begins to address a health condition as a reason for their interest in the industry, this could put you in a challenging position. If for some reason an interviewing candidate discloses a health condition during the interview process, divert the topic immediately and move on to something else. You will also want to keep this information to yourself so other interviewers are not biased to make a hiring decision based on this information. Again, hiring decisions should be based entirely on a person’s ability to do the job and their culture fit for the organization. Ask questions that allow them to shine, while still getting to the heart of the matter regarding their experience, skills, and temperament to assess whether or not they would be a good match for your organization.
The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) is the division of the U.S. government that enforces violations of discrimination. They ensure that job applicants and employees are not being discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. Be mindful of the kinds of questions you ask so you don’t expose your company to accusations of unlawful discrimination.
2. Train your interviewers
Interviewing is not something that comes naturally to everyone. In order to make sure you are interviewing potential candidates appropriately, train your interviewers! If you are less than confident that you’re observing best practices, an experienced HR or staffing professional should be able to bring you and your fellow hiring managers up to speed.
3. Be careful when requiring ‘tests’
Many of you might want to administer ‘tests’ to employees as a way to determine their qualifications. While this may seem like an easy way to weed through the good and bad candidates, you must be cautious using this approach. Make sure your tests are relevant to the job in question to help shield your company from charges of discrimination. In addition, not all companies offering testing services are created equal. Make sure you do your research and ask questions around the potential liability of using their testing services.
4. Provide a great candidate experience
Kara Bradford, Chief Talent Officer, Viridian Staffing
The cannabis industry is still a very small community. If you don’t provide a positive, professional candidate experience during the interview process, not only might you miss out on that candidate but you may miss out on other great candidates due to negative word of mouth, blogs, or social media. If you are less experienced in this area, I suggest engaging the advice of a seasoned HR or staffing professional to help in development of your organization’s candidate experience.
*Please note that while she is an HR Professional, Kara Bradford is not an attorney. Any recommendations in this article are not to be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, you should consult your attorney.
Kara Bradford, MBA, is Co-Founder and Chief Talent Officer of Viridian Staffing. She has been an HR professional, specializing in Talent Acquisition, Workforce Planning, Employer Branding, Compliance, and Organizational Design for over 14 years. Her career has spanned multiple Fortune 100 companies in a wide variety of industries. Kara has an MBA in Human Resources & Organizational Behavior and is PRC, CIR, and CSSR Certified. She also sits on the Board of a Global Recruiting organization. Kara has spoken and is slated to speak at several National conferences this year in both the Cannabis and HR industries.
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Author Tommy Truong is the CEO at KayaPush; the cannabis software helping dispensary owners manage their employee HR, scheduling, and payroll. KayaPush also integrates with leading dispensary POS systems. Tommy loves hot sauce, fried chicken, and running with his Boston terriers
Erin Lemmons is passionate about helping small businesses avoid the risk of legal challenges that many companies face as they navigate the growth gap from 1 to 150 employees. She is the Founding Partner of 
Jacob Carlson is the Co-Founder and CEO of 
If you set expectations from the beginning of the interview that you will only be discussing the individual’s work experience and how this qualifies them for the role, you set a tone that will hopefully avoid any disclosure of information that could put the organization at risk. What makes interviewing candidates in this industry more difficult than others is that many have a very personal relationship with the plant and launch into telling you the story about this relationship if you don’t initially set the tone. Why this could end up being difficult for employers is that the information a candidate may want to volunteer could potentially put you at risk. Hiring decisions should be based on an individual’s qualifications for the job and culture fit for the organization.