The Dealer's Diary is where we share the work. Cannabis HR insights, retention math, compliance gaps, and the operational decisions that actually move the needle for cannabis dispensaries, cultivators, processors, and multi-state operators.
We write for the founder losing sleep over turnover. The GM weighing a PEO against fractional HR. The compliance lead who just got blindsided by a state inspector. The cultivator scaling from one license to three.
Every post is real work with real cannabis operators. The math is real. The advice is what we'd say in a discovery call, written down so you can read it before you call us.
Dealer's
Diary
“What should we pay a budtender?” This cannabis salary guide 2026 exists because we get some version of that question almost every week. Sometimes it’s a budtender question. Sometimes it’s “are we underpaying our managers?” Sometimes it’s “why can’t we fill this role at the salary we posted?” Sometimes it’s “should an AGM really make […]
September 23, 2026
Four years. That’s how long it took workers at a Springfield, Missouri dispensary to get a ratified union contract after they voted to unionize, and the reason for the wait has nothing to do with the union and everything to do with who owned the building. This is a cannabis union contract delay story, and it’s a due diligence story for anyone buying a unionized cannabis business.
September 4, 2026
This post is informational only. Massachusetts’s cannabis social equity program eligibility, deadlines, and requirements are set by the Cannabis Control Commission and can change. Confirm current details directly with the CCC before advising a client or candidate on eligibility. Most operators read “cannabis social equity program” and think licensing. That’s only half of what Massachusetts […]
September 1, 2026
This post is informational and reflects patterns we have observed across cannabis operator engagements. It is not legal, tax, or hiring compliance advice. Consult licensed employment counsel and your state cannabis control commission for specific guidance on badging timelines and hiring compliance in your operating states. Labor Day is two to three weeks away. If […]
August 29, 2026
Cannabis M&A HR Playbook 2026: 6 Things Cross-Border Deals Get Wrong
August 26, 2026
Cannabis Events Week of August 24, 2026: Revelry NYC Prep Starts Now
August 24, 2026
This post is informational only. It is not legal advice. Cannabis employment law varies substantially by state, employee role, protected class status, and specific fact pattern. Consult licensed employment counsel before running any termination. If you are already in a live termination scenario, this piece is a framework, not a substitute for a live legal […]
August 21, 2026
This post is informational only. It is not legal advice. Cannabis labor law is being actively litigated at the state and federal level. Consult licensed employment counsel before making decisions based on any specific ruling or its interpretation. A federal judge in Trenton did not say New Jersey cannabis operators should not sign labor peace […]
August 20, 2026
Cannabis operators, HR leads, and industry professionals: here are 7 cannabis events happening the week of August 17 to 23, 2026, curated with a national spread. This week the calendar runs from a Women in Cannabis Expo conference in Reno through a cannabis financial services happy hour in Portland, Oregon, plus a Peter Grinspoon policy […]
