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
Cannabis hiring in 2026 is harder than it has ever been. Furthermore, the labor pool is smaller than the operator base needs. Multi-state competition for skilled cultivators is intense. Budtender turnover routinely tops 60 percent annually. Meanwhile, the talent pool itself remains constrained by state licensing requirements, background check restrictions, and the simple reality that […]
May 26, 2026
This cannabis market update highlights developments in New York, New Jersey, and Minnesota. New York has surpassed $3.3 billion in retail sales, New Jersey is expanding retail operations and tightening regulations, and Minnesota has launched government-run dispensaries. Operators across these states face significant HR challenges, emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure to ensure success.
May 17, 2026
You spent weeks sourcing candidates. Screened resumes. Ran interviews. Made the offer. Got the yes. Felt good about it. Then came onboarding. Then sixty days later, that hire is gone. No dramatic exit. No blow-up. They just stopped showing up, or they put in their two weeks with some version of “it wasn’t what I […]
