This week, an all-in-one platform for cannabis business owners, Cannabiz Connection, was launched.
The site serves as a social network for âcanna-businessâ owners, as well as a directory of attorneys, consultants, contractors, start-ups, and existing businesses. Itâs meant to be a business accelerator and resource, keeping its members up-to-date on things like local regulations.
âI created the all-in-one Cannabiz Connection platform to help people learn, grow and build successful cannabis careers,â says Founder and CEO, Jamie Cooper.
For now, the site is focused on the Michigan cannabis industry, where Cooper is based, but she plans to expand to other states by the end of 2018.
The Cannabiz Connection community will hold quarterly networking events where canna-business owners, along with consultants and other industry players, can meet and socialize in person. Theyâre also planning an annual Holiday Networking Gala.
In addition, Cannabiz Connection is starting a free weekly webinar series to educate its members on everything related to the cannabis industry. The webinars will be held on Tuesdays from 12-1PM EST, hosted by Founder Jamie Cooper. The first will be held next week, on January 30th, focused on understanding insurance choices and coverage in the cannabis industry. Cooper will be joined by Amanda Kugler and Stephanie Goodman of Bricks and Mortar Cannabis Insurance. Members can register for the webinar here.
Cooper will be joined by our own Editor-in-Chief, Debra Borchardt, on Wednesdays for another weekly broadcast, âCannabiz & Company: Creating Buzz Around Cannabis Business Newsâ. This one doesnât require Cannabiz membership and is to broadcast on Facebook Live every Wednesday at 1 PM EST.
Membership is free to business professionals and gives access to the Cannabiz social network, directory, and business building resources. For those looking to advertise their products or services, like consultants or attorneys, a fee will be required.
Cooper is a cannabis industry expert who is also the Founder of Canna Media Works, a full-service marijuana consulting, advertising, and marketing agency. She was recently named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan by Grand Rapids Business Journal, the only cannabis entrepreneur on the list.
Michigan Marijuana Laws
In November 2008, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Initiative was approved by 62.7% of voters, making Michigan the thirteenth state to legalize medical marijuana. The Michigan Medical Marijuana Initiative decriminalized the cultivation and use of medical marijuana by seriously ill individuals who have obtained a doctorâs approval. It allows patients to grow up to 12 marijuana plants and possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana. Qualified caregivers can grow up to 12 marijuana plants for each patient, with a maximum of five patients per caregiver.
The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol had planned to file petitions with the state after saying it had collected enough signatures to qualify for the 2018 ballot. One problem remains, the group is struggling to pay off the professional firm it hired to gather them. Difficulty in raising money to support the group could signal a lack of support for the initiative.