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NJ Cannabis Insider, NJ.com’s B2B publication and events group covering the state’s legal weed industry, is hosting an all-day conference on Oct. 12 to boost businesses, social-equity operators and entrepreneurs looking to enter or expand in the Garden State’s thriving industry.
It’s second conference of the year, the fall event will feature a keynote from one of the country’s pioneers in the space, Wanda James, as well as other industry leaders, educators and government representatives. Register here.
The day-long conference produced by NJ Cannabis Insider Live will offer informational “CannaTalks” and panels, designed to offer actionable information businesses can apply immediately. Another popular feature is a mid-conference speed-networking session organized to help you connect with the right people to help your business grow and thrive.
Doors open at 9 a.m. with the keynote speaker James, who is the first Black dispensary owner in the U.S., opening the all-day event at 10 a.m. The conference ends at 5 p.m. Tickets ($295) are on sale now for the conference. A select number (10%) of discounted tickets are also available for qualified social equity applicants.
More speakers will be announced in the coming days. In addition to James, speakers so far include:
- Bill Caruso, a partner at Archer Law, is the former executive director of the state Assembly Majority Office, and a prominent fixture in the cannabis industry. He also represents New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform and is on the board of New Jersey CannaBusiness Assn.
- Art Hance, CEO of Hance Construction, state leader in building cannabis grow facilities and dispensaries.
- Kate Juliano, senior account manager and head of Social Equity- NJ at Ascend Wellness Holdings
- Chirali Patel, an attorney and founder of education platform Blaze Responsibly
- Tara “Misu” Sargente, founder and CEO of edibles company Blazin’ Bakery and Green Alchemy, and a board member of the New Jersey CannaBusiness Assn
- Rob Mejia, author, entrepreneur and cannabis instructor at Stockton University, NJ Cannabis Insider columnist
- Ronald Mondello, founder of NJ Municipal Cannabis, is a municipal and land-use attorney
- Ellie Siegel, CEO and founder of the cannabis consulting firm Longview Strategic
- Faye Coleman, CEO of Pure Genesis and Endo Dispensary and Consumption Lounge
Sponsors and vendors so far include:
- Hance Construction, NJ Cannabis Insider founding sponsor, has built and is in the process of building cannabis grow facilities in New Jersey, offering consulting and site-location services
- Simply Pure Trenton NJ is a Ewing-based social equity, adult-use cannabis dispensary owned by acclaimed cannabis advocate Tahir Johnson with a mission is to create a positive, people-centric global cannabis experience through education, inclusion and social justice. The Simply Pure brand was launched by Wanda James.
- Valley Wellness, a full-service dispensary in Raritan, was founded in 2018 by Sarah Trent, who also developed sister company, NJ Cannabis Certified.
- New Jersey Business Action Center, which was founded 40 years ago, has helped a range of businesses, from wineries, apparel manufacturers and medical device suppliers. With its new Cannabis Technical Assistance Program, it will now work on helping entrepreneurs in the space.
- Zenco, secure and cashless payment solutions for cannabis, offering a customizable transaction fee that allows merchants to decide what they want to charge their customers.
- Cova builds innovative retail software solutions specifically for dispensaries. Its POS & Inventory Management platform is designed to simplify compliance, streamline complex dispensary operations, and empower dispensaries to deliver the best possible shopping experience. Based in Denver, Cova is powering more than 1,800 retail locations across North America.
- Cannabis Insider Jobs, in collaboration with NJ Cannabis Insider, is dedicated to helping individuals find a career in the cannabis industry, leveraging its digital presence through NJ.com’s parent company Advance Local.
NJCI’s fall conference bookends a year of standout networking events, an awards show and its sold-out March conference, which featured more than 40 vendors and some 30 speakers.
Topics covered in October will revolve around the current state of New Jersey’s marketplace, focusing on the new category licenses, which will offer more business opportunities for aspiring cannabis companies entering the space. They are:
- Wholesale: to store, buy and/or sell bulk cannabis and cannabis products.
- Distribution: to transport bulk cannabis and cannabis products.
- Delivery: to transport retail purchased cannabis and cannabis products to consumers
Other key areas of discussion include:
- Edibles and manufacturing
- Federal government impact
- Influencing state politics
- Application strategies
- Municipal approval
- Real estate, site control
- Construction, buildouts
- Site operation procedures (SOPs)
We’ll also delve into funding and raising capital, compliance and best practices as well as how your business can stand out in a competitive and expanding market.
As with March, NJ Cannabis Insider will also bring back its Discovery Areas for Women-owned Businesses, Social Equity & Minority-owned Businesses and Education & The Future Workforce.
Click here for more details and to purchase tickets.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact the events staff.
NJ Cannabis Insider is a weekly subscriber-based online trade journal and events group produced by NJ Advance Media, which also publishes NJ.com, The Star-Ledger and other affiliated papers. Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for insider exclusives. Follow us on LinkedIn.