Whether you’re a returning guest or this is your first trip, the 7th Annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo is a can’t-miss event if you want to grow your career or business with confidence. This event is really distinct as it caters to the b2b community, and offers something from everyone from owner, employees, producers, cultivators, growers, processors, retailers and more. This event currently has well over 100 speakers on a variety of topics as well as an large expo floor providing tons of education and networking. We meet up with Aaron Smith who shares with us the details of the conference.
Video Transcription
Harry Brelsford
Hey 420MSP. This is special. I am here with Aaron Smith from the NCIA talking about his mid December cannabis business event in the San Francisco area. How you doing?
Aaron Smith
Great. Thanks for having me.
Harry Brelsford
Great. Great. Well, I’m sure looking forward to going to the event. We’ll talk about that in just a moment about what my dog in the fight is. But what is the seventh annual cannabis business summit and Expo? What’s going on?
Aaron Smith
Well, NCIA is cannabis business of an expo is our flagship annual conference that we have been doing for seven years straight. Well, my guess I should say straight because we didn’t do one last year given the situation. But we are so pleased to be able to come back to in person events and host this event in San Francisco, which is the you know, in so many ways, the heart and soul of the cannabis industry.
Harry Brelsford
Fair enough. Who who should attend? Because it’s clearly not a lifestyle conference? And I’ve seen plenty of those.
Aaron Smith
Yeah, I mean, our events are really distinct, distinct in that we cater to the b2b community. And that’s anybody in the cannabis space business owners employees are those looking to get into the cannabis industry, and not just growers or cultivators, retailers and those that are directly touching the plant. But the scores and scores and scores of the ancillary services and products that are out there servicing this industry will be available on the expo floor and presenting in our three days of educational content.
Harry Brelsford
Well, let me take a stab might I see financial services, law firms, CPA, bookkeepers would when I see professional service providers either attending or on the floor?
Aaron Smith
Yeah, all of the above. And you’ll see, we have well over 100 speakers speaking on all sorts of topics that will help helping business owners to better navigate the complexities of this industry, including accounting issues, legal and compliance issues, you name it, it’ll be at this event.
Harry Brelsford
Great. And talk to me about the trade group in NCIA easy to remember CIA just put an in n front of it. What what is the trade association?
Aaron Smith
Well, we are the national Cannabis Industry Association, we’re the largest and longest running trade association representing cannabis businesses in the US, we started the organization in 2010. So we have been on the ground floor advocating for the policy changes needed to make this industry to ensure the industry can be treated fairly like any other industry, and so that it can reach its full potential. As an economic engineer in this country. We have lobbyists in Washington, DC working on that every day. And we also work to provide education and benefits to our members in order to give them a competitive advantage over those businesses that are just kind of sitting on the sidelines over there.
Harry Brelsford
Yeah, and I’ve seen your logo displayed by other cannabis business entities. So it’s, it’s a it’s a badge of honor. Everybody likes gamification and badges. Right. So is that fair? I’ve seen your logo a fair amount.
Aaron Smith
Yeah, that’s I’m glad to hear that. Well, we’ve been around a long time. And we are, you know, a trusted source of information on cannabis policy and cannabis business best practices. So I’m glad to hear you’re seeing the logo. And yeah, our members are proud not just to be members of NCIA. But just proud to be building America’s next green industry here.
Harry Brelsford
Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So back to the my dog in the fight. What I’m interested in in the conference primarily, is the investor track. You want to speak towards that? Because that’s a fairly robust coursework we’re offering you have over a couple days.
Aaron Smith
Yeah, absolutely. I’m really proud to be bringing the cannabis into the, into the into the fold with our event for the third year running, I believe. And, you know, cannabis is an opportunity for those both, you know, both investors and institutional investor and family offices that are looking to connect with entrepreneurs, industry and for entrepreneurs to connect with investors. And just to learn about a very, you know, this is a very complicated industry and not, you know, this, this is very highly regulated industry, most highly regulated industry. We don’t have the same kind of access to banking and financial institutions that other industries do. And so cannabis is really the place to be for investors and serious, serious, business minded folks looking looking to grow their business. And we’ll be located right inside with the larger event.
Harry Brelsford
Yeah. Yeah and it’s you know it’s it’s a forward thinking invest forward type audience right this is not like other trade shows with more mature industry say the homebuilders show God bless them, you know in Chicago but this this is a fast moving forward looking industry. So, folks again we’re talking about the in CIA’s Cannabis Business Summit Expo, December 15 through 17th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. So, Aaron, I’m looking forward to meet you live. I’m excited.
Aaron Smith
Yeah, I can’t wait. I can’t wait to see you there. And really encourage everybody come out and connect with the community. This has just been such an exciting industry. It’s been a lot. It’s been a hard year and a half but, you know, cannabis is one of the you know, really one of the bright spots there. So, look forward to seeing you too.
Harry Brelsford
Alrighty, so folks, CannabisBusinessSummit.com Thank you very much, Aaron.
Aaron Smith
Thank you.
