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RSPA launched a learning platform for a way for its members to access online courses that are industry specific and industry focused.    By leveraging experts in their community they are able to build courses, for their members to take, interact with,  and learn from.  Be sure to check out the RSPA’s educational materials specific to IT in the cannabis industry. 

Video Transcription

Harry Brelsford 

A dawn out to the Cannatech group. We’re back. We’re back with a new name. We all know about that we were 420MSP. We rebranded as The Cannatech Group. We already had that podcast. But we’re back with RSPA, who has not rebranded with Jim and Kathy, how are both you doing Happy New Year?

Jim Roddy 

Happy New Year Harry. Alright.

Harry Brelsford 

Alright, so let’s talk content, curriculum and content. What are you guys doing over there? You’re doing a heck of a lot of curriculum development in the cannabis field.

Jim Roddy 

We are Kathy, you want to talk about excelerate? In general?

Kathy Meader 

Sure. So probably the middle of last year the Association launched, what is our first ever learning management platform. So it’s a way for our members. Yeah, okay, to access online courses that are industry specific, industry focused. And then the other thing that we started to do in conjunction with that is build very specific retail IT industry curriculum. And we do that by leveraging the experts in our community, we work with them, and we build courses that people can take, they can interact with, and learn from. And the this is content that you can’t really buy anywhere else, because it’s so specific to what we are doing in the retail it space. And one of the places that we’ve really accelerated, which is happens to be the name of the platform, that’s what we’re calling it. So there was a pun intended, one of the places where we’ve really accelerated production of content is in the cannabis arena. So we’ve created I think we’re working on our third or fourth original piece of education. And the topics that we’ve been covering are anywhere from just kind of a basic introduction to can attack, and what the opportunity is, for members who are not as familiar with it. And we’ve kind of moved up from there. And we’ve talked about qualities of successful bars in this space. We’re working on some overviews and in depth explanations of the technology that helps to run the dispensaries and how that all works together and bundling. And then we’ve also on Jimmy might have to help me with this on one of our one of our recent cannabis community meetings. We had Dr. Paul Seaborneand my saying that,

Jim Roddy 

Oh, yeah.  friend of a friend of Harry’s pod

Kathy Meader 

that’s for sure. There we go. So he spoke with us. And so we were able to record that and put that out there for members as well. So we’re building unique education content. And right now we’re really focused. We’ve got a lot of content that we’re developing in the cannabis arena.

Harry Brelsford 

No. And Jim with your July, the large conference retail now I believe it is will you have a cannabis number one will you have a cannabis track number two, will you be leveraging some of this content?

Jim Roddy 

So to Yes, yes, yes to all of your questions there. So at retail now, which is our annual tradeshow draws Around 2000 people this year at some looking at my calendar July 24 through 26th and that’s going to be in Orlando. We are going to have a cannabis education track. And a lot of it is based on what we learned from our cannabis community. Right which that feeds are accelerated program as Warner cannabis community has now continued to grow. We have over 190 members as well. One other thing that we’re going to have at retail now that’s going to help feed everything that we do Canna tech related is something that’s called Startup alley, we have one for startup ISVs, we have one for startup Canna tech companies, as well. So it’s an opportunity for them to exhibit get on the show floor and really start to meet all the VARs all the software developers, all the vendors, all the payment companies that really make the RSP the special community that it is so yeah, that’s kind of our default. Are you going to do this in Canada tech? And the answer is yes. If it has to do with cannabis and have to do with retail, the RSPA and some of our members are in all likelihood doing it.

Harry Brelsford 

Now, final question. I’ll let y’all run. Is it been your practice to have your July event where there’s places with a lot of humidity?

Jim Roddy 

What so Kathy, you can answer that first?

Kathy Meader 

Well, when we do the RFPs we specifically asked about humidity percentage in mid July. Uh, well, I guess this historically by coincidence, yes, we usually end up somewhere. However, what, because our conferences that meeting is rather large. You know, we do look at, you know, the traditional venues in Orlando and Vegas, which are great. Probably the best places to hold those types of events where everybody can be under one roof so,

Jim Roddy 

and Harry first RSPA event I ever went to was in August, in Reno, Nevada, and the hotel was not connected to the convention center. So you had to walk two blocks in order to do it. And the visual that I give people is, if it’s your summer day, you get in the car, and you turn on the heat and have the hot air blowing you in the hot car. It’s exactly how it felt everyday walking to and from, but now we’re in a Gaylord. And so you basically go in there and you feel no heat, no humidity, for the three days that you’re there for the event. So it’s an oasis among the mugginess that’s sure to be experienced in late July in Orlando.

Harry Brelsford 

Well, just to quickly put a book in this conversation. the prior week in San Francisco will be the in the eighth annual nci cannabis business summit, which I was thrilled to go to in December. And so take that under advisement listeners and in the RSPA yourself, but it’s that’s gonna be Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, of the prior week, and then there’s almost Well, certainly a several day gap before your show begins.

Jim Roddy 

Yeah, great. Looking forward to seeing you at our show, Harry. Yes.

Harry Brelsford 

Thank you. All right. Take care guys.