Dispensary owners, I request your advice on getting my foot in the door

[manlady]

So I have an investor lined up and in for the idea of possibly moving out of state to one of the 16 legal medical marijuana states (probably Colorado or California; currently live in Texas). He's not yet informed enough to be convinced that it would be a better idea than his current job which pays all too well. I have been looking all around google and forums like this for at least a week now and seem to be coming across the same replies like "just do your research" but at the same time replies like "there's limited info out there". I'd like to finally get some HELPFUL information that someone like a preexisting store owner has ACTUALLY used themselves and is willing to share with someone serious about taking the first step into a medical marijuana future. The kind of information I am looking for regards the obvious legal complications, and things like expected overhead, growing (tried once and killed all 4 plants because It was all guess work and I was ill-prepared) and the ever so important; where to start and what to do.

As of right now I know the easy basics:
- It's going to be somewhat expensive, but I've seen numbers from 25-250k so I'm not 100% sure where to shoot
- There's a lot of paperwork to be had and a lawyer is advised to hopefully ensure a full and complete legal application(s)
- If opening up a dispensary, you have to form a non-profit LLC and pay a **** load of taxes
- You can either grow your own medicine on site or outsource it from a 3rd party somehow or another

I'd like to get in touch with someone willing to talk to my investor and I via Skype or something like that to better inform us and help convince my investor. I know it sounds like a tall order, but in all of my looking around for information, nothing has really given any straight answers. My investor will probably have quite a bit of questions and can talk business all day so I'm looking for someone up to the task of dealing with us because we are very much so willing to learn.

If you have any information for me or would like to help further than just one post commenting on one thing, please let me know. I am new to this forum so I don't know if you can PM me or if my email is on here for you to email me but let me know somehow and I'll do what I can to get back to you ASAP and we can go from there. Thank you in advance to anybody willing to help! I am quite serious about taking this on.

- Manlady

manlady Reviewed by manlady on 03-16-2012. Dispensary owners, I request your advice on getting my foot in the door So I have an investor lined up and in for the idea of possibly moving out of state to one of the 16 legal medical marijuana states (probably Colorado or California; currently live in Texas). He's not yet informed enough to be convinced that it would be a better idea than his current job which pays all too well. I have been looking all around google and forums like this for at least a week now and seem to be coming across the same replies like "just do your research" but at the same time replies Rating: 5

[manlady]

anybody at all??

[jiggsaw]

You should open up here in California around Palm Springs where I live. If you do you should hook me up with a job, I really want to work at a dispensary. They have delivery services out here, I'd be down for that.

[manlady]

Do you happen to know any preexisting dispensary owners? I don't know exactly where we would like to open, it all depends on opening costs, location, overhead, patient count etc. I'm looking for someone to guide us down the right path to opening a dispensary the right and legal way because the information out there is all too scattered and nothing really tells you what to do. The absolute LAST thing I want to do is resort in buying one of those stupid E-books that say they'll tell you everything you need to know and get some useless 200 page pdf file when I could simply team up with someone willing to share their steps to success. If anybody has information I'm looking for please don't hesitate to message/email me.

I know there are websites out there that claim to be able to do everything for you but a)they're expensive and b)I have no idea if they're legit or scams.

[Tuck]

each state has differant laws concerning dispensary and or delivery services, arizona(where i live) allows for out of state mmj cards, where as california does not.

[manlady]

Thanks Tuck, I actually didn't know that~ I wonder if any other states allow out of state mmj cards other than just Arizona.

[painretreat]

I am not sure I'd just pull up and go anywhere.

The iehwc (collective in Riverside) did in fact have a lawyer through all phase's to set up. It is currently undergoing a 'case' review with the State Supreme Court of Calif.:

The laws are fuzzy and the local law (here in South Calif. I.E.) is currently trying to make laws that all plants for patients be grown ON THE site of the collectives, etc.

The mmj law here is the oldest around and incomplete with details that are questionable. Due to local enforcement. It has been apparent that if the State law precludes the Federal law, then the local areas feel their "local" laws can do whatever they please without any enforcement from any governing law above it.

All these things are being fought in the courts here. As far as Colorado: I would even like to live there, now! If it weren't for the snow and cold in Colorado--I'd be a ghost here! :rasta: pr

[weeddaddy50]

Manlady...where do I begin....you do understand that collectives are being closed by the federal government.....big ones...Collectives who have been in business for more than 15 years and have major $$$$ to pay the legal bills....IE Marin Alliance and Berkley Patients Group....this is happening in both California & Colorado.....

Its not a simple as being a stoner and saying I want to open a dispensary...and Just google it and BAM....your done.....That is how people get in major trouble.

You should Google "Northstone organics collective" in mendo....and see what happened to them.....they were a model collective....with the blessing of the local
sheriff....and got busted....watch the video...

I my town there were 13 collectives last year and there are 0 now.....all closed down...all raided....all bank accounts seized.....all waiting to be charged or not be charged....does not matter...the bank accounts are still seized.

What experience do you have?????

Why would you want to expose your investor to a business climate that is changing.....He could lose everything and go to jail.

Belive me....I am a boutique grower...with a small collective....and this business is a grind.....it just a farming job....and super hard work...

Can it be done by an outsider.....sure......the green rush continues.....I have met like 10 people like you in the last 6 months....they think....move to California
grow 99 plants outdoors....harvest 3 lbs per plant....300 lbs sell it for 3500 a lb and make a million dollars.....

really it's pretty funny......that is not realistic.....

Good luck in your endevor.

So I have an investor lined up and in for the idea of possibly moving out of state to one of the 16 legal medical marijuana states (probably Colorado or California; currently live in Texas). He's not yet informed enough to be convinced that it would be a better idea than his current job which pays all too well. I have been looking all around google and forums like this for at least a week now and seem to be coming across the same replies like "just do your research" but at the same time replies like "there's limited info out there". I'd like to finally get some HELPFUL information that someone like a preexisting store owner has ACTUALLY used themselves and is willing to share with someone serious about taking the first step into a medical marijuana future. The kind of information I am looking for regards the obvious legal complications, and things like expected overhead, growing (tried once and killed all 4 plants because It was all guess work and I was ill-prepared) and the ever so important; where to start and what to do.

As of right now I know the easy basics:
- It's going to be somewhat expensive, but I've seen numbers from 25-250k so I'm not 100% sure where to shoot
- There's a lot of paperwork to be had and a lawyer is advised to hopefully ensure a full and complete legal application(s)
- If opening up a dispensary, you have to form a non-profit LLC and pay a **** load of taxes
- You can either grow your own medicine on site or outsource it from a 3rd party somehow or another

I'd like to get in touch with someone willing to talk to my investor and I via Skype or something like that to better inform us and help convince my investor. I know it sounds like a tall order, but in all of my looking around for information, nothing has really given any straight answers. My investor will probably have quite a bit of questions and can talk business all day so I'm looking for someone up to the task of dealing with us because we are very much so willing to learn.

If you have any information for me or would like to help further than just one post commenting on one thing, please let me know. I am new to this forum so I don't know if you can PM me or if my email is on here for you to email me but let me know somehow and I'll do what I can to get back to you ASAP and we can go from there. Thank you in advance to anybody willing to help! I am quite serious about taking this on.

- Manlady

[manlady]

Oh wow I had no idea it was already turning around like that. Is this collectives everywhere or just city/state specific through votes or something? I know it's not as easy as looking up information and starting one, that's why I was looking for others with prior experience in the matter to shed some light on the situation for me. I have little, in fact failed, experience in growing which has taught me what not to do and has led me to sites like these to take notes on others' success stories.

With what you've said, I now realize I definitely DON'T want to risk his current position for something that unsure and currently unlikely to succeed. I definitely don't think along the lines of moving to cali to plant 100 plants and hope to get 3lbs per plant etc, but I will admit if it worked like that I'd have done it already, or at least tried Thank you weeddaddy for the warning and reality check, I will be looking more in to the current mmj economy.

[Bloomin Idiot]

Can it be done by an outsider.....sure......the green rush continues.....I have met like 10 people like you in the last 6 months....they think....move to California
grow 99 plants outdoors....harvest 3 lbs per plant....300 lbs sell it for 3500 a lb and make a million dollars.....

really it's pretty funny......that is not realistic.....

.

No truer words spoken, Weeddaddy.

I think the best business model I seen the co-op buys from patient providers. They pay low ball prices and only take the best medicine coming in, then turn it for top dollar, buying as they need it. No growing, no big stock to hold in house and ability to cherry-pick allowing a reputation as a great medicine provider. Brilliant in my eyes. I think the city reported them as doing 28M in sales last year.

But yea, I don't think I would risk mine or someone else's money on the adventure in the current market, fed jail time and loosing any gains to the DEA would be a real consideration.