Blog
A deep dive into cannabis cultivation - Vangst Vertical Series
Without the cannabis plant, there’s no cannabis industry. From products like flower, concentrates, edibles and tinctures to entire sectors of the industry from manufacturing to retail, everything starts with the plant.
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Inclusive Policies and Practices for a Stronger Workplace
This series is meant to set the stage for the critical work ahead of us. By starting conversations here and continuing them in our circles, we can all take impactful actions towards a more Just, Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive industry.
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Navigating Cannabis Careers in Marketing and Sales
Now is the time to consider a cannabis career, and how your current skills might translate to the marketing and sales jobs within brands and businesses working to claim market share and attract loyal customers.
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How new and changing cannabis market regulations affect jobs and consumer trends
Staying up to date with state-specific cannabis market regulations can be overwhelming, but is crucial in understanding their impacts on both the job market and for consumers.
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State of Cannabis Legalization: What’s Happening in 2021
Cannabis legalization continues to be a popular political and cultural issue in the country with more plans for legalization than ever before. It’s an exciting time to be in cannabis, and from the state level to the federal level, reform initiatives and legalization status is changing quickly.
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How to Break Into the Cannabis Industry
Every year, the cannabis industry continues to grow with more opportunities, more positions, and more potential than ever before. Here’s your guide for how to break into this growing and exciting industry.
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How to become a budtender
If you’re familiar with the cannabis industry, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with the position of the budtender. As one of the most visible jobs in cannabis, the budtender is essential to how dispensaries operate and is often a great way to get your start in the cannabis business. We created this guide for anyone who’s interested in how to get started as a budtender.
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How to build your resume for the cannabis industry
No matter your career, and no matter if you’re breaking in or leveling up, your resume is an essential tool in finding the right job. Cannabis jobs are certainly no exception. But when it comes to building your resume for the cannabis industry, there are some go-to tips that help put you on the top of the pile.
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How to Work in the Cannabis Industry – Requirements by State
While cannabis is becoming more universal in the U.S. with more states legalizing every year, there’s still no universal way to work in the industry. Each state has its own unique set of rules and requirements needed to work in cannabis.
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LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Representation, from Mainstream to Cannabis
Ben Mervis breaks down recent changes in queer representation and applies a thoughtful look into LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in the cannabis industry.
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Stoner Stereotypes and Stigmas
Stereotypes usually develop from a lack of personal knowledge, examples, and experience. Stigmas are created by perpetuating these stereotypes and enforced by minds that are closed to evolving with new information.
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Vangst Turns High Five
Vangst. Five years in the making and still going strong. A brief stroll down memory lane and a huge thank you to our friends, family, partners.
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So You Wanna Be A Cannabis Brand Ambassador
Skills and advice for entering and advancing in the career.
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Cannabis Careers in Emerging Markets: New Jersey
The New Jersey emerging cannabis market is one of the most-talked about in the industry right now. And for very good reason.
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3 Tips for Getting Started in Cannabis
Landing your dream job is hard. When that dream job is in an emerging, highly-regulated industry, it can feel even harder. Whether you’re looking to break in, or just level up, here’s our guide to get you closer to where you want to be – one easy step at a time.
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Your Go-To Cannabis Industry Resources
There’s no shortage of resources out there for gathering the latest info on cannabis news. But knowing where to start can be difficult. And finding sites that are reputable can feel like an insurmountable obstacle. That's where this list can help.
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2021 Top Cannabis Companies to Work For
From positive company cultures to amazing benefits to ample opportunities for growth, these 20 companies represent what we all love about working in cannabis.
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The Pros and Cons of Cannabis Vertical Integration
Vertical integration is a term that’s thrown around a lot in the business world, yet not everyone truly understands what it means. In short, vertical integration is when a business owns every stage of its supply chain.
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Vangst Member Spotlight: Cannabis Connections
Knowing where to start when it comes to networking is easier said than done. Even a new industry like cannabis is no exception. We're here to introduce you to some of our coolest new members.
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The ABCs of Cannabis Acronyms
Whether it’s EOD, PTO or WFH, acronyms are a part of every business and the cannabis industry is certainly no exception. And while THC and CBD are the most widely known cannabis acronyms, there’s a whole world of cannabis-related lingo used every day in grow houses, dispensaries, offices, labs and more.
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Cannabis on Clubhouse: Our Club Recommendations
If you were to ask anybody what the hottest app is right now, they’d all say Clubhouse. But what is Clubhouse, how do you get in, and what are the best clubs to follow? Here’s all the information you need to know about cannabis conversations happening on Clubhouse.
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How to Get Your Colorado MED Badge in 4 Simple Steps
So you want to work in cannabis in Colorado? Check out these 4 easy steps to getting your MED badge in colorado.
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Top 8 Cannabis Career Kickstarter FAQs
Ever attended one of Vangst's Cannabis Career Kickstarters? If not, you're missing out on direct access to the Vangst recruiters. Any questions that you have on finding a career in cannabis, we are here to help answer.
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Vangst Member Spotlight: Mali Walsh, Cannabis Sales Manager
Mali Walsh joined the cannabis industry seven years ago. In that time, she developed relationships with hundreds of companies.
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Here are the Top Cannabis Jobs Now Hiring and Their Salaries
If you want to know how much money you can make working in cannabis, you've come to the right place. It's vital to know your worth when navigating the cannabis job market. And with insights from the 2020 Vangst Cannabis Industry Salary Guide, you'll learn how you measure up.
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How to Land a Cannabis Job in an Emerging Market
Job creation is expected to grow as more and more states - like New Jersey and Arizona - legalize medical and adult-use cannabis. Vangst’s team of expert talent managers are here to share advice on every phase of the hiring process. Follow along with this primer to get you started on your next cannabis career stop.
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15 Tips for Networking in Cannabis
As if building your network and marketing yourself in the cannabis industry wasn’t already challenging enough, COVID has certainly compounded the issue now that face-to-face meetups are out of the question.
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What Newly Legalized States Mean for Cannabis Jobs
In order to give the scope of what legalization means to the creation of cannabis jobs, Vangst has built a model to project job growth in New Jersey, Arizona, Montana, South Dakota, and Mississippi. The algorithm takes into account all plant-touching (companies operating within cultivation, manufacturing, lab/extraction, retail, or delivery sectors) and ancillary (non-plant touching cannabis operations including staffing, data/analytics, payroll, business operations, services, and technology). It weighted population size, potential market size, and current jobs trends, assuming a semi-aggressive onlining process.
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Ask a Cannabis Insider: Why is Q4 the Best Time of Year to Start Hiring?
In a rapidly growing industry like the cannabis space, freezing your end-of-year hires could actually cost you exceptional job candidates. This guide will show you why you should make hiring a priority in Q4 and how to clear common hurdles related to recruiting.
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Meet All Your Hiring Needs at the Vangst Virtual Cannabis Career Fair
No matter what level of seniority you’re seeking, whether short-term or long-term, Vangst has innovative solutions to get you connected with the right person for the right job. Registering for a digital booth at this year’s Career Fair lets employers collect resumes, screen and follow up with every candidate, showcase their brand, create in-booth conversations, and chat in a virtual networking hub.
ViewWhat You Need to Know about the Vangst 2020 Cannabis Career Fair
If you want to know how to get a job in the cannabis industry, look no further than this upcoming job fair from Vangst, the premier talent resource for the cannabis industry. There's a place in cannabis for everyone - find yours.
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Top 6 Translatable Skills to Add to Your Cannabis Resume
Vangst is here to help you break down the top translatable skills to add to your resume if you want to start a career in the cannabis industry. When cultivated, these hard and soft skills just may be the key to your success.
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Croptober 101: How to Land a Cannabis Job this Croptober Season
Want to get your foot in the door of the cannabis industry but don't know where to start? Then it's time to get prepared for Croptober! From trimming to packaging, lab and extraction to joint rolling, fall is an ideal time to find hands-on work in cannabis.
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Croptober Hiring: How to Staff Up for Success in One of Cannabis's Busiest Seasons
Croptober hiring is critical to the success of your harvest, but it can also be tricky. That’s why Vangst COO and workforce planning expert Christine Hodgdon is here to help untangle the common challenges encountered when staffing up for one of the busiest seasons in cannabis.
ViewRacial Justice In Cannabis: Meet the Leaders Who Are Making Change Happen
Racial justice in the cannabis industry is all of our responsibility. Watch our previous Live Summit Series panel from Thursday, 6/25 to hear from Last Prisoner Project, 70 Million Jobs, SF Roots, and Mission Green on what needs to be done, and how you can join the fight.
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A Guide to Social Justice and Social Equity in Cannabis
As the scale and urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement grows, it is as important as ever to be conscious, active advocates in the fight to end racism and inequality. Social equity has always been at the core of Vangst’s mission, and the cannabis industry also holds an undeniable responsibility to the cause.
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A Guide to Recruiting Candidates from Other Industries
A Guide to Recruiting Cannabis Candidates From Other Industries. By 2025, the U.S. cannabis industry is projected to exceed $66 billion in revenue. Cannabis jobs increased by 15% year-over-year as of December 2019. And as the industry grows, so is outside interest in joining the world of cannabis.
ViewThe Cannabis Crossover: Building and Becoming the Workforce of Tomorrow
In this week’s Live Summit Series, leading cannabis innovators who’ve made the leap from the mainstream (and the HR pros who have helped them make it) will talk about what it takes to dispel industry stigmas, attract top talent from other industries, and build the winning cannabis workforces of tomorrow.
ViewRadical Change In Crisis Times: Cannabis Innovation & COVID-19
For most industries around the globe, adaptation in the coming months is key to survival, and cannabis is no exception. From retail transformation to drive-through delivery, this week’s Live Summit Series panel will focus on pioneers who are inspiring their teams to embrace radical change in crisis times.
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A View From the Front Lines: A Budtender's Take on Cannabis Retail and COVID-19
In our latest Vangst Summit Series, Vangst Founder and CEO Karson Humiston spoke with cannabis retail leaders across the country to understand what they’re seeing from the frontlines as they lead our essential industry through the aftermath of COVID-19.
ViewA View From The Front Counters: Cannabis Retail and COVID-19
Our 4th Vangst Live Summit Series focuses on the retail experience amidst the changes that COVID-19 has brought to cannabis consumerism, social distancing, and rapidly shifting delivery and operational models within the industry.
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The Cannabis Job Seeker's Guide to Remote Interviewing
For many of us, the new realities of remote interviewing can feel uncomfortable at best. And in the cannabis industry, where many roles don’t require day-to-day desk work, video conferencing technology isn’t always the norm.
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The Cannabis Employer's Guide to Interviewing & Onboarding
We’ve outlined some easy-to-follow tips below for remote interviewing and hiring, as well as best practices for remotely onboarding a new team member. Like we shared in our recent Remote Work Best Practices post, the goal is to keep your hiring process seamless and continue down the path you were already going!
View#Officelife 2.0: Motivating and Managing Remote Workforces Through Adaptability, Empathy, and Communication
With remote working requirements almost universally in place for cannabis businesses across the nation, finding ways to keep teams well-managed and highly motivated has never been more important.
ViewNew Safety Norms in Cannabis: Extreme Social Distancing, Workplace Safety, and More
Despite uncertain times, this is the cannabis industry’s golden hour to prove its legitimacy as an essential business by setting the standard for safety, compliance, and employee and customer empathy.
ViewOperational Excellence And Leadership During A Crisis
In the first episode of the Vangst Summit Series, we brought together some of Colorado’s top cannabis leaders for a conversation on Operational Excellence in Crisis Times.
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The Ultimate Guide to Working Remote for Cannabis Employers
While the COVID-19 pandemic feels endless right now, there will come a point ... When working remotely, you lose the daily, “how's it going?
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Combating the Effects of COVID-19 in the Cannabis Industry
With rapidly evolving technology for ordering and increased demand for “herbal stress relief,” the industry may have a silver lining.
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Colas, MIPs, and Carb Caps — Learn These Definitions and More in Our Cannabis Terms Glossary
From acronyms to jargon, understanding cannabis lingo can feel like learning a new language. Whether you’re new to the industry or simply looking to expand upon your current cannabis knowledge, you can bookmark this guide to sharpen your industry skills at any time.
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Should You Hide Cannabis Experience on Your Resume?
The cannabis industry is an incredible place to grow your career. But sometimes, plans change, moving is inevitable, or the industry just simply isn’t the right fit. If you find yourself looking outside the industry for a new career, you may question if including your cannabis experience in your resume is the right move. While there’s no one size fits all answer to this question, cannabis industry experience is a valuable resume builder.
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How to Combat High Turnover in the Cannabis Industry
Why do employees leave their job? It’s a question that plagues businesses both within the cannabis industry and across the greater workforce. Employees report frustration with compensation, feeling undervalued and a lack of opportunity for advancement as top reasons for leaving.
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7 Women Who Helped Shaped the Cannabis Industry
Women have played an important role throughout history, and cannabis is no exception. From activists to entrepreneurs, women have helped pave the way for legal cannabis. In 2019, women make up 38.5% of the cannabis industry. Women representation is crucial in every workplace, especially in the still-forming cannabis sector. Diverse teams continually outperform homogeneous ones — inclusivity benefits everyone. In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting some incredible women who’ve helped transform cannabis.
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Are There Still Jobs in the Cannabis Industry?
New cannabis industry jobs are becoming available each day. Cannabis industry hiring is at an all-time high for many positions, making this the perfect time to join the industry.
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Work SMARTer in 2020 With This Setting Worksheet
Unlike most New Year’s resolutions, goal setting for your cannabis company should be a little bit more specific than “stop ordering munchies after midnight.”
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Cannabis Legalization Could Be Coming to These States in 2020
With the presidential elections on the horizon, cannabis legalization is a hot topic during debates. New York and New Jersey look promising for legalizing adult-use cannabis in 2020, while a handful of other states (like Oklahoma, Vermont, Arizona and others) remain optimistic for 2020 cannabis legalization.
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2020 Cannabis Industry Predictions – The Future Looks Green
2019 was a tough year for cannabis, but 2020 is filled with new opportunities. Although the industry faced a barrage of uphill battles, U.S. cannabis retail sales continued to skyrocket into the $12+ billion range for 2019, proving that the demand for cannabis and hemp products is still at an all-time high. As the industry continues to grow, cannabis will undoubtedly face more challenges.
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Biggest Changes to the Cannabis Industry in 2019
2019 was a trying year for cannabis. Between the vape crisis, layoffs, market over-evaluations and more, the cannabis industry weathered a barrage of public uncertainty. It wasn’t all seeds and stems, however.
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How Much Can You Make as a Budtender?
We collected the average pay for budtenders from legal cannabis businesses across the U.S. Budtenders are typically paid hourly. From our data, we found that budtenders make on average, $14.90 per hour. Some companies pay closer to $12.50 per hour, while others paid up to $18 per hour. The compensation depends on the location, experience and company.
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Hot Jobs in the Cannabis Industry for 2020
Our salary guide uncovered some of the hottest cannabis jobs in store for 2020. Some industry classics like budtender jobs remain steady, while new positions like delivery drivers, sales reps and more are starting to gain traction. Dispensary jobs are still in demand as more states continue to legalize.
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Ramping Up – A Guide to 30/60/90 Day Plans
You’ve made an exciting new hire — now what? Finding the right match is only the beginning. Ensuring the success of your employees requires thorough on-boarding planning and continual workforce planning. Invest in your new hire by taking the time to outline his or her 30/60/90 day goals.
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The 2019 Cannabis Industry Salary Guide is Here!
The 2019 Cannabis Industry Salary Guide is here! Check out salaries from some of the most popular positions in the cannabis industry.
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Green Friday and Weed Wednesday - Why You Can't Miss These Two Holidays
Green Friday is one of the most profitable days of the year for retail cannabis companies. Taking place the day after Thanksgiving, dispensaries that participate in Green Friday provide deep discounts on popular cannabis products.
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Marketing in the Cannabis Industry Series| Guide to Digital Marketing
Digital marketing for cannabis related brands is tricky business.We’ve compiled a list of some of the most effective (and less policed) ways to advertise your cannabis business online.
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What is Croptober?
If you’re familiar with cannabis, chances are you’ve heard of the infamous 4/20 holiday. Maybe you’ve heard of its cousin, the concentrate celebration 7/10. But what’s Croptober? While it sounds like a month-long cannabis celebration, it’s not quite the Oktoberfest contender of our dreams.
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4 Reasons Why a Temporary GIG Can Help Your Career
When planning your next career move, various opportunities may present themselves across job boards, company websites and recruiter communications. With all of that opportunity, it’s easy to fall into the habit of excluding certain positions. You may glaze over temporary or contract work, but there are valuable opportunities in these types of positions you may be missing.
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Marketing in the Cannabis Industry Series | 4 Ways to Make Your Product Stand Out in Dispensaries
As legalization continues to trickle throughout the United States, new businesses are looking to industry leaders for effective marketing tactics. Our Marketing in the Cannabis Industry series aims to provide proven, effective marketing solutions for brands looking to disrupt the industry.
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The History of Cannabis: the Marijuana Prohibition is Over
When people picture the Prohibition Era, they often overlook alcohol’s greener contemporary, also scrutinized during the same era – cannabis.
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Do I Tell Them I'm Gay? Coming out in a Professional Work Environment
It’s never easy walking into a new work environment. Will anyone have the same interests as you? Will they find your organization quirks strange? Will they question or pry into your sexual orientation? That last question isn’t something all of us have to deal with.
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How to Get Into the Cannabis Industry – 5 Tips From an Industry Recruiter
I had just moved into my new adult apartment and my neighbor, who seemed to have everything together told me he worked in cannabis. At first, I was taken back by the fact that someone working in cannabis had his own two-bedroom apartment in the middle of the city. Quickly I learned that the cannabis industry was extremely lucrative, and I needed to be a part of it.
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Vangst Proudly Announces it's New Partnership With Make Green GO the Week of Oaklands's Second Annual Equity Summit
Vangst is proud to announce a partnership with Make Green Go!, a woman and black owned cannabis consultant firm in Oakland, California. Make Green Go! was the first in the country to be awarded a contract to offer technical assistance to assist cannabis equity applicants.
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Top 10 Things to Do for 420 This Year
Being 5, 280 ft. above sea level earned Denver its nickname of the Mile High City. Being the hub of legal weed gave the name a whole new meaning that made it stick for good. With cannabis legalization booming, Denver and many other cities across the nation are gearing up to make this 420 the greenest holiday in history.
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Vangst 2019 Women in Cannabis Report
Cannabis recruiting platform Vangst surveyed top cannabis companies to find out how many women work in the legal weed industry.
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Featured Company of the Week: Northeast Alternatives
Some of the most successful endeavors are spawned from matters of the heart. Founder and CEO Chris Harkins was inspired to create medical cannabis dispensary Northeast Alternatives (NEA) after the devastating loss of his mother to cancer and his father’s subsequent cancer diagnosis.
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Featured Company of the Week: Mary's Medicinals
Mary's Medicinals is a leader in cannabis-based pain relief. Their mission is to advance the global understanding, acceptance, and adoption of cannabis and other plant-based medicines.
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Featured Company of the Week: Mule Extracts
Mule Extracts is an artisan cannabis processor dedicated to bringing the true taste to extracted cannabis to consumers.
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Featured Company of the Week: Green Tank Technologies
We get it, world – you vape. And you deserve to be doing it right. The idea for Green Tank Technologies was born when future CEO Dustin Koffler noticed his friends were vaping cannabis extract out of outdated vape hardware at his best friend’s wedding in 2015.
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Featured Company of the Week: Cannabiz Media
“The [cannabis] industry is like the wild west – everybody is charging toward a new horizon but it’s still fairly disorganized,” said Cannabiz Media President Schwartz. “Cannabiz Media’s goal is simple: bring order to the chaos.”
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Featured Company of the Week: Good Meds
There is no denying the healing properties of cannabis. From overall pain relief to more serious treatments for medical disorders like epilepsy and anxiety, cannabis can help almost everyone in some way or another. In Colorado, 88,000 individuals reap the benefits of this plant as registered patients of the medical cannabis program.
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The 2018 Cannabis Industry Salary Guide is Here!
Vangst published the cannabis industry's first ever Salary Guide to report on salaries and benefits for the hottest roles in the industry.
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Featured Company of the Week: Dutchie
Ross Lipson saw an opportunity to create a solution in the cannabis space. He is the co-founder and CEO of Dutchie, an online cannabis pickup and delivery service.
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Featured Company of the Week: Wurk
After hearing complaints that various the cannabis companies had been dropped by various payroll and HR service providers, Wurk founder Keegan Peterson realized that there were no compliant, cannabis-specific workforce management solutions serving the needs of the industry.
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Featured Company of the Week: Cresco Labs
The cannabis industry is infamous for heavy regulation, and the legalization of medical cannabis in Illinois proved no exception. The founders of Cresco Labs decided to embrace this regulation rather than fight it and started the company in 2013!
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How to Get a Job in the Cannabis Industry
Have you been wondering how to get job in the (awesome) cannabis industry? Vangster Kyle Arfsten breaks it down for you with tons of great tips and information here!
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Cannabis Staffing, Done Right!
Welcome To The Vangst Talent Network Blog! We are a recruiting firm that provides cannabis companies across the globe with qualified, professional talent that help make their company dreams a reality.
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Do's and Don't of Breaking into the Cannabis Industry
This week we will discuss the Do’s and Don’ts of Breaking into the Cannabis Industry. These tips can be applied to networking events, building a social profile, applying for jobs, and attending interviews. As a cannabis job seeker or someone interested in exploring the industry, it is important to put your best foot forward and make the most out of each experience.
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Where are All the East Coast Cannabis Jobs?
While Marijuana jobs are abundant in Colorado, California, and the west coast, the remainder of the cannabis industry is beginning to expand into the Midwest and the East coast. Job seekers may begin to get restless due to the lack of cannabis jobs outside of directly touching the plant, however, Vangst Talent Network is here to say that there are many jobs related to the marijuana industry available for talent across the country.
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