We were lucky to catch up with Sara Gullickson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sara, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

As a national consulting firm for the cannabis industry, one of our secrets to success is our team’s expertise. I’ve been in the industry for ten years and my colleague, Maxime Kot, who serves as President at The Cannabis Business Advisors, has seven years of experience. We’ve been consulting for cannabis companies, brands, entrepreneurs and business owners since the beginning. Even though there are more consulting firms now than there were a decade ago, I feel our industry background continues to set us apart. Along with our expertise, we’ve also remained a boutique group, which really allows us to work with applicant who we believe will help the industry thrive.

Sara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The Cannabis Business Advisors is a national consulting firm that provides strategic business guidance for cannabis license applicants and current license holders throughout all stages of growth. We offer a comprehensive suite of services, including application and licensing preparation, operational analysis, merger and acquisition support, policy and procedures, exit strategy guidance, and business development planning. We are also in the process of launching a digital platform with educational course content to help entrepreneurs learn how to take the first step in opening a dispensary. When I first started out at 27, I didn’t look at the cannabis industry as a career opportunity, I was just trying to make ends meet. Ultimately, the industry offered both opportunities and challenges, a working environment that I thrive in. There was also an added layer of interest knowing I had a role in shaping a new industry.

One of the things I am most proud of is how I’ve evolved throughout my career in cannabis. I’ve built and scaled businesses, selling my first venture to a publicly traded company. My industry successes have allowed me to take time away, have my two children, and eventually return to my professional career with a fresh perspective and new businesses to grow.

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

I sold my first consulting business after eight years. It was something that happened organically and I definitely took steps before selling to make it more appealing to prospective buyers. One thing I would recommend to entrepreneurs is that they should always have an exit strategy, even when they first start their business. Another important factor to consider when building a company is the value of developing multiple revenue streams. With my first company, I created an online marketplace to generate passive income. This showed my company had the potential for further sustainable growth without additional hiring needs. When you are ready to sell, it’s essential to put together a down to earth valuation so that it is appealing.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

After stepping away from the industry for a few years to start a family, I decided to revisit my entrepreneurial endeavors establishing The Cannabis Business Advisors in 2020. It was definitely an eye-opening experience since the cannabis space had changed so much in a short period of time. It was also the beginning of the pandemic which completely restructured how business is executed. It made me reevaluate how we operated as a firm and pushed me to develop some innovative new products and services that would allow more people to benefit from our consulting expertise remotely.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saralgullickson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCBAdvisors/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saragullickson/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecbadvisors
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcAg19h-ZSVdBhKbv-9M3Ug
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/thecbadvisors/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/thecbadvisors/

Image Credits
Carl Schultz