8 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Consultant

Information mined from consultants in the highly-competative cannabis space is gold.
Industry-specific experts are hired by entrepreneurs to offer guidance on starting or expanding their company. Consultants in the cannabis space range from cultivation, to storefront building, marketing, concentration, and entire brand building. For cannabis business owners who are just starting out, and who desire simply to up their commercial cannabis game, consultations are critical. Having a wise team who has been through the regulatory hurdles before gives your company a leg-up on the competition.
RELATED: It's High Time To Clean Up The CBD Industry
Cannabis consultants who are working in the space gift some pieces of advice for those entrepreneurs who may looking to hire a consultant themselves. These experts include craft cannabis brand expert Danny Murr-Sloat, the co-founder of AlpinStash; Kimberly K. Dillon, founder of Frigg as well as a consultant who helped launch household name brands like Papa & Barkley; Stormy Simon, a cannabis industry consultant to came to her former role of CEO at High Times from the C-Suite at Overstock.com; and more.
View our slideshow to find 8 pieces of advice from cannabis consultants for those seeking to work in the CBD and THC marketplaces.
"Do your research."

"Identify your target market."

"Find depth of experience."

"Align values."

"Don’t keep burning through invoices."

"A history of success."

"Ensure you actually like the person."

“Prior to seeking a consultant, you should first go through some internal discovery to understand your organization’s needs and consider if you truly want/need a consultant because hiring a retained and consultative partner is not the same as shopping for a vendor. Then, decide how great the economic pressures are and weigh them against what trade-off’s those economic constraints may mean in terms of the service level received and depth of expertise you are willing to pay for as a couple of examples. We also recommend that you find a group that has succeeded where you wish to go, regardless of the cost involved. In short, your third party consultant should be an absolute expert in their field. Last but not least, ensure you actually like the person/group you will partner with!” — Bryan Passman, Founder of The Hunter + Esquire
"You teach each other."
