The Service Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE, is a national non-profit organization with members who provide free consultation services and advice to business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Members of SCORE are current or retired business owners and corporate executives who specialize in a variety of business skills.
Our special guest this week is a certified SCORE business counselor, who has worked with high-tech New Jersey companies such as AT&T, Perkin Elmer, Telcordia Technologies, and Ericsson. He has also taught business, technical, and math courses at several NJ colleges and universities. In his most recent venture, this special guest is using his skills, knowledge, and experience, to serve the business needs of entrepreneurs and companies interested in becoming involved in the legal recreational cannabis market.
We are joined by Nick Scalera, CEO and Founder of NJ Cannabis Consulting. Nick works with his Cannabis entrepreneur clients to help them understand the many challenges that lie ahead, determine whether the opportunities are right for them, develop and execute the plans and programs necessary to their success.
Tune in for this crazy conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.
Johnny introduces Nick Scalera, a business counselor that consults those in the cannabis industry. Nick talks about the most pressing issues in the cannabis industry, such as regulation laws on cannabis licenses, nepotism when trying to get these micro-licenses, the risks associated with a cannabis business, and real estate complications.
Johnny and Nick talk about the changes going on in cannabis law in New Jersey, since they recently legalised recreational marijuana. Most of NJ Cannabis Counseling’s job is preparing people for their business more than actually getting a marijuana license, since the laws regarding licenses are still up in the air. Nick talks about a lot of misconceptions about beginning a cannabis business, and a lot of mistakes people make when seeking to start their business. He also talks about weeding out “sketchy” and unreliable clients. He talks about his hopes that the recreational cannabis license will be less extensive than the medical marijuana license, since the goal of legalising marijuana recreationally would be to give the “every-man” a chance to make money in the cannabis industry, where the medical marijuana industry is largely filled with people already active in business.
Nick and Johnny talk about Nick’s personal motivations towards entering the cannabis industry in consulting. Nick mentions that he’s never tried cannabis before, but after hearing about the medical advantages of cannabis, he was “sucked in” to the culture. Johnny talks about his experience as a public school teacher. He urges people to become educated about cannabis, specifically because of its medical benefits. Nick talks about his partner Jeff Shapiro, who has the experience he lacks with regards to growing and using marijuana.
Nick talks about why he recommends talking to a consultant when trying to break into the cannabis industry more so than other industries, saying that it levels the playing field for those trying to get a micro- license since consultants will have experience within the industry, and will be able to connect clients to lawyers, and other experts a new business may need.
00:00:36.540 --> 00:00:48.360 Jonny Tsunami: Hello everybody i'm Johnny tsunami, and this is planet taco low low your world of cannabis For those of you who don't know taco low low is hawaiian slang for crazy tobacco.
00:00:48.840 --> 00:01:02.850 Jonny Tsunami: Also, known as marijuana but this show is about removing the crazy from cannabis, by removing the stigmas stereotypes and taboos and uncovering diving deep into this illustrious plant today.
00:01:03.210 --> 00:01:18.270 Jonny Tsunami: I have a special guest, Mr nick's galera with nj cannabis consulting he's here today to kind of talk to us a little bit about his business and how he consults different people in New Jersey cannabis, as we know.
00:01:18.780 --> 00:01:24.510 Jonny Tsunami: Now that the state has gone wreck New Jersey, is the place to be Nick Thank you and welcome to the show.
00:01:24.930 --> 00:01:26.370 nick scalera: My pleasure to be here.
00:01:26.850 --> 00:01:32.580 Jonny Tsunami: So Nick do me a favor, besides being the CEO and founder of nj cannabis consulting.
00:01:32.910 --> 00:01:45.990 Jonny Tsunami: you're working with the score business counselor you're working with the Canada business association with New Jersey so you're you're doing a lot just give me a little bit of background of yourself Indians Joe okay.
00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:47.010 sure.
00:01:48.120 --> 00:02:01.380 nick scalera: My background is corporate America initially I was a computer guy and then I got into the business world and worked primarily for big companies, although some medium and small companies along the way, and then.
00:02:02.550 --> 00:02:09.750 nick scalera: the.com I was working for went out of business and I decided to hang out a shingle as a business consulting applying a lot of the.
00:02:10.230 --> 00:02:14.640 nick scalera: Skills and tools that I had developed in the corporate world and i've been doing that.
00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:31.740 nick scalera: For a number of years and then fill Murphy was running for governor and he was talking about legalizing cannabis and I thought this could be a wonderful opportunity, so I did my due diligence and decided, yes, this is something that I wanted to get into so I formed the company.
00:02:32.940 --> 00:02:36.930 nick scalera: got a website get some business cards join the association.
00:02:38.610 --> 00:02:45.720 nick scalera: figured out what was going on in the state what had gone on the State before I even got in the medical program what apparently was coming down the road.
00:02:46.170 --> 00:02:54.600 nick scalera: On the the adult use side took my story on the road went to public libraries, chambers of commerce, talking about.
00:02:55.110 --> 00:03:05.310 nick scalera: Legal cannabis in New Jersey past present future and talked about the stakeholders, the challenges the opportunities for the kind of businesses and the ancillary businesses that would benefit.
00:03:05.820 --> 00:03:24.330 nick scalera: from selling their products and services to these these new businesses, which would apparently as been reported grow to be a $3 billion company in New Jersey only and enhance the nj in the name of my company at the time I was just myself i've since added a subject matter expert.
00:03:25.440 --> 00:03:34.230 nick scalera: But we had limited resources, I wanted to focus on New Jersey, but as it turned out, I have gone outside the state on occasion for special situations.
00:03:35.070 --> 00:03:38.280 Jonny Tsunami: And well you know, are you a Jersey boy were you.
00:03:38.370 --> 00:03:39.540 nick scalera: Born I was actually.
00:03:39.780 --> 00:03:43.440 nick scalera: born in Staten island New York, the forgotten borough.
00:03:44.490 --> 00:03:56.550 nick scalera: So i'm obviously a Yankee fan and a giant fan and knicks fan, but my first job actually was in bell labs and whippany so moved out to New Jersey and been living in New Jersey.
00:03:57.030 --> 00:04:13.050 nick scalera: Since then, except for a short stint of 17 months in the frigid wilds of North Dakota working on a military base a missile system, as it turns out, but for the most part, been living here in New Jersey, with my wife and family beautiful.
00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:17.010 Jonny Tsunami: it's quite a quite a wide array of impressive.
00:04:18.090 --> 00:04:25.770 Jonny Tsunami: resume skills right there but it's important to have a high variety of skill sets when you're dealing with cannabis because.
00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:37.830 Jonny Tsunami: there's a lot of unknowns lot of unknown variables, so one of the things that I wanted to talk about in the first segment, is what is the most pressing issue currently affecting New Jersey in regards to cannabis.
00:04:38.250 --> 00:04:45.210 nick scalera: or right now we're waiting with bated breath for the regulations you know the history is.
00:04:46.440 --> 00:04:52.860 nick scalera: characterized by fits and starts by the legislature, they were trying to do this for quite some time.
00:04:53.670 --> 00:05:03.060 nick scalera: They apparently couldn't get it done so they left it to the voters to decide the voters approved it, then the task was to come up with the laws which they did.
00:05:03.690 --> 00:05:13.470 nick scalera: Again, not without some issues that the governor would sign the governor and then put a Commission into place, and the Commission is.
00:05:13.890 --> 00:05:22.590 nick scalera: tasked with writing the regulations that are really going to be running the program in New Jersey and, as far as people like us, are concerned.
00:05:22.980 --> 00:05:28.710 nick scalera: We need to know what they're going to require in the application is going to be the same as the medical applications can be different.
00:05:29.460 --> 00:05:39.000 nick scalera: there's also a new kind of license this micro business license that we need to know a lot more about before we can actually start writing applications for our clients.
00:05:39.690 --> 00:05:51.270 nick scalera: And people will understand exactly what they have to do in order to compete for for academies license so they apparently are doing their work they have meetings periodically.
00:05:51.870 --> 00:06:09.420 nick scalera: They are putting obviously together the infrastructure in the state and the state government that will be responsible for running the program for writing the regulations for issuing the requests for applications for monitoring for evaluating.
00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:19.590 nick scalera: The entire program so we're waiting for that to happen, they are apparently on a deadline, most of us hope that they meet the deadline.
00:06:20.580 --> 00:06:29.010 nick scalera: Unfortunately, their history has been such that do some question when they will but we're optimistic that they will be able to meet the deadline.
00:06:29.430 --> 00:06:38.880 nick scalera: And then we will probably have a limited amount of time to actually submit applications for evaluation and consideration in the past it's been something like six weeks.
00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:48.030 nick scalera: So that's obviously a very short period of time to get an application together to give me an idea on the medical side of.
00:06:48.840 --> 00:06:58.320 nick scalera: Eventually the state said we're going to limit these applications to 400 pages it's a lot of material, a lot of information they have to be reviewed and evaluated.
00:06:58.770 --> 00:07:11.280 nick scalera: And in in some cases by more than one person 234 people will have to evaluate every single question score it and grade every one of the applications to determine who's going to get the license and who's not.
00:07:11.850 --> 00:07:20.160 Jonny Tsunami: So I should a comment on this quote this was from somebody who is very high up in New Jersey cannabis association we both know our.
00:07:22.140 --> 00:07:32.610 Jonny Tsunami: People are focusing too much on the license and not the business in New Jersey, so when you think of that and now, obviously the micro license is the next thing that's coming out.
00:07:33.300 --> 00:07:44.160 Jonny Tsunami: It the license is important it's The thing that regulates it's The thing that will be used as a skeleton or some kind of framework to help justify why they will be rolling out these various programs.
00:07:44.970 --> 00:07:56.280 Jonny Tsunami: But at the same time it's a little bit of bureaucracy, you know there's a little bit of you need to know the right person to make sure that that application even goes across the right desk.
00:07:56.760 --> 00:08:07.200 Jonny Tsunami: And when you start, adding that into effect, you start to wonder who really has a good shot at getting this micro license or who really has a good shot at getting license X, Y Z.
00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:15.690 Jonny Tsunami: And that's The thing that i'm tentative with because obviously you've been in the space for quite some time i've been in the space quite some time we both do consulting.
00:08:16.410 --> 00:08:24.600 Jonny Tsunami: in different areas, but maybe you know moving forward we dance together but, that being said, you still have to watch what happens in other states.
00:08:25.290 --> 00:08:31.800 Jonny Tsunami: And it starts to happen in other states, you see how they're rolling out certain programs How does that mimic to what we're doing over here.
00:08:32.160 --> 00:08:39.750 Jonny Tsunami: Because nobody's reinventing the wheel, at a certain point they're kind of taking other people's ideas, putting their little spin on as far as legislation goes.
00:08:40.170 --> 00:08:50.700 Jonny Tsunami: That being said, when you watch what happens and how these things unfold in other states as being somebody who's in the New Jersey sector, the metro area sector where things are really just starting to blow up now.
00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:55.710 Jonny Tsunami: How do you take that into effect when you're thinking about consulting someone.
00:08:56.490 --> 00:08:56.910 Okay.
00:08:58.020 --> 00:09:06.600 nick scalera: First of all, my son, who will put together my website initially apparently didn't extraordinarily good job with seo because I get a lot of calls and.
00:09:07.710 --> 00:09:15.210 nick scalera: When I have typically a meeting like this, I often say don't be surprised if the phone rings, because it does ring quite a bit so.
00:09:16.530 --> 00:09:26.040 nick scalera: I do get a lot of calls, most of the people that call need to be educated and we spend a lot of our time, educating people and.
00:09:26.970 --> 00:09:32.400 nick scalera: A group of us again many members of the association feel it's our duty to educate people.
00:09:32.910 --> 00:09:44.430 nick scalera: Because it is a very resource intensive risky business that's not for everyone, and we certainly don't want to see people risk their life savings on something that may not materialize.
00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:52.470 nick scalera: To give you an idea of the risk we had more than 200 applications for 18 licenses in the last go round, and that was on the medical side.
00:09:53.010 --> 00:10:05.010 nick scalera: And many, many think they will get many more applications submitted on the on the value side, so it is extraordinarily competitive it's very expensive to undertake.
00:10:06.570 --> 00:10:11.730 nick scalera: Sometimes we tell people that it may cost them a quarter of a million dollars, just to put their application in.
00:10:12.030 --> 00:10:21.210 nick scalera: When you consider locking up the property that they're going to have to do and and getting their architectural drawings and getting the consultants to help them and and all of those kinds of things.
00:10:21.660 --> 00:10:31.950 nick scalera: well beyond obviously the means of many people so historically, not surprisingly it's been the big companies who have had the resources to throw at this problem.
00:10:32.430 --> 00:10:48.810 nick scalera: And consequently the state got a lot of pushback on it, and hence the micro business licenses which many people are are hoping is is going to be the salvation and the way that the mom and pop organizations can can open up and be successful.
00:10:49.470 --> 00:10:54.810 Jonny Tsunami: And, and those are the kind of people that would that reach out to me was this you know we were talking prior.
00:10:56.310 --> 00:10:56.790 Jonny Tsunami: That.
00:10:57.690 --> 00:11:03.720 Jonny Tsunami: They need that kind of guidance, the next wave of people that are going to apply to the license are going to be that micro license people.
00:11:03.780 --> 00:11:17.280 Jonny Tsunami: they're the people that probably have already had some kind of relationship with a municipality already they've been operating a business would be obviously more helpful if it was a business that was at least somewhat related to the industry.
00:11:17.880 --> 00:11:29.640 Jonny Tsunami: To have a rapport with people on that individual municipality level but at the same time they're going to need the guidance from a consultant to let them know where's that real estate need to be.
00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:32.550 Jonny Tsunami: Is it that's right location so on it's.
00:11:32.820 --> 00:11:37.740 nick scalera: Exactly I mean right now that's that's the biggest hurdle that we see is.
00:11:38.850 --> 00:11:44.670 nick scalera: The real estate and and there's there's two components really one is it in the right town where.
00:11:46.170 --> 00:11:51.090 nick scalera: The powers to be have agreed to to host cannabis businesses in their town.
00:11:52.110 --> 00:11:59.130 nick scalera: And it's it may not be a blanket approval, so that means you individually have to go there and seek approval.
00:11:59.970 --> 00:12:14.910 nick scalera: For the kind of business that you have in mind and again your background may may come into play, where you want to put the business, maybe a factor as well, so towns with approval are important and then real estate within that town.
00:12:15.780 --> 00:12:20.100 nick scalera: can be very difficult, I was on the call a call yesterday with a client and my partner.
00:12:21.150 --> 00:12:33.780 nick scalera: Jeff Shapiro who has spent the last several years digging into the real estate in New Jersey and knows an awful lot about what's available and what's not available and.
00:12:34.410 --> 00:12:46.470 nick scalera: I learned that, especially in North Jersey warehouse space, especially is in very short supply, and has nothing to do with cannabis, it has to do with.com companies and fulfillment.
00:12:46.950 --> 00:12:57.390 nick scalera: situations and so forth, so there's certainly areas of the state where real estate is more plentiful or available less expensive and so forth.
00:12:57.750 --> 00:13:02.550 nick scalera: So it's a challenge for folks to find a town that's approving to find real estate that's.
00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:16.170 nick scalera: Suitable and and, by the way, that's one of the things that we do do for clients is we we we help them with that with that challenge, be having a meeting with the the entities in the new organ in the towns.
00:13:16.740 --> 00:13:30.660 nick scalera: finding suitable real estate working with the owners of the real estate and so forth, and then overriding enter things like well the real estate also has to comply with the regulations, such as 1000 feet from a school.
00:13:32.880 --> 00:13:46.050 nick scalera: That the that the owner of the property can have an fdic mortgage things like that that unless you know the situation and what to look for and what not to look for you can get yourself into trouble.
00:13:46.470 --> 00:13:55.890 Jonny Tsunami: And that's a perfect way to kind of close the first segment when we get when we come back we'll kind of talk into a little bit in science, the method in the business as to how you would.
00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:05.190 Jonny Tsunami: will advise someone in the right direction, you know because it's one thing to fill out the paper to kind of have a strategy or to have an idea in place.
00:14:05.460 --> 00:14:08.700 Jonny Tsunami: And it's another when you start to really get into the inner workings of how.
00:14:09.030 --> 00:14:15.900 Jonny Tsunami: An application is approved, and when you're talking about those numbers, the statistics of how many people apply as to how many people get in.
00:14:16.230 --> 00:14:32.880 Jonny Tsunami: We want to make sure that you have the right sound strategy in place so we'll take a little break and be back very soon, Nick skull era with a New Jersey cannabis consulting this is the taco planet baka lolo i'm your host Johnny tsunami, and we will be right back, thank you very much.
00:14:33.930 --> 00:14:34.230 nick scalera: But.
00:17:29.310 --> 00:17:42.240 Jonny Tsunami: Hello everyone we're back i'm Johnny tsunami, this is planet taco low low i'm here with next galera with nj cannabis consulting this is the New Jersey episode for planet taco low low and we're talking about.
00:17:42.600 --> 00:17:49.770 Jonny Tsunami: A lot of the different to changes that are occurring in New Jersey, as many of you know now the state is gone wreck.
00:17:50.010 --> 00:17:58.830 Jonny Tsunami: Things will change if you've been out West out in California Oregon Colorado you've taken some trips to a recreational cannabis state.
00:17:59.100 --> 00:18:05.790 Jonny Tsunami: You would have felt notice things are a little bit different, as they are then on the east coast, a little bit more open about.
00:18:06.660 --> 00:18:11.880 Jonny Tsunami: How people feel about cannabis, the availability of how it is to the consumer in that area.
00:18:12.210 --> 00:18:23.040 Jonny Tsunami: And it's interesting how it's going to change in New Jersey, because, for the most part we haven't really seen it displayed in front of us openly and advertising on the side of the road.
00:18:23.760 --> 00:18:33.300 Jonny Tsunami: And that's going to change that's going to change now that records come into place so next glarus here to kind of give us a little bit more talk about kind of science, the business, the method.
00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:44.490 Jonny Tsunami: When we're looking at trying to advise someone who's looking to get a license in New Jersey so Nick Thank you and tell us a little bit about.
00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:59.670 Jonny Tsunami: How you approach, a newcomer coming to you and saying listen i'm intrigued about the micro license I want to know how and what I need to do to at least have a shot at this license so what what's the steps that you kind of go through.
00:19:00.150 --> 00:19:05.700 nick scalera: Okay, well, first we we alert them to the fact that a lot of what we talked about is somewhat speculative.
00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:17.280 nick scalera: You know, we have the good intentions of the state, as expressed in the laws that were passed, but they now need to get translated into regulations and.
00:19:18.120 --> 00:19:29.040 nick scalera: How exactly that gets translated is going to be very important in terms of what people have to do to apply for a license it will tell us what has to be in their application.
00:19:29.520 --> 00:19:39.210 nick scalera: The timing of it, how many licenses are going to be issued, where they're going to be issued those kinds of things those various scenarios that the state has done in the past.
00:19:39.540 --> 00:19:45.510 nick scalera: Will they revert to some of those where they continue on again people are.
00:19:46.170 --> 00:19:55.020 nick scalera: very willing to speculate on all of those kinds of things, based on what they heard here, or what they heard there we prefer to wait until we see it in black and white.
00:19:55.680 --> 00:20:02.730 nick scalera: even to the point where we will not even as far as our professional services are concerned, we will not quote.
00:20:03.360 --> 00:20:12.780 nick scalera: projects to develop applications because, quite frankly, we don't know what's going to be required so most of the services that we do are really to get people ready so.
00:20:13.140 --> 00:20:22.320 nick scalera: All of the things that would be getting reading would be things like you know as we talked about before getting the property starting a business plan forming your company.
00:20:24.390 --> 00:20:31.380 nick scalera: Putting your team together and then not only the members of the team, but who the employees are going to be who the.
00:20:31.800 --> 00:20:40.950 nick scalera: The professional service providers are going to be the attorneys the CPA is the business consultants all of that all those things are going to have to be done.
00:20:41.820 --> 00:20:49.830 nick scalera: Prior to in any case because again when that bell rings is going to be very little time to get your application in.
00:20:50.640 --> 00:21:01.620 nick scalera: And again, we don't know exactly what's going to be required, but certainly want to don't want to be caught unprepared so as much of that kind of thing, as you can do now.
00:21:02.100 --> 00:21:13.110 nick scalera: The better all of the things I mentioned us, what about security, what about banking those kinds of things, the standard operating procedures that you're going to be following.
00:21:13.950 --> 00:21:24.060 nick scalera: are going to be important in business plan, again, I come from the score background where the stock and trade is the business plan, if you deal with a score small business consultant and counselor.
00:21:24.570 --> 00:21:33.360 nick scalera: And all the services are free, by the way, they're going to want to see your business plan and and so, if you're going to score.org and download the template start filling out your business plan.
00:21:34.170 --> 00:21:43.590 nick scalera: And of course that's going to be an important document, not only for the application, but also for for people that may be investing in your company, certainly not banks.
00:21:45.330 --> 00:21:59.310 nick scalera: Employee perspective, employees and so forth the business plan is is very, very important, which really gets us back to the point that you raised earlier that more people are or or people are overly concerned with the application and not nearly as much with the business.
00:22:01.290 --> 00:22:09.030 nick scalera: With my background, especially I guess I tend to think of the business primarily and so that's why I want to see that business plan.
00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:15.420 nick scalera: Even if it's sketchy at first, I want you to start with the the outline I start, I want you to start filling in.
00:22:16.320 --> 00:22:25.170 nick scalera: That skeleton and and getting meat on the bones, so that you understand more about what is going to be required to be successful in this business again I.
00:22:25.530 --> 00:22:35.820 nick scalera: have taught this kind of thing in colleges and universities, I have clients professional clients, I have a score clients and so forth, so i've seen a lot of people go through business plans.
00:22:36.690 --> 00:22:42.780 nick scalera: And it's a very eye opening exercise it in many cases, tells you what you need to know that you don't know.
00:22:43.290 --> 00:22:50.160 nick scalera: And it sets you off on the path of getting answers to those questions performing the analyses that you have to do.
00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:58.440 nick scalera: to really be able to communicate what this business is all about, and then, especially when you get down into the numbers doing the performer.
00:22:58.770 --> 00:23:06.960 nick scalera: To demonstrate that you're going to be profitable and now all of a sudden you're thinking about well where, am I going to get my cannabis what am I going to pay for it, what am I going to be selling.
00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:15.420 nick scalera: What am I going, am I gonna be charging for it, what about packaging, what about salaries, what about all these questions come up as you go through the business plan.
00:23:15.840 --> 00:23:29.160 nick scalera: That especially people who maybe have not done this in a formal manner before realize this is quite the challenging undertaking and I need to get busy doing these kinds of things and that's why I said, you really can't start too early.
00:23:30.810 --> 00:23:31.740 Jonny Tsunami: I was interviewed.
00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:33.360 nick scalera: i'm sorry good.
00:23:34.080 --> 00:23:39.750 Jonny Tsunami: You said a word I gotta I gotta take it, you said sketchy and, that being said.
00:23:41.130 --> 00:23:52.710 Jonny Tsunami: How many sketchy people you come across you know you've got people blowing you up calling you your brother your son is amazing at seo which means he's webbing in a lot of people and there's plenty of.
00:23:53.850 --> 00:24:00.390 Jonny Tsunami: Quality people out there and then there's plenty of sketchy characters in all businesses, I understand, but in cannabis.
00:24:02.250 --> 00:24:11.040 Jonny Tsunami: I would say there's a little bit more than the average So how do you weed out the sketchiness when you're getting all these inbound calls for.
00:24:12.360 --> 00:24:21.630 nick scalera: Actually, you mentioned it, that the most sketchy calls we get our for instructors for the online school that we're developing so we get a lot of people who.
00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:30.960 nick scalera: know a lot about the topic, but when it comes to writing, of course, about it that's kind of where it falls apart.
00:24:32.250 --> 00:24:34.920 nick scalera: But it's on the business side it's it's easier.
00:24:36.090 --> 00:24:40.560 nick scalera: To literally we these people out because they.
00:24:41.790 --> 00:24:47.280 nick scalera: You know they don't have the wherewithal they don't have the business skills they don't typically don't have the capital.
00:24:47.970 --> 00:24:58.200 nick scalera: They don't have any of the resources they're going to be required and and again it's a matter of education people read the articles in the newspaper and say Oh, my goodness, this is great, you know i'll be able to.
00:24:58.560 --> 00:25:08.220 nick scalera: open up a small store and and sell weed I can be you know, the new weed man and life is going to be wonderful for me until.
00:25:09.120 --> 00:25:21.150 nick scalera: I hit him, unfortunately with reality and and it's in many cases, not a pretty picture and and there's a lot of oh oh I didn't know that oh I didn't realize that oh okay thanks for your time, you know.
00:25:21.930 --> 00:25:25.830 Jonny Tsunami: When the reality, I know it's speculative every we said.
00:25:26.970 --> 00:25:39.180 Jonny Tsunami: For a micro license because honestly that's going to be the hot topic because a lot of it gives the little man or little woman a shot at getting the title, wherever in their local area and be their local weed man, we want it.
00:25:40.590 --> 00:25:47.970 Jonny Tsunami: How much would somebody have to throw into to be considered even get a license and where does that money go.
00:25:49.620 --> 00:25:51.510 nick scalera: I don't know I mean, I have to tell you.
00:25:52.620 --> 00:26:02.910 nick scalera: Again we're waiting to see the regs I don't know what's going to be required in that in that application if it's as extensive and application as the medical license.
00:26:03.360 --> 00:26:19.320 nick scalera: I hope it's not, I mean the that would kind of defeat the purpose, which was to allow you know the every man and every woman to be able to get into the business, so therefore one would assume that it's going to be an easier application that's not going to require.
00:26:20.520 --> 00:26:30.030 nick scalera: 10s of thousands of dollars of consultant time to they'll put it together that they will be so numerous that it won't be competitive and.
00:26:30.780 --> 00:26:45.030 nick scalera: You won't have to shore up your application in some way, shape or form because if you are competing against many other people don't know you know and again that's why we don't at this point when I quoting what's going to be in there, we don't.
00:26:46.260 --> 00:26:57.210 nick scalera: We don't know what the questions are going to be we don't know how extensive the answers are going to have to be in order to be competitive, we don't know what the costs are going to be for the application itself.
00:26:58.410 --> 00:27:11.520 nick scalera: we're waiting to see and that's why, unfortunately, as I said, the timeframe is going to be very, very short way too short to get anything substantive done in the six weeks, so the more that people can do now.
00:27:12.030 --> 00:27:19.050 nick scalera: The better, and this is the message that I told three years ago, when I was interviewed for an article in us, one which is a.
00:27:19.470 --> 00:27:28.890 nick scalera: Trade journal down, you must one the pharmaceutical Carter in New Jersey and essentially I ticked off the things as I did here today that have to be done.
00:27:29.370 --> 00:27:36.300 nick scalera: and advise people to start now I mean, I have to laugh I get calls and people say well you know I want to.
00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:48.990 nick scalera: Get on the on the front side of this and I want to tell them you're almost too late at this point because you know if in fact they stick to their schedule and they open the door in August.
00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:55.380 nick scalera: you're gonna have six weeks to get your application in and it's not until then that you're going to know exactly what's going to be required.
00:27:55.770 --> 00:28:08.070 nick scalera: So if you can get 7080 90% of it done now, based on what you think is going to be the case you're going to be ahead of the game, because I have to tell you every phase of this as it's gone through the medical program up until now.
00:28:08.610 --> 00:28:22.470 nick scalera: People have been caught with their pants down, they just has not been enough time them to get their stuff together and some of these things take a long time, I mean the property alone, you have to set up meetings you know and then negotiate issues with.
00:28:23.490 --> 00:28:33.600 nick scalera: Whoever owns the property putting together business plan assembling a team getting all the people on the team all of those things take time, and so the sooner that people start the better.
00:28:34.320 --> 00:28:38.160 Jonny Tsunami: And then we know that, of course, the people that are in the state or the Multi state operators.
00:28:38.280 --> 00:28:38.880 nick scalera: People right.
00:28:39.360 --> 00:28:50.460 Jonny Tsunami: Big pockets, and I mean this is a conversation that occurs in the in our circle of people and, but we know this, that the people that get those medical licenses.
00:28:50.790 --> 00:28:59.040 Jonny Tsunami: They have the big money they put their foot in the door, everybody knows that when you get the medical license it's essentially your way of getting friendly with the state.
00:28:59.370 --> 00:29:11.220 Jonny Tsunami: And at that point you've already built a relationship and your first in line your first in line you're already built out you're already vertically integrated and 40 God didn't big money backing behind you you've most likely.
00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:26.820 Jonny Tsunami: bought out somebody else's legwork and converted it and branded it and now you're in 100 different states or what are 100 different stores 2530 different states and you're.
00:29:27.510 --> 00:29:38.910 Jonny Tsunami: You know there's that realm of corporate that is already taking over so when you're thinking about consulting people it's a little bit scary when you're being honest with them and saying listen you're up against the lot.
00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:44.430 Jonny Tsunami: That but that's, not to say that those little mom and pop shops aren't something that.
00:29:44.970 --> 00:29:47.190 Jonny Tsunami: The State isn't looking at and they're not considering.
00:29:47.550 --> 00:29:55.680 Jonny Tsunami: But when you look at the bigger perspective, it is very important to be honest with those clients to tell them what they're up against and to say that this is very speculative and that.
00:29:55.950 --> 00:30:06.690 Jonny Tsunami: These things are always subject to change, day in and day out, but more, the reason why you need to have a consultant or somebody on your side to kind of keeping their pulse on what's occurring so that you're not falling behind.
00:30:06.990 --> 00:30:23.460 Jonny Tsunami: We are, we are at the end of the the second segment already so there was a lot covered there, and that was great when we come back we'll be talking a little bit about let's say a personal story or how you became more vested in cannabis and why you wanted to help other people.
00:30:24.540 --> 00:30:40.980 Jonny Tsunami: become very famous or at least have some kind of shot at becoming the next weed person, whoever it may be so okay we'll cut into that next galera planet Parker lolo Johnny tsunami your host we will be back, thank you very much.
00:33:27.600 --> 00:33:41.700 Jonny Tsunami: Hello everyone we're back i'm Johnny tsunami, this is planet taco low low your world of cannabis i'm here with nick's galera of nj cannabis consulting We talked already, we had a few breaks first episode or first.
00:33:42.270 --> 00:33:49.260 Jonny Tsunami: Commercial break We talked a little bit about how Nick consults people in New Jersey, as far as their businesses go.
00:33:49.530 --> 00:33:59.190 Jonny Tsunami: We got into the science, the business of how you need to be prepared and be aware that things are a little bit shaky at this point, still and now we're going to talk a little bit.
00:33:59.490 --> 00:34:07.410 Jonny Tsunami: More about what i'm passionate about the most the plan there it is Nick that's the plan right there I grew that now.
00:34:08.100 --> 00:34:17.010 Jonny Tsunami: I didn't grow that in in the ocean that one of my buddies where we We grew side by side he's very good at photo editing and so on and so forth.
00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:17.700 nick scalera: Nice.
00:34:18.390 --> 00:34:31.680 Jonny Tsunami: This is the planet of taco lolo the island, the plant that has brought us all in so i'm very passionate about and very open about it i'm a parent right, so you have to.
00:34:33.030 --> 00:34:40.680 Jonny Tsunami: tread lightly and make sure that you're saying the right things, and so on and so forth, and even now in the business world.
00:34:41.310 --> 00:34:46.680 Jonny Tsunami: It cannabis is being accepted when you looked at linkedin linkedin and you see the way that people are.
00:34:47.310 --> 00:34:57.930 Jonny Tsunami: Communicating on linkedin and it's becoming more acceptable and people do see that it is a business that they can get into in other aspects, and they might not be a cannabis background.
00:34:58.230 --> 00:35:08.040 Jonny Tsunami: Actually, most of the people that i'm sure i've spoken to and will speak to have a background in something else, and then came into cannabis.
00:35:08.130 --> 00:35:23.310 Jonny Tsunami: Right, so what I really want to talk about in this segment, is why you have a passion for the plant and why you wanted to share that with other people and then support them in a very, very risky business so tell me how.
00:35:23.490 --> 00:35:23.940 Okay.
00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:29.640 nick scalera: And while this this there's two parts to the story, you know what is.
00:35:31.080 --> 00:35:32.640 nick scalera: The short answer is.
00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:36.510 nick scalera: I have absolutely no experience with the plant.
00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:38.670 Jonny Tsunami: meaning.
00:35:39.750 --> 00:35:40.440 Jonny Tsunami: In what way.
00:35:41.130 --> 00:35:42.300 nick scalera: i've never tried it.
00:35:43.590 --> 00:35:45.510 Jonny Tsunami: Well then, we're on the opposite end of the spectrum.
00:35:45.630 --> 00:35:51.060 nick scalera: I would, I would say so Okay, so I mean i'm obviously completely honest with folks.
00:35:52.350 --> 00:36:01.380 nick scalera: And so obviously That surprises people sometimes but you know, as I described how I got into this, I came from the business world, and I saw this as a business opportunity and I don't mean to be.
00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:12.480 nick scalera: cold hearted about it, but once I got into it and started going to some of the seminars and hearing from physicians about how it did help people.
00:36:14.430 --> 00:36:30.810 nick scalera: i'm confident that in fact it does, especially from a medical perspective from an anxiety perspective, etc, etc, so essentially I was and in essence sucked in to the to the culture and the, especially the benefits of it and then.
00:36:31.830 --> 00:36:43.380 nick scalera: Unfortunately, one of my granddaughter's suffers from seizures and she is now being treated with CBD so at the time when she and.
00:36:44.550 --> 00:36:52.440 nick scalera: What i'm sorry when when her parents and I were investigating this they turned to me because I had kind of Allied experience.
00:36:52.800 --> 00:37:03.480 nick scalera: I was able to turn to people that I knew in the industry and get really good advice and really good products and now obviously her situation is as much improved so.
00:37:04.650 --> 00:37:11.370 nick scalera: I guess that kind of traces my history from from no experience whatsoever to.
00:37:12.540 --> 00:37:26.940 nick scalera: Business involvement to understanding the medical benefits of it, and especially for for the hundred and 10,000 or so patients in New Jersey and and now for for my granddaughter as well, so.
00:37:28.260 --> 00:37:34.950 nick scalera: Obviously i'm much more involved now on a personal level, that I used to be, but it wasn't always that way, obviously.
00:37:35.550 --> 00:37:44.430 Jonny Tsunami: And it's and it's interesting so it's important to have the right team of people so for someone like me who's been a user for.
00:37:46.020 --> 00:37:46.800 Two decades.
00:37:48.360 --> 00:37:54.570 Jonny Tsunami: It has greatly helped me with some of the things that you had mentioned and.
00:37:55.680 --> 00:38:07.650 Jonny Tsunami: i'm not ashamed of it, some people, many people use it and they don't let people know it's changing it's starting to shift because, as we said.
00:38:08.550 --> 00:38:19.650 Jonny Tsunami: acceptability has started to shift, but when you're thinking of the team of people it's very important to have someone on the staff who's looking at it as it's a business boom run it as a business.
00:38:20.220 --> 00:38:33.540 Jonny Tsunami: Equally important to have people on the staff that understand the plant that know the brands know the trends have the conversation, because when we look at it there's a huge audience between that 21 to.
00:38:33.900 --> 00:38:46.770 Jonny Tsunami: so on and so forth the adult user the recreational market and all the products that are coming out there, so education, I guess what i'm really going back to so let's talk about education.
00:38:46.920 --> 00:38:57.450 Jonny Tsunami: Because you're starting this program and I feel like and I actually was a public school teacher for 10 years so to be open about it now, at this point is totally fine.
00:38:57.720 --> 00:39:08.160 Jonny Tsunami: But when I was a teacher, I wouldn't be walking around saying hey i'm a cannabis proponent especially towards the end when I was working in let's say an upper middle class.
00:39:09.300 --> 00:39:12.150 Jonny Tsunami: You know camp cupcake kind of setting.
00:39:12.600 --> 00:39:14.160 Jonny Tsunami: And people weren't prepared.
00:39:14.580 --> 00:39:16.020 Jonny Tsunami: To kind of had that discussion.
00:39:17.220 --> 00:39:23.910 Jonny Tsunami: And I knew it and I knew that if I was to bring it up, there would be a hex or a stigma put against me.
00:39:24.300 --> 00:39:39.330 Jonny Tsunami: And so I kept it very quiet, I mean i've been I was very professional about it, I never made it mixed with business hours but believe you me, when I was finishing that day of working with young adults, which can be mentally draining.
00:39:39.750 --> 00:39:41.070 Jonny Tsunami: I can imagine you know.
00:39:41.160 --> 00:39:46.260 Jonny Tsunami: i'm going to go home and if somebody's going to have their Scotch or if they're going to have their glass of wine.
00:39:47.040 --> 00:39:48.240 Jonny Tsunami: i'm going to have my smoke.
00:39:48.570 --> 00:39:57.810 Jonny Tsunami: And in the privacy of your own home I don't see why it's a problem, but I think where education comes in and there's a lot of people that are getting involved in that.
00:39:58.890 --> 00:40:08.310 Jonny Tsunami: that's where it balances the scales, it allows people to understand that the the stereotype that's connected to the traditional.
00:40:08.820 --> 00:40:21.000 Jonny Tsunami: User stone or whatever the term is that we want to use doesn't apply especially when you're talking about let's say your granddaughter who's using CBD now of course that's CBD.
00:40:21.510 --> 00:40:32.190 Jonny Tsunami: But there's plenty of people out there that probably would benefit from CBD maybe thc in the situation, but again being educated on it.
00:40:32.640 --> 00:40:47.970 Jonny Tsunami: and letting people know that it's not as dangerous as its lead out to be will allow the audience to open up and those people that might have that meditative predisposition because of how it's just been popping for all these previous years.
00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:55.860 Jonny Tsunami: and have a negative effect on the way people think about it before they even really give it a shot, or maybe not even give it a shot.
00:40:56.370 --> 00:40:56.820 Jonny Tsunami: But they.
00:40:56.850 --> 00:41:07.410 Jonny Tsunami: know somebody who uses it and because of that de facto will have a negative opinion about that person and we don't do that with our call or.
00:41:07.470 --> 00:41:08.580 nick scalera: No, no, no.
00:41:08.730 --> 00:41:16.890 Jonny Tsunami: do some people do but that's probably because they have their reasons right, and then you have with cigarettes, some people do but.
00:41:17.640 --> 00:41:28.410 Jonny Tsunami: Most don't I mean listen i'm not if i'm on a plane i'm not gonna spark up and just blow smoke in your face period, there are certain things that we have is that are uncouth but.
00:41:29.670 --> 00:41:34.500 Jonny Tsunami: educate us a little bit your program, what do you want to achieve with that Program.
00:41:34.800 --> 00:41:37.980 nick scalera: Okay, before we get to that, I do want to.
00:41:39.120 --> 00:41:48.570 nick scalera: Answer perhaps some some concerns right, how can this guy possibly consult in the area, when you know is so ignorant of the plant itself well.
00:41:49.050 --> 00:42:00.180 nick scalera: I recognized early on, from a business perspective that I did not have nor could I easily and quickly obtain the level of understanding that would be necessary.
00:42:01.320 --> 00:42:07.110 nick scalera: Of the plant side of the business to be successful, so I went out and got a partner and.
00:42:07.950 --> 00:42:16.620 nick scalera: Jeff Shapiro is is my current partner, and he has extensive experience in all aspects of cultivation and processing.
00:42:17.010 --> 00:42:24.780 nick scalera: and retail and everything in between from many years of doing this in California and so together we form that partnership.
00:42:25.650 --> 00:42:35.460 nick scalera: You know, again I have kind of the sales and marketing piece of it that's why I feel a lot of the calls and separate out the folks that are you know tire kickers.
00:42:36.270 --> 00:42:50.100 nick scalera: And for those that are really serious and there's actually an opportunity to provide some professional services of the sort that i've been describing, then I get Jeff involved, and then we issue a you know proposal and for professional services in that kind of thing.
00:42:51.720 --> 00:42:57.570 nick scalera: Okay, so with respect to the school we recognized fairly early on that there was.
00:42:58.380 --> 00:43:09.690 nick scalera: The need for more education, I mean there are certainly plenty of schools and again when I did the business plan, I did my competitive analysis and I found all the schools and all the courses and listed them all out.
00:43:10.230 --> 00:43:20.100 nick scalera: And, but there's still opportunity there the market analysis that we did indicated that there was great opportunity, so we started to.
00:43:20.550 --> 00:43:28.860 nick scalera: to solicit for instructors we've identified eight different market segments of folks that would be interested in the courses that we have.
00:43:29.670 --> 00:43:37.800 nick scalera: One of them would be, in fact, the the adult user using cannabis for recreational purposes and other his medical patients.
00:43:38.730 --> 00:43:49.410 nick scalera: Of course is geared for them and others as well, people are already in the business to increase yields or improve certain aspect of the business that kind of thing.
00:43:50.100 --> 00:44:00.240 nick scalera: People in allied fields, who want to be able to put cannabis on their resume and gain a deeper understanding of it from that perspective, people are interested in getting into the business so.
00:44:00.540 --> 00:44:10.320 nick scalera: How to do the kinds of things that we've been talking about today how to file for an application, how to develop a business plan for me to to get your real estate all of those kinds of things so.
00:44:11.580 --> 00:44:13.290 nick scalera: When we're finally launched.
00:44:14.520 --> 00:44:29.610 nick scalera: probably going to be later this summer it's, by the way, called the cannabis learning Center there will be courses intended for each of those those a target segments or persona as they're now called and in marketing terms wonderful.
00:44:29.790 --> 00:44:39.720 Jonny Tsunami: So that's something great to look forward to i'd recommend that everybody take a look at that they can obviously go to nj cannabis consulting COM and there'll be a link connected to that right.
00:44:39.750 --> 00:44:40.980 nick scalera: Yes, when that comes up.
00:44:41.850 --> 00:44:48.330 Jonny Tsunami: And again, education is very important, it really is my my daughter, who is 12 years old.
00:44:49.560 --> 00:44:57.120 Jonny Tsunami: they're starting programs in school and she's dad what is that green thing you know.
00:44:58.230 --> 00:44:58.800 Jonny Tsunami: it's medicine.
00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:02.820 Jonny Tsunami: And from for some people that meaning has different meaning.
00:45:04.200 --> 00:45:12.510 Jonny Tsunami: When I was working on farm when I had the cannabis farm up in maine we would talk about harvesting a lot right it's part of the process when you're a cultivator.
00:45:13.290 --> 00:45:25.500 Jonny Tsunami: And my daughter overheard me, you know as kids always over here everything, what do you, what do you harvested what is what is what's on the farm, I said well what is harvesting me.
00:45:26.370 --> 00:45:33.330 Jonny Tsunami: And was like anything else you know if I want a carrot and I go to the store to buy a carrot it's not like it's all you know.
00:45:33.810 --> 00:45:43.590 Jonny Tsunami: Dirty and pulled out of the ground know the guy harvest say pulls it out of the ground, maybe it goes through machine, maybe it's clean cut and wash and put into a plastic bag, but I know that you're not pulling plastic bags out of the ground.
00:45:43.890 --> 00:45:45.300 Jonny Tsunami: Right so there's a.
00:45:45.510 --> 00:45:47.490 Jonny Tsunami: process to that and that's harvesting and it's the.
00:45:47.490 --> 00:46:01.200 Jonny Tsunami: same thing for when we're talking about any plant and I think when we can make that parallel, not only on the cultivation end but with all of the various verticals that exist and allow people to feel comfortable with.
00:46:02.100 --> 00:46:11.250 Jonny Tsunami: It existing in certain spaces and making those comparisons and connecting those stories they'll gain a deeper appreciation for it, maybe a little bit more of an understanding.
00:46:11.880 --> 00:46:24.180 Jonny Tsunami: And that will allow to break through some barriers and make better things happen and that's really what we're trying to achieve I would think as a cannabis consultant, and a proponent of it being a new.
00:46:25.380 --> 00:46:31.200 Jonny Tsunami: Industry so when we come back and finish our final segment Mr skull area here with nj cannabis consulting.
00:46:31.440 --> 00:46:39.360 Jonny Tsunami: And we'll talk a little bit about message opportunity that we have for the audience and how we can go with their i'm Johnny tsunami, this is planted talk a little Thank you we'll be right back.
00:48:54.630 --> 00:49:06.450 Jonny Tsunami: hey everyone it's Johnny tsunami i'm back this is planted pato low low your world of cannabis uncovering the stigmas stereotypes and taboos connected to the plant.
00:49:07.380 --> 00:49:19.650 Jonny Tsunami: it's our last segment we covered the science we covered the business we covered, current events we covered personal stories in the last segment of the show I like to talk about the message, or the opportunity.
00:49:20.010 --> 00:49:28.560 Jonny Tsunami: That our guests like to give to the audience so next galera is here with us from New Jersey cannabis consulting or the New Jersey can of business association.
00:49:28.860 --> 00:49:38.760 Jonny Tsunami: As well as very active in the cannabis community and advocate a proponent and doing some great things in the industry so Nick Thank you, I have a question for you.
00:49:39.750 --> 00:49:48.840 Jonny Tsunami: Why do you recommend that people use a consultant when entering the cannabis space, as opposed to traditional business in general.
00:49:50.730 --> 00:49:55.020 nick scalera: And I guess the simple reason is that.
00:49:56.730 --> 00:50:03.420 nick scalera: The way New Jersey has set it up with the application process which, by the way, differs from other states.
00:50:04.470 --> 00:50:09.420 nick scalera: Is that it is a complicated process it's an involved process.
00:50:10.560 --> 00:50:14.040 nick scalera: Up until now, at least it's been a very competitive process.
00:50:14.970 --> 00:50:22.020 nick scalera: And, essentially, the way it works is very similar to an rfp if you're familiar with that in the business world, but essentially.
00:50:22.410 --> 00:50:32.760 nick scalera: They asked questions in the in the application and you answer questions and depending on how well you answer the question based on what their expectation is you get a grade.
00:50:34.350 --> 00:50:45.030 nick scalera: And maybe several people may grain your answers and then your application gets a score based on the total of the of the grades, for all the questions that you've answered.
00:50:46.020 --> 00:50:52.830 nick scalera: And then obviously your application has a number associated with it, and then those applications are sorted based on.
00:50:53.220 --> 00:50:59.490 nick scalera: Your score and the top, whatever the number is of licenses that going to issue get the license and the others don't so.
00:51:00.030 --> 00:51:12.120 nick scalera: And so, if you think about it that way i'm going to understand how they're going to do it, you realize the importance of having really, really good answers to their questions so very complete answers to their questions.
00:51:13.740 --> 00:51:16.200 nick scalera: Obviously, from people who know what they're talking about.
00:51:17.250 --> 00:51:26.160 nick scalera: And who have maybe even done this before many times and to certain extent that's why people who have operated businesses and other states.
00:51:26.520 --> 00:51:35.580 nick scalera: have that kind of experience, where they can provide really good answers to those questions because they've done this before and they've been successful, maybe many times.
00:51:36.480 --> 00:51:53.670 nick scalera: And so the answers that they give are pretty darn good and they get the best scores, so what a consultant can do is a consultant can level the playing field, if you will, because consultant has that same level of expertise, the standard operating procedures, the security.
00:51:54.780 --> 00:52:06.840 nick scalera: The inventory control all of the answers to the questions are they going to provide will be very good answers, because these are tried and true answers based on many cases.
00:52:07.560 --> 00:52:22.650 nick scalera: lots and lots and lots of applications that they that they've submitted it's not a do it yourself kind of operation, I mean, I say that, although I don't know what the micro business license application processes is going to look like.
00:52:23.790 --> 00:52:33.090 nick scalera: So I reserved comment as far as that's concerned, but for the Court regular license on the adult side I suspect it's going to be very similar to.
00:52:33.390 --> 00:52:41.640 nick scalera: What we've seen on the medical side, which means pretty much the process that i've described and unless you've done this before some other place you have.
00:52:43.290 --> 00:52:49.170 nick scalera: Essentially zero probability of being able to provide a high quality application that's going to.
00:52:50.310 --> 00:52:51.330 nick scalera: win your license.
00:52:51.810 --> 00:53:01.950 Jonny Tsunami: And the reason I pull up this image and being a consultant myself is that when we look at it New Jersey is one little tiny Speck that is.
00:53:03.180 --> 00:53:15.150 Jonny Tsunami: high population density right very small area with a lot of people, but there is so many other states that have their own programs, and they run their own way and so.
00:53:15.600 --> 00:53:33.420 Jonny Tsunami: hiring someone from out of State to run your license in New Jersey, probably isn't the best idea right, I would say, safer to stick with people that are have already built relationships local relationships, because it's still a very local kind of.
00:53:34.080 --> 00:53:46.200 nick scalera: Well, that certainly our our message to our clients and kind of under writing that is that there are there are consultants and I suspect there, they are from those other states who are quoting.
00:53:46.800 --> 00:53:55.080 nick scalera: You know what they're going to charge to develop an application in New Jersey, without even knowing what the requirement is so now i'm thinking well.
00:53:55.590 --> 00:54:07.380 nick scalera: Should they do that and should somebody accept one of those proposals and give them money, especially and then, and then the requirements come out and there's something in there that they hadn't anticipated what happens then i'm gonna i'm gonna i'm gonna.
00:54:07.740 --> 00:54:14.490 nick scalera: know all we didn't expect this we didn't know this was they were going to ask this I mean to give you an example in the.
00:54:16.110 --> 00:54:25.320 nick scalera: I guess it was a few years ago Maryland had a process and they awarded licenses and then the state was sued because they hadn't considered.
00:54:25.890 --> 00:54:34.230 nick scalera: Diversity enough, so the next go around guess what now there's a new requirement, you have to provide a diversity plan so.
00:54:34.590 --> 00:54:40.740 nick scalera: We did an application for a for a client in Maryland and guess what we had to write a diversity plan for them.
00:54:41.040 --> 00:54:48.540 nick scalera: Which if you know, we had based our estimate, based on what had been required before that was extra work that hadn't been accounted for so.
00:54:49.410 --> 00:54:59.010 nick scalera: Again that's just our philosophy we're not going to quote on on applications until we know exactly what's going to be required another thing, by the way it struck me.
00:55:00.330 --> 00:55:17.730 nick scalera: Another thing that a consultant brings to the table is contacts so oftentimes people will need to have a cannabis attorney a cannabis architect a cannabis CPA somebody who's familiar with.
00:55:18.810 --> 00:55:27.510 nick scalera: Construction for cannabis kinds of buildings hba see systems for cannabis with humidity controls and things like that.
00:55:28.110 --> 00:55:40.020 nick scalera: In some cases, even to have people on the application let's say a master grower or or that kind of thing, where the consultant will have contacts in the industry that can be put on the application as a consultant.
00:55:40.800 --> 00:55:47.970 nick scalera: Obviously, with the expectation that person gets licensed then that expert would be hired as a consultant to perform that function.
00:55:49.350 --> 00:56:00.360 nick scalera: So a good consultant, will be able to provide support many aspects of the application, the team building and even running the business afterwards.
00:56:01.560 --> 00:56:10.920 nick scalera: Again, probably be interested in in having somebody that has experienced and can help and the cultivation of setting up and running the cultivation business profitably.
00:56:11.640 --> 00:56:20.010 nick scalera: Or the retail business or the processing business whatever business that you're that you're looking for because again back to the focusing much on the application.
00:56:20.670 --> 00:56:34.650 nick scalera: I agree it's really neat running the entire business part of it is writing is a very comprehensive business plan so you understand what you're doing and then making sure that if and when you get the license you can be successful at running the business, which is.
00:56:35.790 --> 00:56:38.010 nick scalera: A whole different animal than just getting a license.
00:56:38.700 --> 00:56:40.770 Jonny Tsunami: So we'll finish with this thought.
00:56:42.030 --> 00:56:51.210 Jonny Tsunami: The ideal person that comes to you, you get five to 10%, who is the kind of person that you want to come to you for consulting.
00:56:53.460 --> 00:57:03.750 nick scalera: And there are there have been a few of these ideal ideal ideal is somebody who's been successful in another State and they're just looking for health in New Jersey so.
00:57:04.530 --> 00:57:19.770 nick scalera: they've got all the i's cross all the t's and dotted all of that there they know how to do this they're looking for some local expertise, if you will, in guiding them through the nuances of what it's going to be like a New Jersey.
00:57:20.070 --> 00:57:21.690 Jonny Tsunami: sensational I have.
00:57:22.710 --> 00:57:24.630 Jonny Tsunami: I have a few people in mind already actually.
00:57:24.840 --> 00:57:41.670 Jonny Tsunami: So ice Nick scholar with New Jersey cannabis consulting COM, the cannabis learning Center it was a pleasure to have you on today, I hope you come back, please look out for this guy because big things are going to happen with him.
00:57:41.790 --> 00:57:58.470 Jonny Tsunami: Thank you anybody needs consulting services, you know I think you have a man that you can talk to for sure i'm Johnny tsunami, this is planning paga low low, this was a Jersey episode let's make cannabis happen in New Jersey, it was a pleasure everybody.
00:57:58.500 --> 00:57:58.890 nick scalera: Thank you.
00:57:58.980 --> 00:58:02.610 Jonny Tsunami: Next week have fun later.
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