It is just as important for me to resolve what not to do this year as it is to discern what is important to accomplish in 2016.
The first thing that comes to mind is to take care of me and mine. I find that far too much of my energy has gone toward helping others in their cannabis quests — whether they appreciate it or not. Take the banning and moratorium issues of 2015 as an example. I rallied others in my county, attended multiple hearings, got out notices, paid for professional council and generally hit my head against a brick wall trying to get a significant number of others to participate. I did this all in the name of “helping the industry,” even though my parcel was already grandfathered in ahead of the strict zoning laws. It set my company back considerably in our quest to obtain a license, and we still lost the political battle.
The next resolve is to use my time and energy in a positive manner. Getting into this industry has become the most difficult decision-making process that could ever be imagined. The rules in Washington state are ever-changing and the normal hurdles of business are tenfold in cannabusiness. I need to keep my focus on the possibilities, stay flexible and open to opportunity and continue to push for industry improvements. It is all too easy to dive deep into negative conversations on how FUBAR the whole thing seems to be. That is a conversation I wish to avoid in 2016.
The most vital goal of 2016 is to get that golden ticket. A license this year is a must as the state Liquor and Cannabis Board is pulling applications that do not move forward in a timely manner. Now that the 25% wholesale sin tax is gone and the Liquor and Cannabis Board is licensing medical stores, there should be a healthier market in which to enter.
With the Luck o’ the Irish and teeth-grinding resolve, Washington Bud Company will be on the shelves by St. Patrick’s Day.
Shawn DeNae is CEO of Washington Bud Company, an aspiring applicant for a producer/processor license. She is one of the founding members of the Marijuana Business Association Women’s Alliance.