Andrew Berman

I’m passionate about spotlighting the success stories of cannabis businesses and the dedicated professionals driving the industry forward. With a background in mortgage media and financial services, I bring a unique perspective on the financial challenges and opportunities facing cannabis entrepreneurs. Through Barrier Life, I help cannabis professionals safeguard their income and build long-term financial security with tailored life, disability, and long-term care insurance solutions.

New York

So You Want to Open a Dispensary? Here's What It Actually Takes.

Apr 27, 2026

•

7 min read

So You Want to Open a Dispensary? Here's What It Actually Takes.

A state-by-state breakdown of licensing, costs, and timelines for aspiring cannabis retailers.

Andrew Berman

Regulatory Updates and Compliance Guidelines

Schedule III Changes Everything and Nothing: What Trump's Cannabis Rescheduling Actually Means for Your Business

Apr 24, 2026

•

2 min read

Schedule III Changes Everything and Nothing: What Trump's Cannabis Rescheduling Actually Means for Your Business

From Schedule I to Schedule III: What Trump's Rescheduling Order Actually Changes—and What It Doesn't

Andrew Berman

Virgina

One of Cannabis's Biggest MSO Just Filed for Bankruptcy. It Won't Be the Last.

Apr 10, 2026

•

3 min read

One of Cannabis's Biggest MSO Just Filed for Bankruptcy. It Won't Be the Last.

The Cannabist Co. collapse is a warning shot — not an isolated incident.

Andrew Berman

Business Innovations in Products and Technologies

The Cannabis Retail Tech Stack: Every System You Need to Operate, Stay Legal, and Actually Scale

Apr 8, 2026

•

8 min read

The Cannabis Retail Tech Stack: Every System You Need to Operate, Stay Legal, and Actually Scale

Here's the complete operational technology map for cannabis dispensary operators — including who leads each category and whether they're the right fit for your business.

Andrew Berman

Insights into Market Trends and Consumer Preferences

The Best 420 Promotions Dispensaries Ever Ran — And What You Can Steal From Them

Apr 7, 2026

•

5 min read

The Best 420 Promotions Dispensaries Ever Ran — And What You Can Steal From Them

The shops that win 4/20 don’t just discount. They create urgency, experiences and repeat customers. Here’s how to do the same without wrecking your margins.

Andrew Berman

Economic Growth and Profitability Strategies

The Cannabis Dispensary Playbook: Which Models Print Money and Which One Will Bury You

Apr 6, 2026

•

6 min read

The Cannabis Dispensary Playbook: Which Models Print Money and Which One Will Bury You

From storefront retail to vertical integration, here's an honest breakdown of every major dispensary business model — including the one mistake that's quietly bankrupting operators in the most competitive cannabis markets in the country.

Andrew Berman

Regulatory Updates and Compliance Guidelines

Apr 5, 2026

•

6 min read

99 Days and Counting: The Rescheduling Stall Is Costing Cannabis Operators Millions

Trump signed the executive order. Then he fired the AG tasked with executing it. Now acting AG Todd Blanche has 30-60 days to deliver what Bondi never did -- while operators bleed under 280E.

Andrew Berman

Economic Growth and Profitability Strategies

Acquisition Market Dries Up: Why Dispensary Owners Must Build for Sustainability, Not Just Sale

Mar 25, 2026

•

3 min read

Acquisition Market Dries Up: Why Dispensary Owners Must Build for Sustainability, Not Just Sale

How to Pivot from Growth-at-all-Costs to Sustainable Profitability

Andrew Berman

Health Studies and Educational Content

WSWA Pushes for Alcohol-Like Regulation of Intoxicating Hemp Beverages

Mar 24, 2026

•

3 min read

WSWA Pushes for Alcohol-Like Regulation of Intoxicating Hemp Beverages

A powerful alcohol trade group wants intoxicating hemp beverages regulated like booze — and the outcome could reshape the competitive landscape for cannabis retailers.

Andrew Berman

Mississippi

Future-Proofing Your Dispensary: 5 Lessons From the Brands Winning in 2026

Mar 24, 2026

•

5 min read

Future-Proofing Your Dispensary: 5 Lessons From the Brands Winning in 2026

The MSOs are making their moves. Here's how independent retailers can stay in the game.

Andrew Berman

Economic Growth and Profitability Strategies

High Turnover Signals Deeper Issues in Dispensaries

Mar 24, 2026

•

3 min read

High Turnover Signals Deeper Issues in Dispensaries

Why Internal Systems, Not the Labor Market, Are the Real Key to Retention

Andrew Berman

Colorado

Mar 23, 2026

•

2 min read

Colorado MED Reports 99% ID Compliance: A Benchmark for Dispensary Operators

Colorado setting the standard for ID compliance.

Andrew Berman

Insights into Market Trends and Consumer Preferences

Dispensaries: The 50-Day Countdown to 4/20 Begins Today

Mar 1, 2026

•

4 min read

Dispensaries: The 50-Day Countdown to 4/20 Begins Today

March 1st marks the unofficial start of the busy season. Here is what retailers should be doing this week to prepare for the biggest sales day of the year.

Andrew Berman

Virgina

Mainstream Retail Giants Embrace THC: Target Soft-Launches Beverages While MSOs Sue DoorDash

Feb 25, 2026

•

4 min read

Mainstream Retail Giants Embrace THC: Target Soft-Launches Beverages While MSOs Sue DoorDash

The battle lines between licensed dispensaries and the booming hemp-derived THC market are being drawn in courtrooms and big-box aisles. Meanwhile, newly minted adult-use states hit major revenue milestones despite regulatory headwinds.

Andrew Berman

Economic Growth and Profitability Strategies

The Frontline: Why Budtender Training is Your Best Retail Optimization Strategy

Feb 25, 2026

•

3 min read

A look at how cannabis drinks actually perform in dispensaries—and why a handful of brands continue to earn fridge space

Andrew Berman

Massachusetts

+13

Cannabis Lounges: A Market Takes Shape, State by State

Feb 3, 2026

•

4 min read

Cannabis Lounges: A Market Takes Shape, State by State

As federal policy loosens, states are quietly building a new business model—one with strict local control and clear regulatory guardrails about cannabis consumption lounges.

Andrew Berman

Regulatory Updates and Compliance Guidelines

Trump's Marijuana Play: What It Actually Means for Those of Us Running Dispensaries

Feb 1, 2026

•

5 min read

Trump's Marijuana Play: What It Actually Means for Those of Us Running Dispensaries

The December rescheduling made headlines. Here's what it actually does—and doesn't.

Andrew Berman

New York

Cannabis Retail Business Models: Opportunities & Tradeoffs for Entrepreneurs

May 5, 2025

•

6 min read

Cannabis Retail Business Models: Opportunities & Tradeoffs for Entrepreneurs

Five ways to break into cannabis retail with SWOT analysis, costs and how to choose.

Andrew Berman

Regulatory Updates and Compliance Guidelines

Cannabis Legalization: Are We Really Getting Closer?

May 1, 2025

•

4 min read

Cannabis Legalization: Are We Really Getting Closer?

What Newcomers and Veterans Need to Know About the Federal Picture Right Now.

Andrew Berman

Regulatory Updates and Compliance Guidelines

Grow, Sell, Repeat: The Smart Play Behind Connecticut's 420 Warehouse

Apr 29, 2025

•

4 min read

Grow, Sell, Repeat: The Smart Play Behind Connecticut's 420 Warehouse

With cultivation and retail under one roof, 420 Warehouse shows cannabis entrepreneurs how to control margins, supply, and their future.

Andrew Berman

Andrew Berman

So You Want to Open a Dispensary? Here's What It Actually Takes.

Schedule III Changes Everything and Nothing: What Trump's Cannabis Rescheduling Actually Means for Your Business

One of Cannabis's Biggest MSO Just Filed for Bankruptcy. It Won't Be the Last.

The Cannabis Retail Tech Stack: Every System You Need to Operate, Stay Legal, and Actually Scale

The Best 420 Promotions Dispensaries Ever Ran — And What You Can Steal From Them

The Cannabis Dispensary Playbook: Which Models Print Money and Which One Will Bury You

99 Days and Counting: The Rescheduling Stall Is Costing Cannabis Operators Millions

Acquisition Market Dries Up: Why Dispensary Owners Must Build for Sustainability, Not Just Sale

WSWA Pushes for Alcohol-Like Regulation of Intoxicating Hemp Beverages

Future-Proofing Your Dispensary: 5 Lessons From the Brands Winning in 2026

High Turnover Signals Deeper Issues in Dispensaries

Colorado MED Reports 99% ID Compliance: A Benchmark for Dispensary Operators

Dispensaries: The 50-Day Countdown to 4/20 Begins Today

Mainstream Retail Giants Embrace THC: Target Soft-Launches Beverages While MSOs Sue DoorDash

The Frontline: Why Budtender Training is Your Best Retail Optimization Strategy

Cannabis Brand Deals in 2026: A Market on the Move

The Store Manager Scorecard: What to Measure Weekly (and Why)

The Cannabis Profitability Paradox: Why Investors Lost Billions While Smart Retailers Still Win

Schedule III Isn’t the Finish Line. It’s the Start of a Much Harder Phase.

Inside the Cannabis Beverage Category: Sales, Behavior, and Brand Leaders

Cannabis Lounges: A Market Takes Shape, State by State

Trump's Marijuana Play: What It Actually Means for Those of Us Running Dispensaries

Cannabis Retail Business Models: Opportunities & Tradeoffs for Entrepreneurs

Cannabis Legalization: Are We Really Getting Closer?

Grow, Sell, Repeat: The Smart Play Behind Connecticut's 420 Warehouse

Cannabis Professional

Home

Insurance Services