Rocky Mountain Cannabis Consulting

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Ready to Join The Fastest Growing Industry?

Debbi Spranza

start your budding career today!

Why are so many people joining the cannabis industry? In 2020, Americans purchased $18.3 billion worth of cannabis products, a 71% increase over 2019. The US cannabis industry now supports 321,000 full-time jobs between plant-touching roles and ancillary service providers adding nearly 200,000 full-time jobs since 2017 alone.

This is great news for young people looking to gain a foothold in the industry or even established professionals hoping to escape a toxic corporate culture and chase their cannabis dreams. However, with the latest unemployment report telling us 8.7 million people are out of work, it can even be difficult to land an entry-level job if you don’t have any previous experience.

If you’re a college student or just looking to start or change your career path, consider new opportunities in the cannabis industry before your peers do. Your transferable skills are valuable and needed. If you’re good at what you do or a quick learner who is passionate about the plant, then the cannabis industry needs you. In this article, Crossing over into a career in cannabis, Vangst tells us, “Don’t let a lack of experience define you.”

It’s competitive out there.

While there are lots of opportunities out there, starting a career or crossing over into the cannabis industry can feel impossible without any experience. It’s always intimidating launching a new career but, in the cannabis industry, it’s especially difficult to know where to start and what types of jobs are available.


So what steps should you take before submitting your resume to cannabis companies and applying for jobs? Here are some words of wisdom from RMCC’s own Chief Learning Officer Debbi Spranza:

Do some research.

Organizations like Vangst, FlowerHire (Understanding the Cannabis Industry), and LeafWire (Find jobs and others) all serve the cannabis community by helping those who are looking for employment find positions that are right for them. Take a look at cannabis-specific hiring companies to determine which companies are a good fit for you.


Research different cannabis companies in your area. Be careful not to overlook ancillary companies such as consulting companies specializing in a variety of services such as advocacy, accounting, law, compliance, advertising, marketing, public relations, good manufacturing practices, and so on. The list is endless! 


Research and attend different cannabis-specific networking events and career fairs. Even virtual events can be hugely beneficial. These events help to get your name out there, connect you with cannabis professionals at different companies you may be interested in, and give you an idea of the day-to-day tasks for different roles in the industry. The Cannabis Business Times is a great resource. They aggregate events from all over the country on their events calendar. 

Organizations like the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) whose mission is, “to promote the growth of a responsible, sustainable, and inclusive cannabis industry and work for a favorable social, economic, and regulatory environment for that industry throughout the United States” put on virtual and in person events across the country. 

These are perfect opportunities to network and learn from professionals at all experience levels coming together to move our industry forward:

Be willing to roll up your sleeves.

You’ll find entry-level positions like trimmers, lab assistants, and social media managers all listed at places like internships.com. Many of these positions don’t pay well or at all but that isn’t the point. As an 8-year veteran in the licensed cannabis industry, our CEO says "in our industry, you must do the job first before receiving the title. Our industry is so new, a lot of times businesses don't know they need a position until someone created the role for themselves." If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and put in the time and effort, you’ll gain much-needed experience to determine where you can do the most good in the industry. These internships will allow you to add cannabis-specific experience to your resume, show potential employers you’re willing to put in the time and effort it takes to succeed in this industry, and often result in valuable letters of recommendation that can put you at the top of hiring managers’ list of candidates.

RMCC knows firsthand how internships can lead to the hiring of extremely talented and effective employees. Take Taryn Janifer’s journey as an example. Previously, Taryn worked outside of the cannabis industry caring for animals as a certified pet groomer. When their fibromyalgia began to interfere with the care they were able to provide, they decided they needed to pursue a new career path.

Taryn joined RMCC as an intern in October 2019 and quickly exceeded expectations while bringing real value to the entire organization. In December of 2019, Taryn accepted a full-time role with RMCC. This story is not unique or unheard of in the cannabis industry. Getting your foot in the door in an internship position can lead to additional opportunities if you’re willing to put in the hard work and impress your potential co-workers.

How can you get started today?

Be on the cutting edge working alongside entrepreneurs and innovators currently building this burgeoning industry with RMCC. Rocky Mountain Cannabis Consulting is a women-owned and led cannabis compliance education company established in 2018. We offer online training, coaching, mentorship, and a wide range of services to help operators get their license and accelerate and scale cannabis compliance operations nationwide. We’ve assisted over 500 licenses nationwide from California to Maine seek licensure, build, and scale their businesses. You can start today with your internship at RMCC.

RMCC delivers complex audits throughout the supply chain on behalf of operators who desire agnostic, third-party support in obtaining and sustaining compliant operational workflows. As an Audit Assistant Intern, you’ll support the entire team as we serve as outsourced compliance officers for our clients. You will work 1:1 with our CEO and Founder, BriAnne Ramsay, to investigate, reconcile, and build compliant operational safeguards.

As an RMCC intern, you'll have the chance to help us shape the future and deliver complex audit results through data and insights. During our 12-week program, you'll experience on-the-job training, access to mentors, and opportunities to grow your cannabis regulatory knowledge. You'll be challenged and empowered to work on projects relevant to current business opportunities and consult with members of our team with the opportunity to present work to senior management.

This isn’t for just anyone, but it could be perfect for you!

To qualify for the internship program, applicants must be: 21+, be strong communicators with strategic, analytical, and creative thinking skills, demonstrate leadership initiative, provide an example of a custom spreadsheet with tables and formula s that demonstrate your data management skills, and have a GED or higher. The only thing stopping you from applying is yourself.