Paragon Payroll, Inc.

06/16/2026

Trust is earned and we don’t take it lightly. Serving our community on a national level for the last decade has been our absolute privilege. And to be in a room full of peers, partners, clients, and what we consider family has been our greatest joy. We’re so proud to continue uplifting our community and to be in the presence of those who’ve helped shape this industry into what it is today. Cheers to a legacy that’ll outlast us all. Onward, together! Thank you to JewsInWeed for holding space and bringing in the best of our community to uplift us all.

06/15/2026

Reporting live from IgniteIt’s Cannabis Capital Conference, and we’re hitting the ground running!

We’re looking forward to connecting with cannabis operators, industry leaders, and financial institutions to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry today.

This morning’s session, “Capital Isn’t Scarce: It’s Scattered,” highlighted an important reality: access to the right partners and resources can make all the difference. As operators continue to navigate growth, having trusted relationships and the right infrastructure in place is critical.

That’s where we come in. We’re here to help connect operators with the best financial institutions while making sure their people are paid, their HR processes are streamlined, and their businesses stay compliant.

Looking forward to more great conversations, new connections, and valuable insights throughout the conference. If you’re at IgniteIT, say hi to Clarke Lyons Bobby Romay Jr. and Thomas Arrington!

Or reach out here: https://lnkd.in/efm9Zdi7, we’d love to meet you!

05/15/2026

“Returning to Capitol Hill for my second consecutive year to attend the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Lobby Days on behalf of Paragon Payroll, Inc., carried an even deeper sense of purpose: contributing to the ongoing work to build a more equitable, modern, and inclusive future through thoughtful policy, advocacy, and collaboration.

Beyond the headlines surrounding rescheduling and federal reform, the conversations consistently came back to one core issue: the need for policy that reflects the operational realities of today’s regulated cannabis industry.

From 280E and banking limitations to states’ rights and program protections, we focused on advancing practical, responsible solutions centered around compliance, business fairness, educational equity, workforce development, public safety, regulatory clarity, and sustainable economic growth.

I had the privilege of lobbying alongside Caroline Crandall (Green Theory), Rodney Holcombe II (LeafLink), our client Allison Lipowitz (District Cannabis), RhonTia Thomas (Kaya301), David Gravel, CPA, MPAc (AAFCPAs, Inc.), and Kristin Rogers, MA, MEd (LEVIA).

We met with the offices of Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Julie Johnson, Rep. Kweisi Mfume, and Rep. Seth Moulton to discuss the real-world impact federal policy continues to have on communities across the country.

All coming together from different backgrounds and disciplines, with a shared commitment to progress, empathy, and responsible change, was incredibly impactful. Meaningful progress only happens when people are willing to engage in difficult conversations, listen to one another, and work toward solutions bigger than themselves.

NCIA deserves tremendous recognition for continuing to create space for these important conversations. By bringing together advocates, operators, policymakers, and industry leaders in a productive, forward-thinking environment, we continue to move meaningful discussions forward at the federal level.

We’re coming together with urgency, integrity, and a shared commitment to progress, where change starts to feel tangible.” - Clarke Lyons

05/14/2026

New York cannabis operations isn’t for the weak.

You can feel it the second you step into the room. Revelry has been nothing short of amazing.

The ambition. The exhaustion. The creativity.
The pressure to survive and scale at the same time.

This market is moving fast, but behind every beautiful dispensary buildout, launch party, or packed networking event are operators carrying a lot on their backs.

High operating costs.
Constant compliance shifts.
Turnover.
Training gaps.
Burnout.
Hiring struggles.
Trying to build culture while also trying to simply stay afloat.

And honestly? That’s why showing up here matters so much to us.

People in this industry deserve partners willing to sit in the discomfort with them and actually help them navigate it and we’re so humbled to be able to provide that space to so many incredible operators.

Happy to continue to serve our community alongside one of the best partners in the game, Zen Den Kim Bruen RN, BSN !

Thomas Arrington Todd “Freddie” Wolters Nicholas Renfro

05/12/2026

Our team isn’t playing any games this year. 🌿

As we celebrate our 10-Year Canna-versary, we’ve taken our dedication to the cannabis industry to a whole new level, showing up, staying present, advocating, educating, and remaining truly Cannabis Committed.

We haven’t even finished unpacking MJ Unpacked Atlantic City, and we’re already back on the road.

While Clarke Lyons heads to DC for Lobby Days, Todd “Freddie” Wolters, Nicholas Renfro, and Thomas Arrington are heading to Revelry NYC.

Because there’s power in being in the room.

New York’s cannabis market continues to surge, but operators are still navigating compliance pressure, workforce challenges, operational hurdles, and rapid growth all at once. That’s why these conversations matter. That’s why partnerships matter.

One of the sweetest parts? Sharing a booth with Kim Bruen, RN, BSN — Founder & CEO of Zen Den, an incredible strategic HR and people-operations partner helping cannabis businesses build healthier, stronger, more compliant workplaces.

Kim, thank you for always leading with integrity, authenticity, and humanity. 🤝

NYC — we’re ready to bring honest conversations, people-first solutions, payroll guidance, HR strategy, and real partnership to the room. New York, let’s handle business. 🗽

05/10/2026

05/07/2026

🚨Cannabis Community Spotlight: Happy Client Alert!🚨

Some booth conversations remind us why we’re so committed to this industry in the first place.

Huge shoutout to our friends at Dank Poet Dispensary LLC for stopping by the Paragon booth.

We’re incredibly grateful to work alongside cannabis businesses that care deeply about their people, their culture, and the experience they create for their community.

What really resonates with us about Dank Poet is their philosophy:

“We call our customers ‘authors’ and our budtenders ‘muses’; we want to partner with you on your journey with cannabis.”

That says everything. One of the biggest things we strive for is helping alleviate stress for cannabis teams so they can focus more on building meaningful experiences like this for their customers and community. When operators aren’t buried under payroll headaches, compliance chaos, or disconnected systems, they get more time to focus on what actually matters: people.

And Dank Poet clearly understands that cannabis has always been bigger than a transaction. It’s education. Creativity. Connection. Safe experiences. Community.

From their boutique atmosphere to their commitment to informing and empowering their “Authors,” they’re building something genuinely thoughtful in Washington, NJ, and we’re proud to support businesses helping move the culture forward with intention.

Cannabis commitment recognizes cannabis commitment.

Thank you again to the Dank Poet team for stopping by and showing love.

📍 Washington, NJ

dankpoet.com

05/06/2026

Operators should focus on serving their communities, growing their businesses, creating jobs, and building something lasting, not constantly worrying about whether an administrative issue will come back to hurt them later or possibly cause a shutdown.

We have a proven track record of helping businesses reduce operational weight and achieve more once they’re no longer overwhelmed.

And a special thank you to Noelle Skodzinski, the Co-Founder and Editorial Director of Cannabis Business Times. It was so lovely seeing you, and we’re incredibly grateful to be recognized as one of the 2026 Best Cannabis Companies to Work For.

It’s those small moments of recognition, connection, and community that remind us why this work matters so much.

Grateful for every conversation at Booth 808 today so far, and excited to keep serving this community with the quality, respect, and commitment it deserves.

Come see us (Todd “Freddie” Wolters & Thomas Arrington)!

05/06/2026

Day 2 at feels like a reminder of where New Jersey cannabis is headed, and what it still needs.

According to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, New Jersey’s combined medical and adult-use cannabis sales surpassed $1 billion in 2024, after nearly 25% growth from the year before. And early 2026 market reporting shows monthly sales continuing around the $90M+ range.

That kind of growth is always worth celebrating.

However, raises a bigger query:

If cannabis is operating like a billion-dollar industry, why are so many operators still forced to work around systems that weren’t built for them?

05/05/2026

MJ Unpacked, Atlantic City, we’re here!

If you’re walking the floor this week, there’s a good chance you’ll run into Thomas Arrington and Todd “Freddie” Wolters at Booth 808.

And if you do, it probably won’t feel like a typical vendor conversation. Because the conversations we’ve been having so far have been pretty real.

Operators are trying to grow, but feeling like their backend isn’t keeping up. HR teams are carrying more than they should. Payroll providers that still don’t fully understand how cannabis actually works. And a lot of people are saying some version of:

“We know we need something better… we just don’t want it to turn into a whole situation.”

That hesitation makes sense, and to be fair, that’s really why we’re here.
Not to push anything... just to show a comparison of what it looks like when payroll, HR, and compliance actually feel more manageable… and a lot less stressful behind the scenes.

If you’re at MJ Unpacked, come find us at Booth 808. And if we’ve already connected, this is a good time to keep the conversation going.

We’re also making it easier to explore right now:
Implementation fees waived, as well as a priority post-event payroll strategy session. The right partner shouldn’t feel like a risk, but rather relief.

Book Your Strategy Session (Link in Bio):
https://lnkd.in/eUDzDRCT