Blunt Strategies

04/07/2026

In the Minnesota cannabis market, what you don’t know won’t just cost you money—it will cost you your license.

Over the next few weeks, we are highlighting the critical red flags in real estate, local politics, and strategic timing that most operators—and many vendors—miss until it's too late.

Licensees: Success isn't just about the plant; it's about the infrastructure behind it. We’ve spent thousands of hours identifying the cracks in the industry so you don't have to. If a vendor hasn't been vetted against the Blunt Standard, you’re gambling with your capital.

Vendors/Contractors/Service Providers: We don’t do "pay-to-play" directories. Our Referral Ecosystem is a vetted shield for our clients. We are looking for partners who design for compliance first and understand the specific technical rigors of the OCM. If you have the expertise to meet our 1-in-10 rule, we want you in the ecosystem.

This series isn't coming from a place of guesswork. It’s coming from the "Blunt Standard."

Stop guessing. Start building. Learn more: https://bluntstrategies.com/referral-network

03/10/2026

Legacy Roots. Expert Strategy. 🌿

We are excited to share that Sarah Grew has joined Blunt Strategies!
Sarah isn't just a newcomer to the team—she’s a veteran of the movement. With over 20 years of experience in the cannabis industry, Sarah has been on the ground since the early days, helping shape the transition from legacy culture to the legal market we know today.

As our new PR, Marketing, and Design specialist, Sarah brings a unique "360-degree" lens to our clients. She understands that a successful cannabis brand needs more than just a logo; it needs a narrative that honors the plant and a strategy that survives the regulatory gauntlet.

Whether you need a high-impact PR campaign or a complete visual overhaul, Sarah’s deep industry knowledge and creative precision are exactly what you need to cut through the noise.

We’re also proud to name Sarah as a Referral Program Coordinator alongside Maren Schroeder. Because she’s worked across the entire supply chain—including cultivation, retail, and education—she understands exactly what our clients need and which vendors can deliver, making her the perfect person to lead our partnership efforts.

Help us welcome Sarah to the Blunt Strategies family in the comments below! 👇

See Sarah’s full bio here: https://bluntstrategies.com/sarah-grew-bio

10/14/2025

🚨 Two Upcoming Free Webinars for Minnesota Cannabis Operators!

Whether you're building a compliant benefits package or navigating the political side of cannabis regulation, we’ve got you covered.

🗓️ Oct 21 @ 1PM — Compliant & Affordable Health Benefits
Featuring Jack Kelly of Kelly Speciality Group
Learn how cannabis employers can offer smart, flexible coverage using ICHRAs—with tips to improve retention and stay compliant.

🗓️ Oct 30 @ 2PM — Lawyers vs. Lobbyists: Who Does What & Why You Need Both
Featuring Nicole L. Rash of Hellmuth & Johnson
Understand the difference between legal work and lobbying—and how each can make or break your cannabis business.

Sign up at https://bluntstrategies.com/home

06/16/2025

06/09/2025

We're partnering up with our friends at Shelter | Architecture+Interior Design to bring you all-new webinars this week and next.

Final Plans of Record are more than just forms—they’re the foundation for how your cannabis business will be inspected, licensed, and regulated in Minnesota. But completing them correctly depends on assembling the right team, with the right expertise, at the right time.

Our first webinar is this Friday (yes, the 13th!), learn more and register now for one or both sessions:

6/13 https://bluntstrategies.com/june-13-webinar-who-you-need

6/20 https://bluntstrategies.com/june-20-designing-your-site-security-and-operations-plan

06/06/2025

The Governor has just called a special legislative session for this Monday, June 9 and one of the only two items included in the “skinny” tax bill is the 50% tax hike on h**p and cannabis products. Despite week's of calls, emails, and protests, they're still trying to balance the budget on the backs of business owners who aren't even licensed to open their doors yet.

We need one final surge of pressure to try to stop this in its tracks.

📞 CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY

Tell them to VOTE NO on the tax bill.
Your message can be simple: “Vote NO on the tax bill. A 50% tax hike on h**p and cannabis will destroy small businesses before we've even opened our doors and fuel the illicit market.”

✅ Find your legislators using this tool: https://www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts/
✅ Call both your House and Senate members—and ask your friends, customers, and employees to do the same.
✅ Send a letter using this form and share the link to the form with others: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-the-cannabis-tax-hikeprotect-minnesotas-legal-market?source=direct_link&

05/21/2025

We’re showing up at the Capitol tomorrow to say NO TAX HIKE loud and clear.

📍 Wed., May 21 @ 4:20pm
🧭 MN State Capitol – Outside the Governor’s Office

💥 We need business owners and their teams, customers, and advocates from every corner of the state to be there.

Let’s show them we’re still organized—and not backing down.

05/19/2025

🚨 Minnesota’s cannabis tax hike is still alive—now with a “sunset” gimmick.

The Governor and legislative leaders are pushing for a 15% tax on cannabis and h**p products in a special session happening any day now—before the legal market has even opened.

They say it’s temporary, but the damage would be permanent:

❌ Higher prices for you and your customers
❌ Unfair advantages for operators who may be exempt
❌ Another win for the unregulated, untaxed market
❌ A direct hit to local businesses that haven’t even launched yet

📢 We’ve made it easy for your customers to take action.

➡️ Learn more and take action: http://link.bluntstrategies.com/tax-hike-special-session-action

05/17/2025

🚨 URGENT UPDATE: Your Calls Are Working—We Need More, RIGHT NOW!

Thanks to all of you who’ve called and emailed—they are hearing us loud and clear. But the deal isn’t dead yet, and we need to turn up the heat.

They are moving fast to finalize a 15% tax on h**p and cannabis products. We need every single business, customer, and supporter to make another call or send another email TODAY.

📞 CALL & EMAIL RIGHT NOW:
Governor Walz, House & Senate Leaders, and Your Legislators.
Find contact info here: https://bluntstrategies.com/no-tax-hike

Even if you already did it, do it again.
Tell your customers.
Post this message.
Keep the pressure on.

We can stop this, but only if we act TODAY.

05/15/2025

🚨This is not a drill.

Today, Governor Walz and legislative leadership announced a proposal to raise the cannabis and h**p product tax from 10% to 15%.

While the politics play out behind closed doors, our industry will bear the consequences—higher costs for consumers, fewer legal options, and increased pressure on local entrepreneurs working hard to build Minnesota’s craft cannabis marketplace.

We’re calling on our industry peers, partners, and advocates to:

✅ Contact the Governor and your legislators.
✅ Engage your customers to do the same.
✅ Post publicly to help spread awareness.

Now is the time to speak out. Let’s keep Minnesota’s cannabis industry accessible, affordable, and locally led.

Take action today: https://bluntstrategies.com/no-tax-hike