Category Archive for : ‘Business Risk’

The insurance industry is not short of professionals and experts. Drive down Any Street, USA and you can find a brokerage or retail agency. The traditional method for purchasing insurance has stayed the same for many years and I’m sure you’ve experienced it. Fill out applications, get some quotes, and pick what looks best. All these experts. All these options.

But what about the cannabis insurance space? Where are all the experts when it comes to insuring a cannabis businesses?  In California, there are currently approximately 130 insurance agencies on the

GUEST BLOGGER: NEAL GLATT, of GrowTheBench.com

When I entered the workforce 10 years ago, every business was concerned with survival.   “The Great Recession” struck hard and the future of sales and profitability for many industries was extremely concerning.  We were all caught completely by surprise and suffered some very tough years as a result.  Hopefully, reading this now, you not only survived but have likely emerged stronger with new processes, solid growth, and increased technology to be better equipped than we were before.  Congratulations!

Here’s the problem: we are on the verge

When the voters approved to make recreational marijuana use legal in Massachusetts in 2016, employers immediately wondered how they were going to navigate these waters with their employees. Marijuana still remains illegal under Federal Law, which is putting Massachusetts based employers in a tough spot.

With the first recreational marijuana shops recently opening in the Commonwealth, employers are now faced with the real likelihood that some of their employees are now consuming marijuana products on their own time. How is this going to affect employers that have drug policies in place

I’ve met so many great people attending industry conferences, conventions, and seminars. A great variety of people all passionate about the business they do and the opportunities that come with it. Of all of the conversations I’ve had I spend the majority of my time learning about their businesses. How did you start? What are your plans? Where do you plan to go with this? Are you having fun? What have you learned? I happen to be curious by nature – so I love engaging in these conversations. They tend

The Rising Health Care Cost Challenge

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures in 2018, the average annual employer-based family coverage premium was $19,616, up 5% from 2017! Premiums have increased over 20% since 2012. Health insurance now consistently ranks as the second largest line item for a business, after payroll.
This rapid increase in cost resulted in less than 30% of businesses with fewer than 50 employees offering health insurance in 2017, according to NFIB. A 22% reduction in companies offering health insurance since 2010. In comparison companies between 50-99

According to the United States Census Bureau half of all businesses are owned by baby boomers. This means that the owners are between the ages of 53 to 71. The Census Bureau also states that the average age of retirement in the United States is 63 years old. This means that half of all business owners are at the average age of retirement or less than a decade away from it.  If you find yourself in this category are you actively planning an exit strategy?

Successful business owners spend decades building

Wow, things really do move fast. It has been nearly a year since we made the decision to formalize our practice in the cannabis space.  It has been fun nearly every day.  It has been a learning experience.  It has been an opportunity to meet some really talented people.  It has been a blast to collaborate and tackle some significant challenges with new forward thinking people.  I think some of my most recent conversations are worth sharing.

Last fall I attended a captive insurance meeting with a client.  At one of

South by Southwest [SXSW]. Music. Movies. Interactive Technology. Networking. Late Nights. And, now featuring the Cannabis Industry!

I recently attended the SXSW Cannabusiness track in Austin, TX. The conference based track was lead by industry experts, lifetime Cannabis advocates, doctors, and even featured a guest panel including John Boehner. What was the overall takeaway from the event? I’d say it was discussions around reversing the stigma of Cannabis. Discussions around reversing the messaging developed around the prohibition of Cannabis – a message clearly articulated by Med Men: Cannabis. The New Normal.

So,

If you are under the impression that Workers’ Compensation rates are set by the state, well, you’re right!  But don’t be under the impression that you cannot do anything to help lower your overall premium.  Minimizing workers’ compensation risks is always an available option. Developing a proactive risk management approach can help you create a safer, more structured workplace which over time will help lower your modification score.  If we could provide you a plan that would eliminate workplace accidents, we would, but that is not possible.  What we can

If you offer health insurance to your employees you are aware that it is bought in one – year policy increments. Every year your insurance broker arrives at your office, spreadsheet in hand ready to explain why you received an increase. Insurance carriers do this in order to protect themselves from long-term losses by having the ability to adjust your premium on a yearly basis. Unfortunately, as a business providing health insurance you will almost certainly offer it for more than one year.

As a result, business owners need to start