 As we all know hemp is now legal nationwide for agricultural production. With Sapphire ubiquitous presence as a leading cannabis security and hemp security company in the industry, we have met a lot of amazing individuals and have learned about their ideas. One is Eric McKee; he is involved heavily in the hemp industry and building Hempcrete houses and buildings. He has also helped in the research and design of the product.
The IsoHemp Hempcrete blocks are particularly suitable for remodeling or new construction projects of all kinds, for adding a second wall to existing walls on the inside or from the outside, as well as industrial partitioning and for apartments. Hempcrete blocks allow you to achieve very low-energy and passive house standards, with all necessary certifications per current European regulations. Thermal regulation Like most insulating materials, Hempcrete blocks use pockets of air to slow down the conducting of heat inside or outside. But additionally, Hempcrete blocks naturally regulate the temperature of the building thanks to their excellent ability to store accumulated heat. These insulating blocks with high thermal inertia protect from cold winters (keeping the heat inside the house) as well as hot summers (avoiding overheating of the living space). As a true thermal buffer, Hempcrete walls keep the indoor temperature constant and significantly reduce the impact of changes in heat between day and night. Humidity regulation Thanks to its high permeability to water vapor, the Hempcrete blocks act as a water buffer and offer a constant and healthy indoor climate for the occupants. The relative humidity level is thus stabilized (from 50% to 55%). They can be used for:
Acoustic Insulation Whether IsoHemp Hempcrete blocks are used for interior walls or partitions, external and ambient noise will be significantly reduced. In terms of sound insulation, Hempcrete blocks acts as a real sound barrier and can lessen most acoustic waves, thus protecting you from noise pollution. Protection and fire resistance IsoHemp Hempcrete blocks meet all current standards and provide a simple and effective solution to your construction site, whether for industrial or community Hempcrete buildings (nurseries, schools, etc.) or residential Hempcrete homes. With an excellent reaction to fire (Class A1 for the coated block), it offers up to more than two-hours of fire resistance depending on the finish and the width of the block used. Health and environmental qualities The Hempcrete block meets the strictest requirements of sustainable development: it is manufactured using a very energy-efficient process, using 100% natural materials (limestone and hemp) that are sourced locally. Building or renovating your home with Hempcrete blocks can sustainably save more than 2 tons of CO2. That's one way of improving your carbon footprint inside your Hempcrete house. With this new product Hempcrete suppliers will create a new sustainability not only for the individuals who use this product but also the struggling farmers throughout the United States and other countries. Now that it is legal to grow as an agricultural product, we should begin to see more Hempcrete technologies applied to a variety of industrial sectors and reduced costs both short term and long term for Hempcrete construction projects. Sources: De Mahieu, Jean, Managing partner. IsoHemp Natural Building. IsoHemp, 3 April 2019, https://www.isohemp.com/en. 25 March 2019 Eric McKee of Wnder LLC in Colorado
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When most people say they have been involved in an industry for five years, they usually are considered new to that industry. In the cannabis industry, five years is considered a lifetime because as we all know the business of cannabis is really no more than ten years old. Back when I started, there were two types of people in the cannabis industry. The first were people who knew the value of the plant and how it can help and the second were those who felt there must be a way to turn this plant into a business that makes money.
Over the years, I have seen this industry continue to grow as well as the people involved in its growth. Some of the changes in the industry have been very good and some not as good but all these changes have affected the way people look at this industry now and into the future. When I look at this industry, I see what I call various “generations” of cannabis business people. These business generations are involved in one part of the business or another and I do not believe that one generation is better than another nor do I believe that a person can’t be a combination of several generations. Also, one generation’s mission is no more or less passionate than another generation’s. It is just the type of person you are in the business side of this great industry. Generation 1 – Old Time Hippie You have been in the marijuana, pot, weed, cannabis industry before there was an industry. You are very much an activist of the plant and have dealt with the underground and law enforcement concerns during your time in this business. You feel the “devil’s lettuce” is more important than the money but some money for all your heartache would be nice. Gen 2 – Pick and Shovel You entered the cannabis industry to help cultivators, dispensary, processor, manufacturing etc. owners with their desire to grow in this industry by selling the services or products that they will need to be successful. Much like the people who sold the ax picks, blankets and shovels to the gold miners during the gold rush. You would not consider yourself a Gen One but you do love this industry. Gen 3 – Entrepreneur You are in the industry to make money, lots of money. You are willing to do whatever is needed to make money in this industry but when the money is gone so are you. You are here for the business of cannabis and not as an activist. A true entrepreneur. Gen 4 – Investor You are willing to put your money where your mouth is. You look to invest in the industry but only if there is a return on your investment. The Cannabis industry is just another product that could make money for you over time. The only “green” you care about is the green in your bank account. Gen 5 – Reality Star Your desire is to communicate a positive image of the cannabis industry to mainstream society. You may be an activist one day and an entrepreneur the next day depending on your following. Having people recognize you when you walk into an expo or conference is more important. Making money or growing a business is not the main goal, rather you want to popularize your brand. That brand may be general or specific to a niche, but your media presence is the key to success. Remember, these generations are for the business of cannabis, not for those who are not in the business but understand the medical value of the plant. So, who are you in this industry? This article was originally posted in Cannabis Business Executive, available here.  Previously we have written about educating your seasonal staff and taking steps to limit your vulnerability to theft by your seasonal staff. But as the employer-employee relationship changes during this age of the “gig economy”, the attitudes and interests of your temporary employees should be taken into account.
As any good planner will tell you, it’s never too late to plan for the future; especially for any retail stores that hire temporary employees for those busy seasons. It is not sufficient to rely on staffing firms and temporary employment agencies to do all the work. With all of the new faces around retail stores, security becomes of greater importance. Simple preparation practices can help limit the amount taken from businesses. If You Don’t Want the Crime, Do the Time Over 75% of employees have stolen from their place of employment. Not limited to inventory, this could include time spent by employees conducting their personal business or inventory from your store while still on the clock. A higher percentage of theft, 42.7%, came from employees rather than by shoplifters, 35.6%. These numbers can become higher for businesses once temporary employees enter the fray. The Quick Shift Quickly building a good rapport with temporary employees can be crucial. When businesses hire for special seasons, they would typically like to rely on the same people each season. It can be tedious to retrain new seasonal hires every time that time of year comes, so you want to have a familiar face around. It also important to remember that they are helping you. Temporary employees may not have the sense of loyalty that a full-time employee may have to you. This makes building the good rapport not only a necessity, but also an immediate need to change that sense of loyalty after you hire them for the holiday season or whatever occasion. Employee Hide and Seek When searching for new employees, there are ways of finding the best employees for your business. Before even hiring someone to join your staff, it is important to perform a screening of these potential job holders. Background checks help to find any glaring red flags that a prospect may never let you know about. Also, it can let you know how honest they really are. If, during the interview process, someone fails to mention something from their past that comes up in a screening, you know they have a lower chance of developing loyalty and accountability. Once you find someone loyal, it is important to make all expectations clear. Keeping Everyone Accountable Clear expectations can help employees stay on target. When employees know their jobs and know what is expected of them, they are less likely to stray from those expectations. Policies should be established on Day One and help maintain status quo when upheld consistently. Whether responsible for something like a minor violation or something as serious as theft, employees must know there will be consequences to actions. Another way to keep everyone accountable is to have employees work together on accomplishing tasks. Buddy System Whether swimming in the lake at Camp Hope or working on an assignment, it is important to have a buddy system. When working with a partner, two things can be accomplished. The first is that when working together, partners are more likely to hold each other accountable. They will work together to accomplish their goal as both would like to receive credit, rather than letting each other down. Also, with the consequences lined out from your expectations, they are more likely to keep each other in check. This helps reduce any possibilities of theft when they know there are another pair of eyes on them. One important factor to consider when placing co-workers together is the friendship level of the two. If the pair is close, they will be more likely to cover up for each other or take chances that unfamiliar duos would not be comfortable doing. Private Eyes are Watching You The final step to helping with temporary employees is to allow for anonymous reporting. When employees can report suspicious activity anonymously, they are more likely to report it. One for the sake of being seen by their peers. Employees don’t want to be seen as a “snitch” for telling on a fellow employee’s activity. Secondly, if employees know that anyone can report them, they may be more inclined to not perform illegal activity. The more eyes on each other, the better. Keeping a Permanent Hold on Temporary Employees With the seasonal times that come every year, businesses will take on additional help along with the additional risks of losses by new employees. But the disadvantages of employing temporary staff should not outweigh the advantages. By following a few simple steps, businesses can ensure that they will be secure from any theft from their temporary employees. By screening ahead of time, it becomes easier to select the right candidates for the job. Once on the job, setting expectations and assigning buddies will help keep everyone together working on the common goal and know what happens when they veer from that path. Finally, it is important to allow everyone to report things anonymously because they may be more inclined to report something that may not always be caught on camera. Through all of this, a good rapport can be built between employers and employees, and the risks of theft become temporary as well. Employee Theft In the retail industry, also commonly referred to as internal theft, occurs when individuals steal from the company where they are currently employed. While other types of retail theft often garner more attention, employee theft typically causes the most damage to retailers on an annual basis, carrying the greatest financial loss and a substantial impact on the business. In most situations, retail customers only have access to merchandise on the selling floor—which is protected by the sales team, loss prevention personnel, and various anti-theft systems and controls. Employees, however, have greater access to more systems, more products and more areas of the store than customers. They have access to merchandise in the stockrooms, receiving, or shipping areas where CCTV surveillance, EAS tags and other anti-theft devices may be less effective. According to data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 75 percent of employees have admitted stealing from their employers at least once, and 38 percent admit to stealing from employers at least twice. The FBI refers to employee theft as the fastest growing crime in the U.S., costing businesses about seven percent of their expected margins. The problem becomes so dire for some businesses hit with employee theft that about 33 percent are pushed into bankruptcy due to losses from theft or fraud. Reports collated by Statistic Brain indicate that more than 28 percent of business losses ranged from $100,000 to $499,000, and 25 percent of losses exceeded $1 million. These figures are disturbing because they demonstrate that business losses due to employee theft are not trivial. The median value of cash or goods stolen was placed at $75,000. In 2014 alone, more than 1.2 million shoplifters and wayward employees were caught in the act, according to a study conducted by Jack L. Hayes, a loss prevention and inventory shrinkage control consulting firm. More significantly, these numbers were generated from 25 big retailers, suggesting that the problem is more widespread and the losses more substantial if small to medium retailers were included in the mix. According to several studies, losses from employee theft outpaced losses from shoplifting. Employee Theft Methods Employee theft may be difficult to detect because the perpetrator is an insider familiar with the system. Additionally, these employees have access to the keys of the kingdom because of their positions and their reputation as dependable team players. These are a few of the methods commonly used to steal from the company.
Most employees are honest and hard-working people with honorable intentions. However, when employee theft issues occur, it can lead to significant concerns that can impact the store in many ways, reaching far beyond the financial losses caused to the company. It impacts retail sales. It impacts retail shrink. It impacts the company brand and reputation. It also impacts all the hard-working associates who give their best each day. Sources: https://losspreventionmedia.com/  Like banks and jewelry stores, cultivators deal in a high-value product and a cash-heavy business that can appeal to thieves. This makes it imperative to choose the right security system for your business, both in terms of meeting essential state requirements and getting the most value for your investment.
CHOOSING A SYSTEM 1. A monitoring system has a dual role: security & compliance Unlike in most industries, security systems for the cannabis industry must do more than protect against crime. If you run a convenience store and your cameras go down for a time, the risk is private and limited to your own desire to capture illegal acts on camera. If you are a grower, however, the stakes are much higher. Every state’s regulations spell out compliance requirements for security systems, some even down to the camera resolution required, so, at a minimum, reading and meeting these requirements is a must. Your insurance company may also have compliance requirements. 2. Find a security company that has experience with regulated systems You don't want to pay a lot for an expensive system that's not tailored to your state's specific requirements. Inquire about the firm's experience installing systems for heavily regulated industries and familiarity with state requirements. 3. Make sure they understand local requirements To comply with security requirements, local rules are just as important as state rules. In Colorado, for instance, the state requires off-site storage of 30 days of recorded video, while some cities require much more, according to Tony Gallo, Managing Partner of Dallas-based cannabis consulting firm Sapphire Risk Advisory Group. 4. Go 'beyond compliance' Doing the minimum to get a green light from the state regulators is not a good idea. “What the state needs to get your doors open is probably not what you want in real life in the all-cash cannabis business,” Gallo says. “Just because the state says you’re good to go does not mean you should stop there, because people can still steal from you.” 5. Inside jobs are more likely Realize that external dangers are actually not the biggest threats to your grow operation — internal/employee theft is. Despite this, the lion’s share of security assets invested in are meant to prevent people from breaking in, says Gallo, who spent 17 years as director of loss prevention and safety for a major company providing security for more than 1,300 high-risk businesses. 6. Create an environment that fosters honesty To minimize employee-theft risks, “establish … set policies, procedures and guidelines that will spot losses and be able to … identify who did it and how it’s being done,” Gallo says. For example: Where are your employees processing and tending buds? Do you have cameras and a visible video monitor posted there? Do employees know that recordings are being checked regularly? Think Twice Before Arming Employees It may surprise some that the advice Sapphire Risk Advisory Group’s Tony Gallo offers the cannabis industry — and other high-risk businesses — is that employees not be armed. He is blunt on this issue. “Could you kill somebody?” he asks. “Last year, two pawn brokers were killed because they actually pulled their guns, had the guns on the robber, but could not pull the trigger. So the robber shot them.”Even if you do fire, the outcome is often not good. “Do you want to get into a gun battle? What if you miss? What if someone else gets ahold of the gun?” he says. In Gallo’s experience working with high-risk businesses, the risks outweigh the benefits of having armed employees. “What do robbers want? They want the cash and the cannabis. Give them the cash and the cannabis, and go home and have dinner with your family,” he says.  FORE! That’s usually the word I yell after I hit an errant shot off the tee; or four, the number of putts it took me to sink it on hole number one. When we’re on the golf course, we typically think of the course taking shots from us. However, we don’t always think about the “four” being the number of shirts stolen from a pro shop or the $400 putter swiped from a golf bag. The Drive Each golf course will have its own set of unique security issues due to differences in accessibility, the surrounding community, staff experience, and customer engagement. Nonetheless, there are five universal concerns where any golf course should initially focus its security efforts: Equipment shoplifting and burglary Parking lot safety and theft issues Theft in locker rooms and clubhouses Vandalism of the premises Trespassers and annoyances that distract members Hazards Theft can be a significant issue on the golf course. The big news out of the Phoenix Open didn’t just involve Ricky Fowler’s victory in the Waste Management Open. Golf enthusiast and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Archie Bradley had his clubs stolen from the course during a Pro-Am round on the Wednesday before the tournament. Archie isn’t the only one to have his bag taken. Recently, courses across the USA have reported clubs and other golf equipment stolen from their members and guests. In a wide-open area like a golf course, there will inevitably be unattended areas. Vehicle break-ins and graffiti can occur by individuals who don’t have to check in at the clubhouse first. Even after check-in, locker rooms can be lucrative targets of theft when no one is around to change their shoes and keep an eye on the valuables left off the course. Damage and vandalism are also a significant hazard for golf courses. Sergio Garcia was recently disqualified from a European Tour tournament for damaging greens. He was kicking the greens with his heel and damaging the soft surfaces, thus making it difficult for his fellow competitors playing in the groups behind him. Another example of damage occurred at Heron Creek Marsh course in North Port, Florida. A vehicle was driven over the course, with the tires digging into the greens and aprons of the course. The estimated damage was well over $10,000. Finally, golf is supposed to be a relaxing sport. We play golf not just to get out of the office or spend time with the family. We play golf to put our mind at ease for a few hours. So, neither the course nor the golfers benefit when rowdy groups of onlookers or unwelcome items trespass onto the course during a round. Check with the Pro Shop before you test your new drone to find your ball. The Approach Security cameras are a great tool to help with golf course security, but they are not the be-all-end-all. Cameras can only record things as they happen and will only improve after the damage has occurred. Just like other businesses open to the public, golf courses need to be more proactive and less reactive. One solution can come from having security personnel around the golf course. Courses can either hire a security guard or have current staff members rotate around the area. Having a person actively monitoring high-risk regions at all times will help lower the risk of theft or damage. One course that I play at always has a golf pro driving around the course. He helps monitor not only the course boundaries but also the golfers themselves. If anyone is acting out of line or possibly damaging the course, the pro is there to correct the actions and prevent further damage from occurring. As for outside vandals, having proper fencing, lighting, and security signage can keep unwanted outsiders away from the course and the grass in pristine condition. In the example with the car driving on the course, the vehicle entered from a driveway that was not fenced off. Any open area is a target for vandals and trespassers. Installing the proper type of fence in that area can keep the vehicles off the course, and conditions safe for everyone. It’s in the Hole! Lately, thieves have been targeting golf courses and clubhouses. In addition, there has been an increase in the damage created by golfers, members, and visitors. To help the courses maintain their fresh green looks, new security measures need to be implemented. By making changes such as having an appropriate fence and security signage around the course and adding human monitors to go with proper camera placement, golf courses can keep their “green jackets” and help golfers get from tee to green with as few strokes as possible. In return, the golfers and members can help the course prosper and grow during these difficult times...  Bottom of the ninth and two outs, and your turn up to bat. You look for your bat and it’s gone? So is your helmet, and you can’t just use someone else’s equipment.
You must use your own. You don’t get as juiced up when using your teammate’s stuff. What do you do? Sports retail stores must answer the same questions when it comes to protecting their own equipment. With security being at the forefront of any sports retail business, the big question on the minds of businesses is how to improve it and the bottom line. Whether a team has been in business as long as the Boston Red Sox or is creating their brand like the Las Vegas Golden Knights, merchandise can be flying off the shelves. Hundreds of people can be coming in and out to grab new clothing and signature edition gear from the stores. So the question remains, how can stores engage with customers in discussions about big games or shirt sizes, all while monitoring the merchandise? One way that companies are doing this is by integrating and unifying their security systems. Watch the Tape Most stores have an analog system that monitors that specific location. This can be problematic because it requires someone at that location to monitor the situation. Any time another location wishes to have that information, the footage must be moved to find the specific instance that needs to be reviewed. When a chain has multiple locations, this process becomes tedious, reviewing thousands of cameras individually across hundreds of locations and updating everyone through all avenues of communication. The Game Plan Unified systems are taking the stress away from employees by advancing security through speed and ease of use. Unified systems create an easily intertwined system that can be used by multiple areas of security. The systems are like a pane of glass as that article says, “they can do everything from that system, and they don’t have to bounce back and forth”. So why should companies move to a unified system? What are the benefits of unifying all aspects of security? Unified systems are now expanding areas of coverage and constantly adapting, all while maintaining ease of use. Gunshot detection, facial recognition, glass break alerts and other emerging technologies can be combined into one system. They can even help track the day-to-day operations. The data collected can help improve security for the everyday goings-on. One specific retail sporting goods company, Dick’s Sporting Goods, has helped solve these issues by moving from an antiquated system and moving to a cloud-based system. Most stores have multiple cameras placed strategically throughout the store, monitoring customers and merchandise on a constant basis. They record all movement throughout the day for any loss prevention supervisor to review. Dick’s realized that this system however was outdated. Half-Time Adjustments In order to better protect their merchandise and serve customers, several retailers moved on to an integrated security system over a cloud. Now any coach or manager from any store or even the corporate headquarters location has access to all of the film from any camera angle in any store. With this new capability, all security teams can view footage of all scenarios. Any product retention team can monitor the goods within the stores as well as view warehouses to make sure all shipping needs are being met. Even areas such as the point-of-sale (POS) can be better monitored to ensure customer safety and to prevent fraud (authentic autographs only!). Transactions that may be reported as suspicious are now more easily found and corrected. Another benefit of converting to a unified system is the unified cost. For any business looking to upgrade their systems, they might think getting rid of the old system and installing a new one will cost a fortune. Most unified systems, although requiring upgrades, can still be compatible with older systems. Through gradual upgrades, companies can now slowly unify systems at a budget friendly pace. The Final Score Unified security systems are becoming the trend in systems today. Through constant adaptation and growth of these systems’ capabilities, all areas of the security team can improve their daily business. From daily operations to protecting products to customer security with cameras and POS systems, unified systems are constantly upgrading and helping all businesses easily improve their benchwarmer defense into an All-Pro lineup. Safety may not always seem like a priority, but an accident can be costly if you’re unprepared. Being PROACTIVE is always less expensive than being REACTIVE. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help protect both your business and your greatest assets; your employees and customers.
There are myriad challenges facing small businesses and one of the largest is safeguarding the health and safety of their employees. All the safety concerns that affect large companies are still present for small businesses. Small businesses unfortunately have to work with lower budgets and smaller less-experienced staffs, making safety issues harder to handle. Small businesses still have to meet all of OSHA’s small business requirements and their workers require adequate safety training and protective equipment, as well as ongoing support. This problem is exacerbated for higher-risk businesses such as pawn shops, where the employees will frequently have to handle significantly more dangerous items than many other businesses deal with, such as firearms, bladed weapons and power tools, among other things. It’s not all bad news though - there are ways to make the most of a minimal safety budget without risking a workplace accident down the line. This article will explain 7 ways to ensure health and safety on a budget fit for a small business. 1. Understand the Relevant Rules and Regulations OSHA holds small businesses to different standards than large corporations. These standards are specifically designed by OSHA to accommodate a smaller staff and work-space. The first step in securing your company’s workplace safety is to get educated on current OSHA small business safety regulations. Once you are fully cognizant of what comprises workplace safety for your company, you can then take the steps to satisfy those requirements. Also, don’t hesitate to work with your state pawn association or a third-party team to learn more about what is required. 2. Have a Company Safety Manual A safety manual plainly lays out all aspects of the business related to safety for all employees to see. Ensuring that all employees have read the safety manual before beginning employment will help educate them against any potential hazards in the workplace. Additionally, it can also keep the company in compliance with OSHA regulations by explaining what to do in the event of an accident or emergency and how to keep records in accordance with OSHA guidelines. Ensure that your policies are kept in line with current regulations and best practices are stored in a single location accessible to all employees. This will simplify access for any refresher courses as well as streamline documentation requests made by compliance inspectors. 3. Dedicated Safety Training Your employees may have already gone through extensive training, but it is likely that the training did not fully cover every aspect of worksite safety. Some employees may not have fully grasped what was being taught during the original training and would therefore benefit from additional training. Perhaps procedures have been updated since initial employee orientation. In order to ensure that everyone in the company fully understands the safety program, it helps to conduct dedicated safety classes. These classes can also help your employees to understand how they can help improve the safety program by spotting new hazards and providing feedback, as well as keeping an eye out for any incidents that may occur. Being aware of the most prevalent safety issues for your business is a vitally important step in eliminating the dangers that they create for your business. Prioritizing safety risks can also help you maximize the effectiveness of your safety program by ensuring that vital resources aren’t squandered preventing issues that were never going to happen. The most common safety hazards in the workplace are:
Retail businesses can have trouble gathering all your staff all at one time. If this is true for your business, schedule a couple brief informal talks over the course of a week about safety issues, ensuring all your employees have the chance to ask questions or bring up concerns. 4. Posted Reminders Safety posters or reminders are a surprisingly effective way to remind employees about health and safety. One important thing to keep in mind is to be careful when designing the reminder so that the reminder has the desired effect. Overly-aggressive signage or signs simply telling them to do something are a surefire way to either ensure that the message is either not retained by your employees or ignored entirely. A sign simply telling employees to do something that is obvious can even come off as condescending. An alternative idea is to keep the messages short and positive. Using a funny image or a meme with the message can help the employees actually listen to it instead of just rolling their eyes and ignoring it. 5. Do Your Own Safety Audit Occasionally conducting your own safety audit can keep you on top of any potential health, safety, and fire hazards before they become a problem. By using these surveys and assessments, you can ensure compliance with all applicable building and fire codes as well as aid in the detection of any potential hazards. A regular but unannounced safety audit can keep your employees on their toes and help ensure that should an OSHA audit take place; your business will have a better chance of experiencing no surprises. 6. Find Someone with Experience for Guidance One valuable resource for a small business to have is someone with experience in dealing with safety issues that can help ensure the business remains safe from workplace incidents and injuries. This person may come from a larger business where incidents happen more frequently than in a small company. Finding someone who already has experience with these incidents and has learned the necessary lessons can help protect your business from a painful lesson down the road. A small business may not have it in the budget to hire someone to function as solely a safety professional, but those responsibilities could be folded into the various other parts of a manager’s scope of responsibilities. 7. Incentivize good behavior There are strong incentives to create a safe work environment that are not readily apparent. This can go beyond just a desire to comply with federal safety regulations. Compliance costs are calculated per employee and there are certain costs embedded regardless of business size. This means that small businesses with fewer than 20 employees pay the most in compliance costs per employee. In addition, workers’ compensation rates are affected by on-the-job incidents and rising rates can have a serious impact on a small business’s ability to stay afloat. The good thing is that workers’ comp insurance provides a discount to any businesses with no claims. This discount incentivizes small businesses to offer a safe working environment. Employees that want to be more involved in the business can be encouraged to engage within a the “Safety Team” or “Safety Committee”. Most experienced employees enjoy autonomy in their tasks – link that to their safety performance. Getting ahead of the problem is always better than reacting to one, and safety issues amplify this effect. Lower your liabilities and show your employees that you care by focusing on safety at your business. Yigal Adato is the founder of Pawn Leaders – a coaching company that helps pawnbrokers make more, stress less, and live an epic life. He was kind enough to let us post this very informational video on our website. And now that you know what a Pawn Pirate is, go into your shop and deal with any Pawn Pirates. Not only does it affect your business, it affects your day-to-day happiness and health. A toxic environment is never beneficial and can slow you and your employees.
Having a positive and respectful environment is the most essential thing you can achieve not only at work, but also at home and in general with your social life. We hope you found this video helpful and gained some motivation to go ahead and deal with this problem. For more information please visit: https://pawnleaders.com  Infographic kindly provided by CaliExtractions The state of cannabis prices varies widely depending on where your business is. While the Midwest and East Coast have developing or restricted markets which permit companies to have sufficient margins, West Coast states such as Oregon or Washington are experiencing unheard of prices in wholesale cannabis prices of around $500 per pound. The passage of the Farm Bill will further supply these markets with CBD products. Similar problems may realize in Canada, even for companies who have made significant vertical investments. Megan Stone recently wrote an article describing business tactics that will help dispensaries stay afloat as the competition becomes fiercer. This inspired us to take a look at security issues for companies who start to see declining margins. There are 6 questions to ask yourself so you stay secure and in compliance, but within budget regardless of what your sunk costs are: 1.Are you overpaying to replace your security equipment? You invested heavily in excellent cameras and access control devices when you were building your facility. But if you have to replace an out-of-warranty camera, do you need to reinvest? Often, your network video recorder (NVR) or your video management system (VMS) can adapt to cameras of other brands. Use your top-tier cameras in key locations, but locate compliant HD cameras in areas of lower activity. 2.What is your hourly return on investment of your security officers? Security officers are still an important component for cannabis cultivators and retailers. Security officers provide peace of mind to customers, employees, and owners, and can react quickly to onsite events before law enforcement arrives. However, at night a certain level of trust should be placed in your video surveillance and alarm systems. For a fraction of the cost of an overnight security guard, measures can be taken to improve the reliability and benefits of these advanced systems such as backup power, signage, and analytics. Also review if your security officers are performing redundant operations or operations that can easily be performed by a standard employee with proper cannabis security training. 3.Do you appear secure from the outside perimeter? More people have home security signage than have home security subscriptions. Why? Because appearances are everything. A dilapidated fence is a vulnerability. An upright fence is a sign of fortitude. Are your outside cameras visibly powered on? Does your signage indicate that your safes have time delays? On the same note, don’t advertise all your security deficiencies to your employees. Loose lips sink ships. 4.Are you tempted to divert excess cannabis? (Tip: DON’T) Historically, mass production of goods incentivized companies to create demand in new markets. Exports, government projects, clearance stores – great for other domestic production industries. Not so much for cannabis. Letting cannabis leave your state is considered a violation of federal law, and penalties can be much more severe than losing your license. The chances of a Strategic Cannabis Reserve are currently slim. Transactions of cannabis greater than the legal amount to individuals will be flagged by any seed-to-sale system. And diversion may help you in the short run, but it will ruin the fun for the rest of the industry. 5.Are you being realistic about your risks? 65% of product theft is by employees. Your security plan should prepare you for armed robberies or shoplifters or cannabis transportation liabilities. With that in mind, if margins are tight then agroterrorism-focused prevention is not likely the best investment of your resources. A policy requiring four machine-gun wielding security officers patrolling a small grow house should be reevaluated, not only for costs but for efficiency of preventing losses. And check your insurance policy for unusual events that are covered. 6.What could your location sell for? Security can be a great real estate investment. Grows and dispensaries are constantly being sold, and if the purchaser does not need to renovate the security systems, you could get a few more dollars for it. If you have decided to cash out, then estimate the depreciation of your equipment and argue that your thorough security plan creates a better investment of money and time for the purchaser. One less headache for the new administration. Overproduction and excess cannabis will affect everyone’s sales, be it lower prices at wholesale or retail or vertically. Are your robbery, burglary, and loss prevention tactics sensible and cost-effective? It can be tough to spend money when revenue goes down. But if and when it does, ask these questions to secure your facility, avoid financial collapse, and overcome any oversupply bubble. |