Turek emphasized that DCR remains“ committed to finding innovative ways to support microbusiness licensees within our regulations and authority.”
Her advice for potential Round 3 applicants is heartfelt but straightforward: stay grounded in your purpose.“ I encourage future applicants to stay grounded in their‘ why’— the motivation behind wanting to participate in the program,” she said.“ Whether it’ s contributing something unique to the market, creating a family legacy, or fulfilling a business dream, that purpose will help sustain them through the challenges of starting and operating a cannabis business.”
She also encouraged applicants to do their research, study Article XIV, and learn from those who’ ve already gone through the process. Every round, she noted, becomes stronger because of the experiences and insights of the round before it.
Education and Ongoing Support
Education continues to be a key focus for DCR moving forward. As a former teacher, Turek sees it as one of the most effective ways to empower licensees and set them up for success.“ Increasing DCR’ s outreach through pre-application training will allow applicants to get a clear picture of what is involved with becoming a part of the Missouri legal cannabis space,” she said.
That education will extend beyond new applicants, including more opportunities for current licensees.“ It’ s so much more than just being able to grow plants for the market or sell to consumers,” Turek explained.“ Learning how to navigate this highly regulated industry is essential to operating a microbusiness license.”
Looking Forward
While DCR has not yet announced the official timeline for Round 3, Turek confirmed that the department is actively preparing and“ committed to continual improvement and look [ s ] forward to sharing more details soon,” as the program progresses.
With ten microbusinesses now operating and five more nearly there, Missouri’ s micro industry continues to gain momentum. The success of Round 1, from both the state’ s and licensees’ perspectives, underscores the shared vision of building a supportive, sustainable, and inclusive cannabis community.
Turek reflected that those first operators“ have truly blazed the trail for everyone else.” Their efforts have opened doors for future microbusinesses and helped shape a stronger, more connected industry for Missouri as a whole.
Stay tuned for next month’ s issue with more exciting microbusiness updates.
Samantha Blum is the Chairwoman of the Missouri Microbusiness Association( MMBA) and the Founder of Bud Wizard, a round one microbusiness winner, a women-owned cannabis cultivation facility specializing in indoor aeroponic cultivation. Her dedication to craft cannabis, sustainability, and entrepreneurial-driven growth continues to shape the evolving landscape of the state’ s cannabis industry.
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