In an industry that is notably young, it’s not surprising that more people are trying to be self-employed in cannabis. Couple that with COVID regulations, and a higher salary average compared to non-industry jobs, and the positives keep growing.
According to Glassdoor, people in the cannabis industry make 10.7% more money than the average American worker. So how can someone capitalize on this paycheck while still reaping the benefits of self-employment? There are actually many ways to be self-employed in the cannabis industry.
Cannabis Industry Brand Ambassador
One of the most visible self-employed jobs in the cannabis industry is that of a brand ambassador. Marketing for cannabis industries is difficult. Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms have regulations surrounding cannabis advertising. Cannabis companies cannot market to children, so traditional coupons, flyers, and commercials become difficult.
Cue the Cannabis Industry Brand Ambassador. Generally, a brand ambassador adheres to the flexibility of self employment while fulfilling their duties. These duties might include:
- Represent the cannabis brand at events, and local dispensaries
- Push the brand mission, and educate consumers and retailers about the brand
- Generate sales leads and schedule pop-up events
- Network with consumers to gain a following for the brand
- Manage personal or brand social media to boost brand awareness
- Aid the marketing team by reporting back with customer feedback and assisting in marketing events or sales
Cannabis Industry Permalancer
Millennials are known to prioritize autonomy and a sense of fulfillment over the concept of security. While traditional freelancers tend to work on a per-project basis, permalancers operate similarly to consultants. While they may create for a company, they are not an employee. They complete contracted work for a company and are paid on delivery.
Depending on the field like design, writing, or even coding, these self-employed workers support the cannabis industry behind the production or sales. Permalancers in the cannabis industry don’t receive a set amount of money for the hour, week or month. And they can have their contracts terminated at any time. But they do have the benefits of self-employment.
If they are not under non-compete agreements, they can work for multiple companies at once. This allows them to increase their rates quickly, or decrease their workload if they’re approaching burnout. Typically, these self-employed cannabis industry workers file as an LLC., and therefore also have larger retirement allotments available to them.
Cannabis Industry Sales Broker
Some companies do not hire an employee to do sales, but rather a self-employed contractor. These sales brokers facilitate the interactions between vendors and retailers, producers and processors, processors and other processors etc. Each sale generates income in the form of commission.
Although the structure of the deals varies by state, the foundation remains the same. Sell cannabis, collect a commission. This position requires you to be very social, but you can still experience the benefits of a self-employed cannabis industry job.
