One week to the lottery = Accelerator Launch

North Star Cannabis Consulting Newsletter

Jen Reise
May 29, 2025

In partnership with

I have so much for you today:

-A terrific webinar Tuesday night explaining the tribal compacts and labor peace agreements

-Just confirmed: Eric Taubel, Interim head of OCM, will join me and attorney Carol Moss for a panel on the eve of the lottery, at Earl Giles next Wednesday night! Register here

-Announcing the launch of my North Star Accelerator Program for license applicants. This is your shortcut to fewer mistakes, better connections, and expert insight - at a price built for small businesses.

-It’s almost last call for Grower’s Ball tickets (Friday, June 6)! I’m the Cave Tour sponsor!

Jen Randolph Reise (photo by Angela Knox)

MINNESOTA CANNABIS NEWS

There’s a ton of news! Let’s get to it.

License lottery is next Thursday, June 5

The long-awaited lottery to choose the applicants who will be able to move ahead in the capped license categories is finally here! As a reminder, this lottery will determine the applicants who are able to move ahead in these categories, and the number of licenses available:

	# of applicants (fn 1)	# of Licenses Available, by statute
Mezzo – Social Equity Applicants (SEA)	204	50
Mezzo – Not SEA (fn 2)	195	50
Cultivator – SEA	51	25
Cultivator – Not SEA	67	25
Manufacturer – SEA	41	12
Manufacturer – Not SEA	67	12
Retailer - SEA	358	75

(1) Number of applicants is based on OCM’s most recent application data, as of May 23, 2025, available at https://mn.gov/ocm/businesses/licensing/application-data.jsp

(2) All SEA applicants who are not selected in the SEA-only lottery have a “second bite of the apple”: they will be entered into the general lottery for that license type along with the non-SEA applicants

The 75 slots for Retailer – Not SEA will not have a lottery on June 5. OCM has said that lottery will be held fairly soon.

What we know from OCM so far:

The license application lotteries will be livestreamed for members of the public and the media via the office’s YouTube Channel:  youtube.com/@MNCannabisManagement. Results will be posted to OCM’s website and shared with applicants after completion.
OCM expects it will take “several hours” to move through the seven categories for which they will conduct the lottery, and offered that it will look quite a bit like this Maryland lottery, which used the same vendors.
We do not yet have a start time - watch for an OCM press release.

Questions?

The Minnesota Craft Cannabis Guild has pulled together a terrific panel for license applicants and others to be able to get their questions answered on the eve of the lottery! I, Carol Moss, and Eric Taubel, interim OCM Director, will be at Earl Giles next Wednesday evening to answer your questions on the eve of the lottery.

https://eventhi.io/events/a-pre-lottery-cannabis-licensee-panel-12059

Minnesota Legislative Update: A Big Cannabis Bill Passed!

This year’s consolidated cannabis bill clarifies event requirements, adds a hemp-derived wholesaler license, and much more. Read The Minnesota Star Tribune’s overview of the bill’s key provisions here (gift link).

Still pending: a possible increase in the cannabis tax from 10% to 15%. It’s being discussed in the Special Session of the Legislature happening this week. I’m hearing that the increase is very likely to happen, unfortunately.

First Tribal Compact Signed

Last week, OCM announced that the first tribal compact had at last been signed, with the White Earth Nation. Then, White Earth announced they were opening the first off-reservation tribal dispensary last weekend! Read my summary of the tribal compact here.

I’m coordinating with tribal cannabis law expert Keith Anderson, the local Teamsters, and Oaksterdam University to offer a a free webinar next Tuesday, June 2, at 6 PM called Fact, Fiction, and the Future. Register here (space is limited).

OCM Read a LOT of license applications

OCM approved almost 700 microlicenses to move to Step 2 or Step 3 last week! Previous coverage here

New OCM Guidance for Hemp-Derived Businesses

OCM released two new resources for hemp-derived businesses since the last newsletter: an Applicant Guide Here and a Hemp Registrant to License Holder Conversion Guide

Olmsted County is Setting Up a Lottery of Its Own

The Olmstead County Board approved changes to its cannabis ordinance. These changes include a registration lottery and also gives small shops an earlier start. Find out what else is included in Olmstead County’s plans.

🚨Hello Minnesota! Dart Bank is here to support your cannabis & hemp business. 🌱

We’re excited to introduce Dart Bank to the Minnesota market! As a trusted partner to nearly 800 cannabis and hemp businesses nationwide, we’ve been dedicated to this space since 2019—and we’re just getting started

✅ What makes us different?

Dedicated Cannabis/Hemp Banking team
Seamless compliance integration (no heavy lifting for you)
One-to-one relationship managers
In-house payment processing via West Town Payments for hemp and ancillary businesses
Deep experience + real commitment to this industry

💡We’re also proud members of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, with our own Ross Sloan serving on the advisory board. We understand the unique needs of this space and are here to help you scale safely and successfully.

📄Ready to open an account? Typical docs we’ll request include:

State License (Cannabis or Hemp)
Articles of Organization
Business Plan
EIN Letter
ID for all signers
…and a few others (happy to guide you through it!).

Let’s connect! Whether you’re just launching or looking for a stronger banking partner, we’d love to talk.

✉️ [email protected]
✉️ [email protected]

Big thanks to Jennifer Reise of North Star Cannabis Consulting for inviting us to join the conversation in Minnesota!

More Resources for License Applicants:

Here’s the news I am most excited to share with you today! I am launching an accelerator program to help license applicants build cannabis businesses efficiently, urgently, and without paying me $400/hour.

North Star Accelerator Program

$100/week · 4-week minimum · Cancel anytime after

The Sprint Starts June 10

Launch Your Minnesota Cannabis Business — Fast, Smart, and Compliant

The North Star Accelerator is a high-impact, fast-paced program designed for founders ready to sprint toward opening day. If you're serious about launching a successful and compliant cannabis business — and need expert support without the $12,000 price tag — this program is for you.

What You Get

📋 Launch Checklist: Stay focused and on track with a personalized checklist built for Minnesota cannabis entrepreneurs.

📞 Live Weekly Webinars (Tues @ Noon): Stay up to date with insider updates before they hit the newsletter — plus a weekly opportunity for Q&A with Jen and your cohort.

🤲 Community & Shared Experience: Build relationships with others who are in the same sprint — people making real moves, facing real challenges, and sharing what’s working (and what’s not) in Minnesota’s brand-new cannabis market.

🤝 Preferred Provider Network: Tap into vetted connections for banking, POS, and more, with exclusive discounts.

📚 Growing Resource Library: Access recordings of the weekly webinars, templates, tools, recordings, and connections that evolve with the program.

📬 Confidential Access to Jen: Ability to book confidential 1:1s at a discount to Jen’s hourly rates.

👥 Accountability & Community: Stay motivated with a cohort that shares your urgency and your goals.

Founding Member Benefits

🔒 Lock in $100/week for life — your rate won’t increase (unless you leave and rejoin later).

🎯 Be part of building something big — founding members help shape the program as it grows.

Who This is For

Applicants in capped and uncapped license categories ready to move quickly to launch compliant businesses. No MSOs, and no assholes. Membership is subject to Jen’s approval — I want to make sure you’re a fit!

This Is a Sprint

The Minnesota cannabis market is opening — and speed matters. The North Star Accelerator Program is designed to help you move fast, make smart decisions, and build a business that lasts. This is your shortcut to fewer mistakes, better connections, and expert insight at a price built for small businesses.

Ready to Launch?

Join the North Star Accelerator Program today.
Secure your spot at $100/week — before the next price increase.

No money needed now. Just tell me you are in by replying to this email.

NEXT STEPS WEBINAR

I recently hosted a webinar that walks you through exactly what’s expected after the application phase, including compliance requirements, documentation, site readiness, and other crucial milestones that determine whether your license will be granted — and when you can legally begin operations.

WATCH THE REPLAY HERE

Keep more of what you earn

Collective helps members keep more of what they earn — saving an average of $10,000 a year in taxes* — while taking countless hours of administrative work off their plates.

Your membership includes LLC and S Corp formation, payroll, monthly bookkeeping, quarterly tax estimates, annual business tax filing and more.

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