CannaCon Business Education

Use the numbers
to run the business.

Business Finance & Strategy for Cannabis Operators is applied financial decision training for cannabis owners, operators and managers. The program is built around the decisions that determine whether a business protects cash, allocates resources well and commits capital intelligently.

Purpose + instructor

Finance taught by someone who has had to use it.

The objective is not to turn operators into accountants. It is to make the financial information already inside the business more useful when a real decision has to be made.

Lucas Hobbs combines operating finance, strategy, analytics and transformation experience with more than 13 years teaching finance to non-technical audiences.

More than 13 years teaching finance to non-technical audiences alongside senior finance, strategy, analytics and transformation roles.
Developed and administered Finance for Non-Technical Audiences at Boeing.
Received the 2014 Ed Wells Program Professional Instructor Excellence Award.
Course content was later used within Boeing / University of Washington professional-development programming.

These facts describe the instructor's prior experience and do not imply current Boeing or University of Washington sponsorship, partnership or endorsement.

Full Play At Scale professional background

Impact

The number is not the decision.

Start with the business question. Use finance to understand what is driving the result, what is constrained and what management should do next.

01CASH

Revenue is up. Why is cash down?

Sales, profit, inventory, collections, payroll, debt and capital spending move cash differently.

Work through: Profit, inventory, collections, payroll, debt, capital spending and cash forecasting.

Leave able to: Build a forward view of where cash is actually going.

02OPERATIONS

Which product should get the next $50,000?

The highest margin percentage is not always the best use of limited inventory cash, production capacity, labor or shelf space.

Work through: Unit economics, contribution, constraints, sell-through, demand headroom and opportunity cost.

Leave able to: Allocate scarce resources to the highest-value use the business can actually execute.

03CAPITAL

The project has a positive return. Should we fund it?

A positive return metric does not tell you whether the business can afford the project, whether another project is better or what has to be true for the decision to work.

Work through: Project cash flows, payback, ROI, NPV, IRR, downside, break-even, liquidity and capital constraints.

Leave able to: Determine whether an attractive project is financeable and worth funding.

$250K PROFITDoes not tell you whether cash increased.

42% MARGINDoes not tell you where constrained capacity should go.

$180K NPVDoes not tell you whether the company can afford the investment.

The course teaches the question behind the number.

Take the tools back to work

Use the framework after the class ends.

The working sessions use participant resources tied to real management decisions, not generic lecture notes. Tools included with applicable course.

Cash-Flow Forecasting Model

Project cash movement and test operating assumptions.

Unit Economics & Pricing Calculator

Test margin, contribution, pricing and sensitivity.

KPI Dashboard Template

Connect operating measures to business performance.

Scenario Planning Framework

Compare alternative operating and financial paths.

Lender & Investor Readiness Checklist

Organize information commonly expected in external-capital conversations.

Investment Evaluation Toolkit

Structure project returns, risk, liquidity and capital-allocation decisions.

Built around businesses that look like the industry.

Work the case, not a generic textbook exercise.

The cases connect finance to cultivation, inventory, product, retail and capital decisions that cannabis operators actually face.

Grower / producer case

Cedar Ridge Cultivation

Which products create the most contribution per gram?
Does sell-through justify additional production?
Where should limited flower be allocated?
Does automation justify the capital?

ProductContribution / gramSell-throughFlower A$ / gramHighPre-roll B$ / gramMedium

Retail case

Harbor Street Cannabis

Which categories produce the strongest contribution per inventory dollar?
Where is real demand headroom?
Which KPI should trigger action?
Can the operation fund expansion while maintaining a cash reserve?

CategoryContribution / inventory $Sell-throughVape1.4xHighEdibles1.1xMedium

Professional certificate pathway

Learn it live.
Prove you can apply it independently.

01
Complete all three competency areas.
02
Complete the integrated take-home capstone.
03
Document substantive AI use where applicable and explain how outputs were validated or changed.
04
Defend the analysis in a 15-minute review conversation.
05
Meet the stated completion standard.

The Play At Scale certificate is a private professional certificate. It is not an accredited academic degree, governmental certification, professional license or regulated credential.

AI is allowed. Accountability is not outsourced.

Participants may use AI as an analytical partner, but remain responsible for assumptions, calculations, validation, recommendations and explaining the work.

The capstone can use a supplied grower / producer case, a supplied retail case or participant business data, including anonymized or scaled data.

The review concludes with the currently specified 15-minute review conversation.

Three levels. One connected management toolkit.

Choose the level that fits the decision.

Each applied level is a 2.5-hour working session. Take one level for a specific capability or complete all three for the full applied pathway.

Level 1 / Applied Course

Business Finance Foundations

READ -> DIAGNOSE -> CASH -> DECIDE

Best for: Owners and managers who want stronger financial fluency and a practical foundation for cash and operating decisions.

Decision: What is the financial story of the business, and what happens to cash next?

Revenue, profit and cash
Unit economics and cost behavior
Sell-through and inventory
Cash forecasting
Pricing and volume decisions

Take-home capability: Build a forward view of cash and connect operating performance to the decisions management can actually change.

Course price$250Working time2.5 hours

Level 2 / Applied Course

Financial Management & Analytics

PRIORITIZE -> ALLOCATE -> CONTROL -> ADAPT

Best for: Operators who understand the basics and need better tools for resource allocation and performance management.

Decision: Where should scarce cash, inventory, labor or capacity go, and how do we know when the plan is drifting?

Contribution economics
Constraints and opportunity cost
Resource allocation and demand headroom
Product portfolio decisions
KPIs, variance and operating scenarios

Take-home capability: Allocate constrained resources using contribution, demand and operating evidence rather than margin percentage alone.

Course price$250Working time2.5 hours

Level 3 / Applied Course

Strategic Finance & Capital Allocation

FRAME -> MEASURE -> STRESS -> COMMIT

Best for: Owners and managers evaluating equipment, expansion, automation, new locations, financing or other material investments.

Decision: Is the project attractive, financeable and worth committing scarce capital to?

Project cash flows
Payback, ROI, NPV, IRR and profitability index
Downside and break-even analysis
Liquidity and funding feasibility
Approval conditions and post-investment controls

Take-home capability: Stress an investment case, test liquidity and define what must be true before capital is committed.

Course price$250Working time2.5 hours

Take the course at CannaCon

Questions? lucashobbs@playatscale.com

Program FAQ

Know what you are buying.

Course structure, pricing and certificate requirements are shown plainly before registration.

Who is this for?

Cannabis owners, operators, managers, advisors and finance-adjacent leaders who make decisions about cash, inventory, capacity, performance or capital.

Do I need finance or accounting experience?

No formal finance training is required to start with Level 1. Levels 2 and 3 can stand alone, but direct-entry participants should be comfortable with foundational business-finance concepts.

Can I take one level without the others?

Yes. The one-hour overview seminar and each 2.5-hour applied level are standalone products. The complete three-level applied program is also available.

Do the levels have to be taken in order?

No. Level 1 is the foundation, while Levels 2 and 3 may be selected independently by participants who already have the prerequisite fluency. The one-hour overview seminar is optional and separate from the certificate pathway.

How long is each session?

The Finance & Strategy Overview seminar is 1 hour. Each applied level is designed as a 2.5-hour working session. Level 1 is scheduled on the pre-show day. The overview seminar is scheduled 9:00–10:00 AM on Show Day 1, Level 2 in the 9:00 AM–12:00 PM block on Show Day 1, and Level 3 in the 9:00 AM–12:00 PM block on Show Day 2. Program times are subject to change.

What tools are included?

Applicable courses use practical participant resources including cash-flow forecasting, unit economics, KPI, scenario-planning and investment-evaluation tools. Final participant files are provided through the applicable course rather than as public downloads on this page.

What do I need to do to earn the professional certificate?

Complete all three competency areas. Complete the integrated take-home capstone. Document substantive AI use where applicable and explain how outputs were validated or changed. Defend the analysis in a 15-minute review conversation. Meet the stated completion standard.

Is the certificate accredited?

The Play At Scale certificate is a private professional certificate. It is not an accredited academic degree, governmental certification, professional license or regulated credential.

Can I use my own business data for the capstone?

Yes. The current pathway allows a supplied grower / producer case, a supplied retail case or participant business data, including anonymized or scaled data.

Is AI allowed?

Yes. AI may be used as an analytical partner. Participants remain responsible for assumptions, calculations, validation, recommendations and explaining the work.

Does course registration include CannaCon admission?

No. In the current CannaCon checkout configuration, education and show admission are separate products. Add the admission product you need to the same order.

Are exhibitor discounts available?

Exhibitor discounts may be available through CannaCon sales. Availability, eligibility and terms must be confirmed by CannaCon.

Can my company register several people?

Yes. The CannaCon ticket flow supports multiple quantities. For larger groups or invoice needs, contact the CannaCon team.

Can I request an invoice?

Yes. Request an invoice and include the event, course and participant details.

What is the cancellation or transfer policy?

Terms depend on the product and written order. Review the Purchase & Event Terms and contact CannaCon before paying if anything is unclear.

Use the numbers
to run the business.

Finance taught by someone who has had to use it.