February 2021 Welcome

It’s February! Normally, that would mean a surge in flower sales and dinner reservations at the Cheesecake Factory, but in a world still wracked by a pandemic, how we’ll choose to observe the Hallmark Holiday this year is really anyone’s guess.  Likely, it’s going to be a lot of “Netflix and chill,” but we’re kind of hoping everyone starts walking around in personal plastic bubbles. Then, we can just pretend it’s a giant Flaming Lips concert and life won’t seem so glum. 

Whatever happens, we’re just going to continue doing our best over here to help keep your spirits up and your mind sharp through the turmoil. This month be sure and check out our rant on why the Republican opposition to the MORE Act was some of the dumbest rhetoric witnessed in the dumbest year on record. Also, don’t forget to check out our Shop of the Month column, where we explain why Gatlinburg’s Tennessee Hemp Care is more than just the O’Doul’s brewery of dispensaries. 

We’ve got all sorts of fun stuff packed in this issue, so strap in, roll a fatty, and enjoy yet another installment of the publication that brings you the information you need to thrive, exactly when you need it. We’ll catch you on the flipside! 

Recent Articles

With Halloweentime upon us, ghosts and goblins all around the world are gearing up for the annual celebration of the macabre. Between dressing up in fun costumes and making caramel apples to taking our kids trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, there’s no shortage of things to do at the end of October; but did you know that some of the earliest traditions revolved around the use of incense and other herbal blends?
When I was in college, my sophomore year roommate, who went by Bear, had a two-foot-tall bong with a name. Green Lucy was a gorgeous emerald-colored masterpiece with thick, bulbous glass at the top, comfortable for ripping huge hits. It was a celebrity on our floor of the creative arts co-op where we lived. People would come from all over the house, and sometimes from other parts of campus, just to hang with Bear and get baked from Green Lucy.
Charlea came into the cannabis space as a journalist, covering Missouri’s fascinating cannabis landscape as it rapidly evolved. While reporting on the state’s medical marijuana vote, Charlea got to know a local physician who was equally passionate about legalizing medical use in the state.
Common business advice tends to view the 80:20 rule simplistically. Focus on the 80% of your store that drives profit, it says. Ignore the rest. That’s fine for the average folks. But what about those who want to boost the other 20%?
Before you've said a word, your shop is selling. The customer hasn’t touched a single product, and your staff hasn't even said hello. Your decor and layout have already done the talking, either pulling people in or pushing them away.
As VP of Operations at ATM Wholesaler and Elite Merchant Services, he’s picked up the baton from his father and CEO, Norman Koza, who passed it to him after founding this successful company over 25 years ago.