Green Rush Consulting: Helping Your Cannabis Business Thrive

Green Rush Consulting: Helping You from Seed to Success

For many, the burgeoning cannabis industry is the new American Dream. With manufacturing jobs hard to come by and college degrees (and even advanced degrees) not what they used to be, marijuana businesses can be an exciting career for many, similiar to the microbrewery and local winery industries. Colorado,Washington and Oregon have already started creating jobs and generating millions of dollars in sales from legalized cannabis sales and Alaska will soon follow.

California started the cannabis commerce revolution when Proposition 215 passed all the way back in 1996 and the state will only see an increase in sales, especially once marijuana is legalized for all adults. While states with medical laws on the books have already seen business opportunities arise, avenues for prosperous business ventures will only increase as more states implement regulated cannabis sales among all adults. Nevada, Massachusetts, Arizona and Maine are just a few states that may pass legalization in 2016 and we will definitely see more states regulate marijuana sales in the coming years.

With these opportunities, there are hurdles to overcome. The application process can be very confusing and staying on top of all of the new laws, rules and regulations can be difficult. The International Cannabis Business Conference helps bring together experts in the field, so cannabis entrepreneurs can thrive in the marketplace. Green Rush Consulting is a California company that is doing great work helping cannabis entrepreneurs succeed. Green Rush Consulting has helped businesses in several states and they just happen to be amazing people that are fun to be around. I got the opportunity to ask CEO Zeta Ceta some questions about Green Rush Consulting. If you are in the cannabis industry or thinking of joining, I wholeheartedly encourage you to seek out their services.

When did you first get involved in cannabis law reform activism and why?

I first considered myself a cannabis activist at the age of 15, when I grew my first cannabis plant. At that moment I knew that it would be a part of my life forever. From that moment on I continued to cultivate the medicinal plant in various stages throughout my life for the next 20 years. Around 7 years ago, I began consulting for license applications and working with policies in California and throughout the U.S.

Can you describe the work of Green Rush Consulting?

Green Rush Consulting provides services that help build cannabis-based businesses from A to Z. It consists of a specialized core team with a focus on business licensing, development, and deployment. GRC has a vast network of relationships to provide the best solutions for creating a cannabis-based business, and has successfully won many types of licenses throughout the United States.

What states have you worked in?

California, New Jersey, Arizona, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Connecticut, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois, Maryland.

Any success stories that you want to highlight?

GRC helped open the very first dispensary in Illinois history to be registered in the state. I consider this a great highlight as the license application process was extremely difficult and limited.

Any tips or advice for those getting started in the industry or thinking of joining?

Yes get started now! Make sure you are committed to becoming a successful cannabis entrepreneur and be ready to take on anything. With the dynamic changes that happen in the industry, it is important to shield yourself from danger, create efficient and sustainable business solutions, and be well prepared for any type of change that comes with the turf.

California is certainly a hotbed of activity, any thoughts you would like to share about the new medical regulations?

Yes I think that California is ready for legalization however it is very divided on the issue. Because California was the birthplace of the cannabis industry you see today it is also the most established market. The fact it has been so loose when it comes to regulations has made it very difficult in peoples minds to embrace any regulations. As opposed to the newer states, most medical cannabis cultivators have been living their careers as “outlaws” since the beginning of the cannabis industry as it was necessary to do so.

It is critical that all individuals and groups who believe in cannabis should unify together and under a legislation that makes sense. The nation and the world is watching California and it will be up to us to create regulations that reform cannabis laws responsibly for everyone in this state and beyond.

What about any of the legalization measures that have been filed?

The most talked about legalization measure is the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, also known as the Sean Parker Initiative. I think that the act has a lot of great language in it to protect small farmers, assist with non-violent offenders, and provide a structure for licensing of facilities. There are pros and cons to this piece of legislation. 

It seems that you have crafted a family atmosphere at Green Rush, including working with your significant other (something that I can relate to), how would you describe your company culture and how the dynamics work for you?

The company culture of GRC is very family-oriented and community based. Our values of Integrity, Innovation, Stewardship, Diversity, and Unity transcend across our business relationships and internal operations. As the founder working with my spouse as a co-founder, I find it very rewarding to work together on the evolution of the business and the industry itself. We incorporate community events that allow the company to connect with the businesses and individuals who create the heart of the industry. I feel very grateful to be with the talented people on our team as we pioneer this together.

Any challenging stories regarding regulations compliance that you would like to share?

We recently submitted many applications in Maryland for multiple businesses. I have to say that Maryland was the most difficult application process to submit for a license in terms of competition as well as completing. The challenge of having only 45 days and pivoting to fit the regulations in a short time is a daunting task and took us significant effort to be successful as opposed to other state processes. I can only expect that we will see more of this type of application process going forward.

Anything that you would like to add?

Yes I am thankful that I will be speaking at ICBC this year with all the industry experts!

You can learn more about Green Rush Consulting by checking out their website, or calling them at
5 10-47 9-7327. Green Rush can help you succeed in the industry, no matter your cannabis specialty. Green Rush will be at the upcoming ICBC in San Francisco, so you will have an opportunity to learn from this company there. Remember to get your tickets soon as the event will sell out and the first 500 ticket purchasers get exclusive access to a VIP party with Del the Funky Homosapien and Tommy Chong.

This blog was originally posted on the International Cannabis Business Conference’s blog and has been reposted here with special permission.