With 280E off the table for medical operators and voters backing legal cannabis, cannabis companies are gearing up to grow. That growth needs a CFO who understands their numbers.
“The entire program is designed for individuals with a financial background who wish to transition into the cannabis niche.” Maureen S, on Trustpilot
In April, state-licensed medical cannabis moved to Schedule III, so 280E no longer applies to them. For the companies we work with, that has cut tax bills by 20-30%. That's new cash to put to work, and owners need a CFO to decide where it goes: hiring, expansion, paying down debt or getting ready to raise.
A judge is reviewing whether to move all marijuana to Schedule III, and the recommendation goes to the DEA next. If it happens, the same tax relief reaches the adult-use side, the bigger part of the market, and accountants who already know the industry will be the ones owners call.
On November 3, Massachusetts voters rejected repealing adult-use cannabis by about 3 to 1, and Idaho voters kept their say over cannabis policy. When legal markets look settled, owners make long-term plans and investors commit capital, and both need a forecast they can trust.
With better margins ahead, investors and lenders are returning, and we expect more startups, mergers and exits through 2027.
Most of these companies grew up under 280E with a bookkeeper and a tax preparer looking back at last year's numbers. For this next stage of growth, they need a CFO who looks ahead: one who can forecast their cash, get them investor-ready and help them decide where to grow.
They're great at growing, making or selling a product, and they have a long list of questions about taxes, cash, inventory and banking.
Many operators now sell medical and adult-use cannabis under different tax rules, sometimes in the same company. Most accountants won't touch that. Owners want a CFO who can plan around it and put more money in their pocket.
Raising money, getting a loan or selling the company all start with clean books and a permanent audit trail.
Even the mom-and-pop companies in this industry are often $5-30 million businesses, big enough to pay for CFO-level work.
The work is fully remote, so you don't have to limit your practice to your home state.
You already bring the hard part: your accounting background and experience. We get you ready from day one with these four things.
280E, inventory costing, cash management, banking and compliance, with rules that change every year. Only specialists can keep up, and that's why owners hire specialists over generalists.
Where to find cannabis owners, how to start the conversation, and how to turn it into a paid first project.
Work papers, templates and processes built for cannabis, so you can serve a client well from day one.
Attorneys, software and payroll companies, and other accountants who already know the answers your client will need.
You can piece these together yourself, which can take years of trial and error. Or you can get all four in one place. That's what DOPE CFO is.
Everything in the program is built around winning clients and serving them like a CFO. It all starts with real conversations with owners.
A 90-day checklist you can work through in about an hour a day, so you can start building your practice while you still have a day job. You'll learn:
Most accountants have never had to put a price on their own work. You'll learn how to structure a CFO engagement, from a paid starter project to a monthly retainer, and what to charge for it. When an owner is ready, bring the deal to the weekly call and we'll work through the scope and the price with you.
Cannabis accounting and tax training (280E, cost accounting, cash, inventory), 160+ tools and work papers, and a network that already knows the answers to your clients' questions.
“Navigating the cannabis industry requires a delicate balance of technical rigor and strategic growth, and Dope CFO delivers on both fronts. For any professional looking to simplify complex advisory in a flourishing niche industry while following a clear, aggressive strategy to scale their firm, look no further than this program.”Aaron, on Trustpilot
A $14,000 a month CFO retainer within her first month
Tammy was a controller in Boston, laid off after 10 years at the same company. She got up to speed on the industry, used the outreach process to start real conversations with operators, and used the work papers to deliver from day one. Four years later, she's still that client's CFO.
Talking to owners every week, and on track for six figures from two clients
Using the client acquisition system, Linette was talking with dispensary owners and growers every week. Two months in, she signed her first engagement. Her second client, a grower in another state, wants her quote for monthly CFO work next.
A 10-hour starter project that became a much bigger engagement
Right after she joined, she met the owner of an edibles company doing a few million a year. She started with a bank of 10 hours, found where tighter inventory tracking could save them real money, and the work grew from there.
Results vary. These are individual member experiences and depend on effort, background and market.
These are the questions accountants ask when they're weighing it up.
Do I need to be a CPA?
No. Most of our members aren't. They're controllers, FP&A leaders, EAs, degreed accountants and MBAs. Owners hire the person who can fix their numbers.
Do I need to know cannabis?
That's what the program teaches. On day one, knowing nothing about the industry, you already bring more than the bookkeeper they have now.
Will I need to do a lot of marketing and pitching?
No. You only need a handful of clients. Your time is best spent helping cannabis companies with your CFO expertise. That's why the client acquisition system focuses on building real relationships with owners and operators. Hand the marketing to our custom-built AI tools, use our offer templates when it's time to propose, and bring every deal to the weekly coaching call, so you're never guessing what to do next.
Do I have to quit my job?
No, and starting while you're employed is the better way. It takes about an hour a day, so it fits around your job. And with a paycheck coming in, you can take your time and choose clients who pay what you're worth.
“The tools provided helped me to really think about how to position and price my services. DOPE CFO was instrumental in helping me land my first client.”MsT, on Trustpilot
If these sound like you, book a call.
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About your background and what you want to build.
You'll go straight to a calendar to book your call.
He'll look at where you are and where you want to be, and map out what your first 90 days could look like.
Answer a few questions, then pick a time that works for you.
The work is there either way. Medical operators are already on Schedule III, adult-use companies still need 280E planning and cost accounting, and every growing company needs clean books for lenders and investors.
It's one of the few industries where companies are growing fast, the accounting is complex enough that most accountants avoid it, and owners are ready to pay for help.
It depends on the hours you put in and who you already know. Many members who work the 90-day checklist land their first client within 90 days, and some land one with their first offer.
About an hour a day gets you through the 90-day checklist. With less time, it takes longer, and you go at your own pace.
Yes. The work is remote, and your first client is more than likely not in your home state.
No. You'll be the one having the conversations, and we give you the checklist, the scripts and a weekly call to work through every deal.
CFO advisory: cash forecasting, cost accounting, 280E tax planning, and getting companies ready for funding or a sale, for a handful of clients on monthly retainers.
Most programs tell you to pick an industry, learn it, build your own client system and find your own community. DOPE CFO is all of that, already built for one industry, with the oldest and largest network of accountants serving cannabis.
We'll go over the investment on the call, once Andrew knows your background and what you want to build.
Book a discovery call with Andrew. He'll look at your background and where you want to go, and map out what your first 90 days could look like.
Book a discovery call
