Canna Connect MN

10/13/2026

Minnesota cannabis was supposed to create opportunities for small operators.

Brian Bartley has spent more than two years trying to turn Green Lane Express into a real cannabis business in Brooklyn Park.

He had plans.

He had a building permit.

He had a vision for a vertically integrated microbusiness.

Then financing became the problem.

In our next episode of The Canna Connect Show, Brian walks through his experience applying for a Minnesota cannabis microbusiness loan and why he believes the process failed him.

This is not a conversation about theory.

It’s about what happens when an entrepreneur is trying to open the doors while time, money, and opportunity keep moving.

🎙️ Brian Bartley from Green Lane Express joins The Canna Connect Show Wednesday at 8:00 AM.

10/11/2026

What happens when a contractor quotes nearly twice what another contractor charges for the same cannabis retail build-out?

Brian Bartley of Green Lane Express shares his experience navigating construction costs and contractor relationships while preparing to open his Minnesota dispensary.

For first-time cannabis entrepreneurs, getting licensed is only part of the challenge.

Watch Brian’s full conversation on The Canna Connect Show, October 14.

10/09/2026

10/05/2026

When trails collide, good things happen.

Over the past year, relationships between Canna Connect, the Ganjier Guild, and Trailhead Cannabis Company have turned conversations into collaboration, shared knowledge into opportunity, and eventually helped support an award-winning product at Legacy Cup VII.

At the center of the story is Luke McCapes, whose willingness to keep learning, make introductions, and connect people helped bring Certified Ganjier and hashmaker Tyler McDonald into the Trailhead Cannabis Company orbit.

From Canna Connect Brainerd to Trailhead’s lab to Legacy Cup, the story kept building.

And at Legacy Cup, Trailhead took home recognition for Best V**e in the Midwest.

No single organization made that happen.

It happened because people shared what they knew, made introductions, created opportunities, and kept showing up for one another.

That is what our role at Canna Connect is all about.

We create the environments where the right people can meet, learn, collaborate, and take relationships somewhere meaningful.

Sometimes one introduction is enough to set something much bigger in motion.

Read the full story: https://cannaverse-newsletter.beehiiv.com/p/when-trails-collide

10/05/2026

Cannabis prohibition had a lasting impact on individuals, families and communities. The consequences went far beyond criminal charges, affecting everything from household income and education to healthcare and community safety.

The CanRenew grant program was created to help address those impacts through community reinvestment, supporting work in youth civic engagement, health, violence prevention and economic development.

After investing $1 million in its first year, the program is now finalizing contracts to reinvest $10.9 million across 56 grantees doing meaningful work throughout Minnesota.

Stay tuned for the full episode dropping on Wednesday!

10/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Canna Connect Pine County at the Local 49 Training Center in Hinckley.

We brought cannabis operators, OCM representatives, workforce resources, and industry professionals together for an open conversation about what it takes to build Minnesota’s cannabis industry.

Thank you to Brian Coonradt, Megan Arriola and the OCM team, Benjamin Mike and IUOE Local 49, and most importantly, everyone who came ready to ask questions, share experiences, and make connections.

This is what Canna Connect is about: bringing the right people into the same room and letting the conversations happen.

Next stop: Duluth for Cannabis & Community.

10/01/2026

Official After Party Announcement!

Duluth, let’s keep the party going!

We’re excited to welcome DJ Jesse Jaze to the Official Canna Connect Duluth After Party, sponsored by Thrive Agritech.

Enjoy food, refreshments, great music and a chance to win a Storz & Bickel Volcano! 🌋

Budtenders, you’re in for free! Use code MNBUDDY when registering. Because we’re all buddies here in Minnesota.

10/01/2026

Duluth, we’re keeping the celebration going!

We’re excited to announce DJ Jesse Jaze as our DJ for the Official Cannabis and Community After Party.

A big thank-you to Thrive Agritech for sponsoring the evening and helping us bring the good vibes, food and refreshments to the party.

And there’s more… we’ll be giving away a Storz & Bickel Volcano at the event!

Budtenders get in FREE with code MNBUDDY, because we’re all buddies here in Minnesota.

Come connect, grab a drink, enjoy the music and celebrate with us after Canna Connect Duluth.

We’ll see you there!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cannabis-community-a-cultivation-celebration-tickets-1991495727330?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

09/30/2026

Sometimes, one connection leads to something much bigger.

What started as conversations between Canna Connect, Trailhead Cannabis Company and the Ganjier Guild turned into collaboration, shared knowledge and an award-winning product at Legacy Cup.

In our latest story, Luke McCapes shares how these relationships came together, the people behind them and what can happen when we lean in, share resources and create opportunities for one another.

Read When Trails Collide and see how a few connections helped bring this story full circle.

https://cannaverse-newsletter.beehiiv.com/p/when-trails-collide

09/30/2026

New episode of the Canna Connect Show drops Wednesday! We'll be sharing more about our upcoming Duluth event as well as debuting a new segment, "Natalie on the Trail" 🌲