ACCCE Spotlight Leif Olsen

The key to any association is the people that make up the network. From lawyers and banking professionals to commercial cannabis business owners and all who fall in between, we are proud of the diverse and expanding network of professionals and experts who are our members. To show our appreciation for the exceptional individuals in our community, we are highlighting Leif Olsen this week. Please reach out and connect with Leif here!

Leif is a cannabis and hemp advisor as the managing partner and CMO for Catalyst BC. This Colorado-based global cannabis consulting and advisement firm specializes in guiding entrepreneurs, investors, and existing businesses in their entry into and successful navigation of the ever-evolving commercial cannabis industry. Leif is ServSafe certified and has over a decade of owner-operator experience working with plant-touching and ancillary businesses in both the public and private sectors. He has a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Clemson University and was the 52nd badged operator under the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division in 2010.

In 2008, Leif began his journey as a disgruntled medical patient looking for high-quality, medically focused products and experiences. He set out to create a retail experience that catered to women, seniors, and those in most need of real medical-grade marijuana, Kind Love. Kind Love began to develop and use internal mantras like “good to great” and “99 is not 100” to drive continuous improvement and focus on regulatory compliance. Today, Leif and his team at Catalyst BC leverage their hands-on operational experience and lessons gained to help their clients avoid catastrophic pitfalls and guide them through the gauntlet of funding, designing, building, and operating a profitable cannabis or hemp business; a term they have coined “planning to win”. Leif expects to use ACCCE to provide his team with a more comprehensive understanding of the fundamental processes involved in assessing and developing risk management programs. They will combine these strategies and practices with their in-depth knowledge of cannabis operations to better help their clients drive financial performance and mitigate risk.

Leif first heard about the Association of Certified Commercial Cannabis Experts through LinkedIn posts and is studying to become an ACCCE Certified Commercial Cannabis Expert (CCCE). Leif states that risk management is important to his team because one of the primary goals at Catalyst BC is to guide partners away from costly mistakes that can constrain or even cripple an operation. “ACCCE’s risk management framework enhances existing service offerings, allowing us to offer additional scopes of work to current and existing partners and prospective clients.” Leif knows that, in the commercial cannabis industry, miscalculations, downtime, non-conformance, waste, and other risks can cost businesses millions if not identified and mitigated through planning and controls.

Leif is happily married to his best friend of 15 years, with whom he shares a daughter, Olive. Leif was born and raised in Northern Virginia, spent 13 years in Denver, two years in Santa Cruz, and currently resides with his family in Virginia Beach where they have been welcomed into a fantastic community of compassionate and caring families. Leif is excited to explore upcoming opportunities east of the Mississippi as cannabis businesses continue to evolve and cannabis consumption becomes legalized in more states. As he puts it, “It’s great to have opportunities in my backyard again.” In his free time, Leif loves living vicariously through his seven-going-on-seventeen-year-old as she takes on new challenges and activities like surfing and skateboarding. He enjoys boating, strength training, collecting art, and has a knack for the culinary arts that has led him to cater events for groups as large as 300 people.

We are proud to have an esteemed member like Leif Olsen in our network. As our community continues to grow, we find it important to thank our members for their commitment to professionalizing the commercial cannabis industry. Thank you, Leif, for being such an important part of the cannabis community. Together, we are a part of something great.

Source: ACCCE

Additional Resources

Consulting Services For Cannabis, Hemp, Psilocybin, and Natural Medicine

Testimonials and Public Relations

Latest Articles

Open a Cannabis Consumption Lounge in New Jersey: Getting Started Guide
New Jersey’s adult-use law allows “cannabis consumption areas,” but only as an endorsement to existing licenses. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) decided not to create a new license class; instead, licensed Class 5 retailers (or permitted medical dispensaries) can apply for a Consumption Area Endorsement to their facility. This means only approved dispensaries (currently still coming online in NJ) can add a 21+ onsite use room. Applications for consumption area endorsements opened in January 2025.
Open a Cannabis Lounge in New Mexico: Licensing & Compliance Guide
New Mexico’s Cannabis Regulation Act (2021) explicitly authorizes On-Site Consumption Area licenses (often called “consumption lounge” permits) under the NM Cannabis Control Division (CCD). The CCD issues two types of permits: Type I (non-smoking, edibles/vapor) and Type II (smoking allowed). A consumption area license lets a venue legally serve non-infused snacks/beverages and allow consumption of cannabis products by patrons age 21+. These can be standalone lounges or add-ons to other licensees (e.g. a dispensary or restaurant that obtains a consumption license).
New York Cannabis Lounge License: Guide to Compliance and Success
New York State law provides for adult-use on-site consumption licenses under the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). As of 2025, New York is still in the early stages of issuing these licenses; only a handful of trial licenses have been granted. The Cannabis Law caps investment (no person can hold more than 3 consumption licenses) and prohibits vertical integration: lounge licensees cannot also hold dispensary, cultivation, or processor licenses. This was done to ensure lounges operate solely as consumption venues, not as sales outlets. Learn how to navigate the rules to successfully apply for your lounge license.
U.S. Virgin Islands Cannabis Consumption Lounge Getting Started Guide
The U.S. Virgin Islands legalized adult-use cannabis in 2023, and its regulators have explicitly created consumption lounge permits. Under the Virgin Islands Cannabis Regulatory Advisory Board’s rules (approved April 2024), a qualified operator can obtain an Adult-Use Lounge Permit. This permit allows on-site cannabis consumption by adults 21+ in a designated area. Unlike many states, the USVI permits both smoking and non-smoking lounges, provided you choose the correct permit type.
Nevada Cannabis Lounge License Guide: What You Need to Know
Nevada has enthusiastically embraced consumption lounges. In 2021, Governor Sisolak signed AB 341 authorizing the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) to license cannabis consumption lounges. After extensive stakeholder work, the CCB approved final regulations in late 2023. Lounges are split into two types: Retail Lounges (operated by licensed dispensaries or microbusinesses) and Independent Lounges (standalone sites).
Are Missouri Cannabis Lounges Legal? Here’s What Entrepreneurs Need to Know
Missouri’s adult-use legalization (Amendment 3, 2022) did not establish any state license for cannabis lounges. Consequently, there is no state-regulated consumption lounge for recreational cannabis at this time. Instead, an underground network of private, membership-only clubs has emerged.