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
- Consulting Services Overview
- Business Strategy
- Financial Planning
- Cannabis, Hemp, Psilocybin, & Natural Medicine Licensing and Applications
- Facility Design
- StartUp Support
- Genetic Development
- Business Turnaround
- Operational Optimization
- Vertical Farming
- Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA)
- State and Country Services Directory
- Blog
- Home
Testimonials and Public Relations
Latest Articles
- Utah Medical Cannabis Pharmacy License Applications Open for 2025: Eligibility, Deadlines, and RequirementsThe Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has officially launched the first application period for two independent medical cannabis pharmacy licenses, running from July 1 through July 31, 2025. Originating from House Bill 54, passed during Utah’s 2025 legislative session, these new pharmacy licenses aim to broaden medical cannabis access in medically underserved areas across the state.
- Cannabis Startup Costs: From Licensing to ProfitabilityStarting a legal cannabis business isn’t just about getting a license—it’s about building a profitable, compliant, and sustainable operation in one of the world’s most capital-intensive and regulated industries. Many entrepreneurs enter this space with many goals, good intentions, and passion, but ultimately fail because they underestimate the cost, complexity, experience, and time required to turn a cannabis license into a thriving business.
- Cannabis License Pitfalls: How to Avoid Common Cannabis Licensing MistakesAs new adult-use programs launch, many entrepreneurs are eager to start growing, processing, or selling cannabis. Excitement runs high, but the industry’s heavy regulations and complex operations can quickly overwhelm even experienced business owners. Common mistakes include underestimating compliance requirements, rushing facility design, skipping proper procedures, and more.
- Maximizing Your Minnesota Cannabis Microbusiness or Mezzobusiness LicenseMinnesota’s new adult-use cannabis law allows microbusinesses (one store, up to 5,000 sq ft indoor, ½ acre outdoor) and mezzobusinesses (up to 3 stores, 15,000 sq ft indoor, 1 acre outdoor) to cultivate, manufacture, sell, and transport cannabis under one license. These vertically integrated licenses offer flexibility, but also come with complex state rules.
- The Recipe for a Top-Tier Cannabis DispensaryOperating a highly reviewed, top-performing cannabis dispensary takes more than simply stocking product and unlocking the doors. It requires operational discipline, regulatory expertise, top-tier customer service, dynamic merchandising, and a culture of accountability and community. With the cannabis industry continuing to expand—and regulations constantly evolving—success is defined by how seamlessly a dispensary integrates compliance, product curation, staff training, and marketing into day-to-day operations.
- Minnesota Lottery Results: June 5 Cannabis License Drawings and What’s NextThe Minnesota Lottery for cannabis business licenses reached a pivotal milestone on June 5, as the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) conducted randomized drawings for select license types. These lotteries were open to both social equity applicants and general applicants vying for limited licenses to operate as cultivators, manufacturers, and mezzobusinesses. Additionally, a separate lottery was held exclusively for social equity applicants seeking a retail cannabis license.
Explore Our Articles
Business Funding cannabis applications Cannabis Bar Cannabis Business Optmization Cannabis Business Services cannabis careers Cannabis Compliance Cannabis Consumption Cannabis Consumption Bar Cannabis Inventory Management Systems Cannabis Investors cannabis jobs Cannabis Legalization cannabis licensing Cannabis Lounge cannabis marketing Cannabis Operational Procedures cannabis outreach Cannabis Regulations Cannabis Security Cannabis Software Cannabis Startup Cannabis Supply Chain Cannabis Technology Colorado controlled environment agriculture Cultivation cultivation facility Dispensary Design facility design Financial Planning Legal Update Legislation Medical Cannabis Minnesota Natural Medicine Nebraska New York Odor Control Oregon Psilocybin Psychedelics Recreational Cannabis Solventless Extraction Tribal Cannabis Licensing
Free Ebook – Start Your Own Legal Cannabis Business
