Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
To whom it may concern,
I understand that Catalyst BC typically does not advertise, instead relying on word of mouth and trusted referrals for their business and growth. To support that, I offer the below review and a strong recommendation of Catalyst BC and its team members.
In my role as CFO of Cultivate Holdings LLC, we were approached by a large MSO to sell the business. Part of our deal structure was a strong earn-out that required a combination of garden, lab, and wholesale sales (supported, primarily, by garden productivity), and retail sales increases. We sought to engage Catalyst BC to support these needs, beginning with increasing garden productivity at our two gardens, one indoor multi-tier and one greenhouse. Catalyst’s projections of target performance increases were bold, and we came to agreement to retain them for approximately 11 months, the length of our earn-out period.
To say that the Catalyst BC team delivered on their promises is an understatement. By the 8th month of the engagement, our flower yields had approximately doubled and our collective teams had exceeded our most aggressive expectations for garden yield. Catalyst BC additionally focused on cost reduction, which was not in their original scope of work, to support enhancement of EBITDA margins, with some of the following results:
- Reduced labor in clone cutting process
- Reduced clonal propagation cycle time
- Increased clone cutting/sticking/rooting success and quality
- Reduced veg times while increasing quality and reducing labor
- Increased overall yields up to 100% compared to average of previous crops while preserving quality and IPM standards
Ultimately, Cultivate Holdings LLC asked Catalyst BC to support retail sales in order to support our need to clear our now growing inventory and Catalyst BC agreed to expand their SOW to support not only sales efforts, but profitability. Without giving away any trade secrets, Catalyst supported our teams in delivering/accomplishing the following:
- Catalyst BC provided key insights to the leadership team that lead to a variety of wholesale and retail initiatives which yielded greater sell-through of in-house products
- Identified opportunities to pivot to a customer-centric retail experience and a more interactive sales process through the use of qualifying questions and customer segmentation.
- Introduced training opportunities around sales strategies like: Bundling, Suggestive Selling, Upselling
- Identified opportunities to promote House Brands and improve margins through stronger retail sales mix vs wholesale.
- Identified opportunities to improve POP marketing tools and visual aids.
- Suggested opportunity to create a Chocolate OG high-end brand campaign. Provided logo concept and highlighted the need for 3rd party photo services to create a visually appealing POP campaign for internal and 3rd party retailers. Helped take Chocolate OG to most sold strain in Massachusetts.
- Identified over- and under-staffing situations to tighten staffing costs and enhance customer experience.
Not only was the Catalyst BC team effective in delivering contracted results, but they were also easy to work with, straightforward, and honest. When we needed to pivot, they pivoted with us without any complaint. I could not have expected more and it’s my pleasure to recommend them.
Regards,
Mark Page
CFO, Cultivate Holdings LLC
Additional Resources
- Greener Pastures for Virginia Cannabis
- Don’t Get Left Behind: Get Your New York Cannabis License
- Preparing To Win
- Vertical Farming Cannabis And Beyond
- Operational Optimization
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
