Managing Partner @ CannaBIZ Collects & CCA | 🌎 Travel | Innovative Disrupter | Helping companies collect their 💰

I’m driven by the challenge to build great businesses with great people to solve real problems. 

My career began in 2015 after being promoted to CEO of a vertically integrated cannabis company in Colorado, where I gained hands-on experience and deep insights into the industry.

Later, I co-founded a specialty child-resistant cannabis packaging business, where I served as CEO. In 2022, I sold my shares in the company, achieving a personal exit while the business continued operating independently.

Currently I’m the Founder & Managing Partner of CannaBIZ Collects, the nation’s first and leading cannabis-focused collection agency started in 2017. In this role, I work to support cannabis businesses in navigating the unique legal and financial challenges related to A/R and collections.

I’m also the founder of the Cannabiz Credit Association, the first trade credit group in the cannabis industry, where we provide tools for risk monitoring and credit assessments to help businesses make better financial decisions and manage risk effectively.

I earned a BBA in Finance from The University of Georgia, and today, I’m based in St. Petersburg, FL. I’m committed to exploring new opportunities, improving business practices in the industry, and mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to make an impact.

Brett Gelfand

I can’t tell you how many times we hear this:

“We were waiting to see what happened.”
“We thought they’d turn it around.”
“We didn’t want to strain the relationship.”

Then the company closes.
Or goes into receivership.
And suddenly they want to collect.

Here’s the hard truth most operators don’t understand:

Once a cannabis company shuts down or enters receivership, collectability is basically zero.

At that point:
 • Cash is gone
 • Inventory is liquidated
 • Secured creditors are first in line
 • Unsecured vendors are last

And if there’s no personal guarantee, you cannot just “go after the owner.”

An LLC or corporation exists specifically to shield personal assets.
No PG = no personal exposure.

That means:
You extended trade credit to a legal entity that no longer has assets.

Game over.

In cannabis, this happens more than in most industries because:
 • Thin margins
 • Regulatory volatility
 • Cash flow constraints
 • Overleveraged operators

Waiting until collapse is not a strategy. It’s hope.

The operators who consistently reduce bad debt do three things differently:
1. They monitor payment behavior early.
2. They tighten terms at first signs of distress.
3. They escalate before insolvency, not after.

Collections is about timing.

If you’re placing accounts only after a closure announcement, you’re not managing credit risk. You’re documenting a loss.

And in this industry, prevention will always outperform recovery.

The goal isn’t to collect from bankrupt companies.

The goal is to never let it get there.

Founder @ CannaBIZ Collects & Cannabiz Credit Association (CCA) | Recovering unpaid 💰 and reducing credit risk for cannabis companies

Big news. And big moves with the team over at Cannabiz Credit Association.

View company: Cannabiz Credit Association

We’re excited to announce that TerrAscend has officially joined the Cannabiz Credit Association community!

TerrAscend is one of the leading vertically integrated cannabis operators in North America, with operations spanning multiple states and a reputation for disciplined growth.

Adding strong, established MSOs like TerrAscend to the CCA network continues to strengthen the quality of shared trade data across the industry. The more leading operators who participate, the more transparent and accountable cannabis credit becomes for everyone.

We’re proud to have them as part of the community.

#WelcomeMarijuanaVenture #CannabisMedia #CannabisIndustry #CannabisBusiness #CannabisInsights #CannabisCommunity #CCAMembers

“We already know who the good and bad payers are…”

We see this every day at Cannabiz Credit Association.

Then six months later they place $100,000+ in collections to CannaBIZ Collects.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Anecdotal memory is not a credit policy.

In cannabis, most credit decisions are still made based on:
- A rep’s personal experience
- Word of mouth
- “They’ve always paid us”
- A relationship from three years ago

That’s not risk management. That’s optimism disguised as familiarity.

And in a capital-constrained market, optimism is expensive.

The operators who’ve been humble enough to adopt data-backed credit risk ratings have seen something very different:

- Reduced DSO
- Fewer surprise defaults
- More disciplined credit limits
- Faster approvals with less internal debate

Because they stopped relying on:

1. Traditional trade credit associations with long meetings and delayed decision-making or 2. Legacy credit bureaus or new credit risk startups with little to no meaningful cannabis payment data

And started leveraging real cannabis payment data built on over 10 years of credit and collections experience in the industry.

Cannabis is not CPG.
It’s not manufacturing.
It’s not distribution in any other vertical.

You cannot underwrite it with generic data.

The best operators don’t assume they “just know.”

They validate what they think with real data… and not just blind scoring/heresay they trust. 

That humility is what protects margins.

We see these credit mistakes every day in the cannabis industry, not because teams don’t care, but because structure is missing.

1. Extending credit without vetting - Trust isn’t credit data. Without visibility into payment behavior and existing trade debt, you’re guessing and guessing is expensive.
2. No written escalation process - If there’s no clear plan for 30, 60, or 90 days past due, invoices stall. Delay weakens leverage and signals tolerance.
3. Waiting too long to act - The longer an invoice sits unpaid, the harder it is to recover. Early action protects both cash flow and relationships.
4. Confusing loyalty with risk tolerance - Familiar partners can still be high risk. Longevity doesn’t cancel financial reality.

In cannabis, credit discipline isn’t aggressive. It’s necessary. Good intentions don’t pay invoices.

Want to spot risk earlier? Cannabis-specific credit data makes the difference. 

#CannabisBusiness #CannabisFinance #TradeCredit #AccountsReceivable #CannabisCredit #CashFlowManagement #CannabisOperators #RiskManagement

Credit Mistakes - CannaBIZ Collects

When we started building CCA, the first thing we did was call the traditional credit bureaus. We assumed they already had cannabis credit data. They had few trade lines. Almost no verified payment history.

So we built the reporting network ourselves. And built a tech-forward SaaS platform specific to cannabis, with hundreds of CRB companies contributing real payment data. 

The only source of truth to know who pays and who doesn't.

When we first started building the CCA, we did what anyone would do.
We called the “normal” credit bureaus.

We asked about cannabis data. Trade lines. Payment history. Risk scoring.

And the answer was always some version of the same thing:
 “It’s limited.”
 “It is hard to collect.”
 “It’s difficult to verify back to companies.”

The reality is simple. For decades, cannabis operated in the shadows. Cash businesses. No traditional banking. No consistent reporting. A lot of legitimate operators, but very little structured credit data.

So, of course, the files were thin.

Instead of accepting that, we decided to build what didn’t exist.

We worked directly with D&B analysts. We partnered with operators. We built reporting pipelines. We standardized how trade data gets captured. And we kept going until the picture started to look real.

Today, the CCA captures payment and trade data from more than 200 companies nationwide.

Not guesses. Not vibes. Actual reported performance.

That’s how you build the most comprehensive credit bureau in cannabis.
Because this industry may have started in the black market, but its future runs on transparency, accountability, and real credit data.

And someone had to do the hard work to capture it.

To know more about how CCA works, visit us at - https://lnkd.in/gG58eey6

#CannabisIndustry #CannabisBusiness #CannabisFinance #CannabisCredit #TradeCredit
#CreditRisk #CreditData #ARManagement #AccountsReceivable

CCA is the strongest source of credit data and insights to know whose who in cannabis.

Our Michigan data set is getting stronger every day with leading operators and CRBs actively reporting verified trade lines.

If you’re in Michigan and feel a Facebook group or he says/she says is a better credit process… I’d love to challenge you and get a demo set up with our team. 

It’s time to move this industry forward together.

We’re excited to announce that Northwoods Cannabis has officially joined the Cannabiz Credit Association community!

Northwoods Cultivation is a mission-driven cannabis grower in Michigan focused on premium flower, clean cultivation practices, and thoughtful genetics. With a commitment to sustainable growing and careful attention to plant health at every stage, they produce consistent, high-quality cannabis that resonates with both patients and adult-use consumers alike.

Their craft-focused approach and dedication to excellence make them a valued new member of the CCA network.

We’re proud to welcome their passion, leadership, and commitment to quality.

#WelcomeNorthwoods #CannabisCultivation #PremiumCannabis #CraftCannabis #CannabisIndustry #CannabisBusiness #CCAMembers

probably #1 reason I see companies struggling with cash flow and AR issues today. way too much reactivity. when proactive solutions exist... finally.

Most cannabis companies still operate in reactive mode.

A retailer places an order? Ship it.
They ask for terms? Sure.
Need a little higher limit? No problem.
Everybody gets a loan.

And when they eventually don’t pay… that’s when action happens. The emails start. The calls get tense. Then it ends up in collections through @Cannabiz Collects.

That’s the old playbook.

The new age operator looks very different.
They check credit before extending terms.
They decide how much to extend based on actual trade data.
 And if they’re already doing business, they monitor credit exposure over time.

Because companies can go south quickly in this market. A license change. A tax issue. A cash crunch. One bad quarter and suddenly everyone’s chasing the same dollars.

You don’t want to be the last to know.

Reactive businesses send accounts to collections.

Proactive businesses adjust limits before there’s a problem.

The industry is maturing. The question is whether your credit process is.

#CannabisIndustry #CannabisBusiness #CannabisFinance #CannabisCredit #TradeCredit #CreditRisk #AccountsReceivable #ARManagement #CashFlow #RiskManagement

Pacific Dutch Group

• Reduced 61+ day past dues from 24% of total A/R in my first month to 20% within five months, and kept it below 20%
    • Created our first A/R contact list for 500+ customers in Excel, and incorporated it in a weekly report shared with sales partners and management via Sharepoint
    • Identified multiple occasions where payments from customers had not been correctly allocated by our distribution partner, reducing delinquent A/R by more than $80,000
    • Coordinated with Petalfast & Nabis partners to review new orders within one business day to ensure appropriate terms were granted and previous balances were resolved with new deliveries

A/R and Collections Lead

Petalfast

• Hired during expansion period to start a department to assist brand partners in reducing collectables 
• Reduced internal collectibles from stores by 33% in my first full quarter ($169k to $113k)
• Decreased all brand partners’ collectibles from stores by 10% in my first full quarter ($2.64M to $2.37M)
• Used Google Suite to identify and inform Sales team, brand partners, &  distribution partner of stores with problematic accounts payable

Sales Operations Manager, AR

HERBL Solutions

• As the first & only dedicated Collections employee, kept total A/R to 17.5% and balances 31+ days past due to 6% of annual sales at the end of FY 2019
• Reduced 31+ days past due balances from 33.8% of total A/R for my region to 14.8% in the first 21 weeks of FY 2020 
• Saved the company from more than $30k in bad debts by leveraging relationships between delinquent customers & sister stores in good standing
• Drafted form letters and initiated procedures to communicate collections issues fairly & efficiently with customers
• Saved company thousands of dollars in potential losses, such as duplicate credit memos or erroneously cancelled invoices
• Regularly arranged for the safe retrieval of cash payments of $100,000 or more by coordinating efforts with Sales, Transportation, and Security departments
• Coordinated communications between up to thirteen account managers and fifteen drivers to ensure consistent messaging between us and our customers

Senior Collections Accounting Clerk


OfficeTeam

• Saved the client over $30,000 in one year by auditing our vendors' invoices for excessive or inappropriate charges
• Compiled payroll data for 150-200 contractors into Excel reports, summarizing by facility, project, vendor, specialty, and non-labor expenses
• Created daily information packets to address issues between clients and vendors
• Reduced the age of outstanding accounts by 0.5 days by using Excel pivot tables to prioritize daily work orders by age and balance for 250-400 accounts
• Act as a liaison between clients and vendors to address issues
• Addressed management priorities by creating daily & weekly productivity reports
• Assigned and adjusted computer resources for contractors within one business day of employment action notice
• Identified more than a dozen sets of fraudulent new hire paperwork from vendors
and their contractors

Department Assistant

The Golden 1 Credit Union

• Reached consumer loan sales of over $1.2 million per month by training staff on product knowledge & sales techniques and developing new partnerships
• Passed 100% of my branch's operational audits through reviewing the branch's work and training staff on policies & procedures and how to conduct reviews of their peer's work
• Achieved an average Member Service Survey score of 9.7 by conducting role plays and providing immediate feedback after observing interactions with clients
• Utilized Enterprise E-time to review and approve timecards and time off requests
• Reduced written response time on customer service issues from five to two business days by authoring templates in Word for common issues
• Increased exposure within the community by creating and delivering PowerPoint
presentations on various economic issues to audiences of 15-30 members
• Reduced staff turnover by 50% through coaching, training, development, performance improvement programs, timely annual reviews, and interviewing & hiring qualified job applicants

Personal Achievements
• President’s Club, Top Branch Operations Manager Sales, 2010
• President’s Club, Third Place Consumer Loans Sales, 2009
Branch Achievement
• President’s Club, Top Member Service Survey Scores (Tier 3), 2010

Branch Operations Manager

Atlas Securities

• Perform financial analyses for clients
• Utilize Life Insurance and Series 6 & 63 Licenses to recommend products and services that fit customers’ goals and comfort levels
• Review clients’ accounts with them on a regular basis
• Assist customers with maintenance transactions as needed
• Refer clients to representatives of sister company World Savings as appropriate

Investment Representative

World Savings

• Passed 100% of my branch's operational audits through reviewing the branch's work and training staff on policies & procedures and how to conduct reviews of their peer's work
• Achieved "300% Club" recognition on five occasions for earning 100% on mystery shops all three months in a calendar quarter
• Kept overtime to within 1% of labor budget for branch activities
• Boosted referrals to Atlas Securities investment representative by 15% by developing a PowerPoint training presentation for internal staff use
• Uncovered a case of internal theft through audits of cash & negotiable items
• Notary Public 
• Dual Employee with sister company Atlas Securities

Personal Achievements
• Employee of the Quarter:  2nd Quarter 2000, 3rd Quarter 2000, 2nd Quarter 2001, 2nd Quarter 2003 (award renamed Customer Service Professional)
• Four letters of personal commendation from Marion O. Sandler, CEO
• Star Biz Club Award, 4th Quarter 2002, 1st Quarter 2003

Branch Manager

Twenty years in Financial Services, ten years in Bank/Credit Union Branch Management, six years in Accounts Receivable/Collections. Initiated AR efforts at three companies. Award-winning Customer Service & Sales.  Strong background in Human Resources, Operations, & Microsoft Office applications. Generated thousands of dollars annually in savings on labor and contractor expenses.  Managed my own rental property for several years.

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