#255: Starting a Cannabis Franchise With Thomas Scuccimarra, USNA ‘82

Service Academy Business Mastermind

“I wanted more return on my investment and hard work, and I wanted more consistency on those returns. I also wanted to be in more control of my future and lifestyle which is why I entered into this entrepreneurial endeavor. The cannabis industry offers all of this and more.” -Thomas Scuccimarra, USNA ‘82

Thomas Scuccimarra is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and served 14 years of active duty and 12 years in the reserves in naval cryptology and intelligence. After his military career, he received his MBA in Finance from Pepperdine University’s School of Business and worked in the financial services industry for 25 years. Now, he is pursuing an exciting opportunity in the cannabis industry as he works towards opening his first cannabis dispensary franchise.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Thomas’s motivation for entering the cannabis industry
• The process of opening a cannabis dispensary franchise
• The vision Thomas has for this opportunity and where he stands now
• What lessons Thomas learned in the military that he still carries with him today

Thomas explains that opening a franchise requires you to think through every part of a business—including funding, training, marketing, store layout, and more. He also shares the challenges that are unique to the cannabis industry, like working with local municipalities to get buy-in, obtaining the required licensing, and considering security efforts for an all-cash business. Thank you Thomas for giving us a glimpse into what it is like to open up a franchise in the fast-growing cannabis industry.

Connect with Thomas:

• LinkedIn

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Special thanks to Thomas for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01