Erin Kennedy is the sole proprietor behind Aperture Consulting Group in Portland and is a prime example of why we wanted to put this Behind the Scenes Issue together. Erin has helped nearly 200 Oregon Cannabis businesses understand how to be fully compliant so they can become licensed recreational companies.
COMPLIANCE [ERIN KENNEDY]
Aperture Consulting Group Kennedy is a multi-talented entrepreneur with vast work experience. Her career has taken her from government
“[MY WORK RANGES] FROM QUICK CALLS A FEW TIMES A WEEK TO BIG PROJECTS INVOLVING LICENSE RELOCATIONS, CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, POLICY AND PROCEDURE DEVELOPMENT, QUARTERLY COMPLIANCE AUDITS, OR EVEN ACTING AS THEIR COMPANY’S COMPLIANCE OFFICER,”
not only understand the rules but to incorporate jobs to telecommunications and onto to aerospace procedures that would defense. Now she spends her time lending her insight ensure compliance with into process re-engineering, systems efficiencies and their operations. infrastructure development for the benefit of Oregon’s Kennedy saw the lack of available assistance and Cannabis entrepreneurs. decided to make a change. In July 2015, Kennedy Kennedy had worked with the Oregon Health parted ways from the OHA and then Aperture ConAuthority to build the country’s first medical marijuana sulting Group was founded. dispensary program for about 15 months. While there Now she maintains about 25 clients on averher time was spent registering new dispensaries and age. She’s worked with everyone from small compaexecuting inspections and investigations. Once the nies to massive multi-state Cannabis brands. program was built and she was interacting with the “[My work ranges] from quick calls a few times a industry, she quickly found that the people launching week to big projects involving license relocations, corthese companies were very “green” to running legitirective actions, policy and procedure development, mate legal businesses. quarterly compliance audits, or even acting The reality of the situation is most Cannabis as their company’s compliance officer,” she APERTURE entrepreneurs come from the unregulated or said. Her daily tasks can require her to be CONSULTING “gray market” of medical and are accustomed flexible and knowledgeable about various GROUP to running with little regulation whatsoevaspects of Cannabis businesses. ACGPDX.com er. Most of these business owners struggle to Kennedy has a series of goals for the
industry. “I see myself as an agent of empowerment. I’m here to support and cheer on my clients because their success is my success,” Kennedy said. These goals include access to banking and traditional loans like every other industry, an enlarged staff for the OLCC to more efficiently manage the program, and normalcy in pace and development of the industry. Kennedy’s Aperture Consulting Group is, and continues to be, Oregon’s go-to compliancy specialist. Building a brand new business is difficult in any industry and a monumental challenge in Cannabis. Oregon entrepreneurs can breathe a little easier knowing Aperture Consulting Group is only a call away.
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