One of the first 10 licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in Colorado. Founded 2009, exited 2011. This was where software systems thinking began, translating real-world regulated operations into digital infrastructure that would later define an industry.
Medical Cannabis Colorado (MCC) was one of the first 10 licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in Colorado, founded in 2009 during the pre-legalization medical era. Operating under the early caregiver and patient model, MCC served well over 10,000 patients from a street-facing storefront in Denver.
This was the first major commercial build-out, storefront, and company exit. Built from a raw commercial shell with minimal initial capital, MCC required fundraising, commercial construction, operations design, and compliance navigation in an industry that was still defining itself. The dispensary operated in a legal environment that was both emerging and undefined, requiring navigation of regulations written in real-time and building systems that could function without established best practices.
MCC still operates today under different ownership and name, but the original operation from 2009 to 2011 represents a foundational chapter in both the Colorado cannabis industry and the trajectory of systems thinking applied to regulated markets.
As Founder, President, and CEO, I was responsible for every dimension of the operation: full ownership and execution, not delegation.
Raised capital to build and operate the dispensary from a raw commercial shell, articulating a vision for a business model without established precedents and building investor confidence in an emerging, regulated market.
Designed and executed the complete commercial build-out of approximately 1,600 square feet, including layout design, construction management, security systems, and a storefront that balanced patient needs, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Built operational systems that navigated an evolving regulatory environment, understanding compliance requirements as they developed and creating workflows that could adapt to changing regulations while maintaining integrity.
Developed pricing strategies that balanced patient access, affordability, and business sustainability in an industry without established pricing models, creating systems that could adapt to market changes.
MCC became the largest registered caregiver in Colorado by patient count in 2009 and 2010, requiring systems that could handle thousands of patients, maintain compliance, and provide consistent service quality when operational models were still being established.
Recognized by High Times and High Times Medical Marijuana News & Review (twice) for best prices and best cannabis in the state, reflecting both product quality and pricing strategies that prioritized patient access and affordability.
Among the first dispensaries in Colorado to carry Butane Honey Oil (BHO) concentrates, requiring understanding of emerging product categories, quality evaluation, and introducing new product forms to patients learning about cannabis medicine.
Hosted experimental cultural integrations such as Blazin' Buzz, creating spaces where cannabis culture and community could intersect while navigating compliance and managing logistics.
Consulted and advised many early dispensaries, contributing to the first wave of Colorado cannabis businesses by sharing operational knowledge, compliance insights, and business strategies.
My work with MCC began as a medical cannabis activist, focused on patient access, affordability, and dignity. This values-driven foundation shaped how the business operated.
Worked closely with army veterans, providing medicine, education, and support. Created systems that served their unique circumstances and ensured access regardless of financial means.
Prioritized patient education, ensuring people understood their medicine, dosing, and options. Created educational materials, trained staff, and built systems that supported informed patient decisions.
Focused on affordability and access, ensuring medical cannabis was available regardless of financial circumstances through pricing strategies, donation programs, and systems that supported dignified access.
Operated from values-driven leadership, evaluating decisions against both business and patient needs, maintaining compliance with integrity, and serving the community as much as the bottom line.
MCC was where my software journey began, providing first exposure to real-world software systems built for regulated, high-complexity industries.
I was an early contributor to MMJ Menus, helping translate real-world cannabis operations into digital systems. This work required providing industry knowledge, operational insight, and early sales support. MMJ Menus later became the most widely used cannabis point of sale system and was eventually acquired by Weedmaps.
Operating MCC provided the operational knowledge to understand what software systems needed to do in a regulated cannabis environment. This wasn't abstract product thinking: it was translating real operational needs into digital infrastructure.
Working on MMJ Menus while operating MCC created a feedback loop: operational experience informed software development, and software development revealed new operational possibilities. This was systems thinking before "software founder" was an identity: solving real problems with technology because the problems existed and needed solutions.
This foundation in regulated industry software later informed work in other complex, regulated markets. The patterns learned in cannabis (compliance, inventory tracking, patient management, reporting) applied to other industries where regulation, complexity, and operational clarity were essential.
Exiting MCC in 2011 represented my first successful company sale and a major personal and professional milestone. The business was profitable at exit, providing both capital and confidence to pursue future ventures.
The exit validated that it was possible to build, operate, and exit a business in an emerging, regulated market, demonstrating that early leadership in undefined industries could create value and that operational excellence could be recognized even where regulations were still being written.
After exiting MCC, I went on to launch Completely Legal, a nonprofit patient-owned medical cannabis cooperative in Nevada, building on the operational knowledge, compliance experience, and values-driven approach developed at MCC.
The exit provided the foundation for future work: capital to invest in new ventures, confidence in navigating emerging markets, and proof that systems thinking applied to regulated industries could create both operational excellence and business value.
Medical Cannabis Colorado represents a foundational origin story. This was where I learned to operate in emerging, regulated markets, where systems thinking was forged in real-world complexity, and where the pattern of entering industries before they mature was established.
The work at MCC demonstrated that it's possible to operate responsibly in undefined legal environments, build systems that adapt to changing regulations, and create value in industries still being defined. This foundation has informed every subsequent venture.
MCC taught me that early leadership in emerging markets requires comfort with risk, ability to navigate undefined environments, and systems thinking that can adapt to change. The software work that began at MCC (translating operational needs into digital infrastructure) established a pattern of building systems for complex, regulated industries that has applied to cannabis, nonprofit operations, immersive experiences, and other domains where regulation, complexity, and operational clarity intersect.
This project represents where the trajectory began: operating at the frontier, building systems for complexity, and creating value in industries before they mature. The lessons learned at MCC (about regulation, operations, software, and leadership) continue to inform how I build, operate, and lead today.