Sara Gullickson is the Founder and CEO of Dispensary Permits, a nationally recognized cannabis consulting firm. Established in 2010, the firm has secured dozens of cannabis license wins across 13 competitive state markets.
One of the nation’s leading consultants for the industry, Gullickson was named one of Herb Magazine’s Top Ten Cannabis Entrepreneurs and Phoenix Business Journal’s Top Forty Under 40 in 2018.
A cannabis advisor and consultant for eight years, Gullickson has been actively involved in the industry since its inception. She has spent five years in executive level positions with operational and dispensary opening experience from the East to the West Coast.
In 2018, Gullickson was approved for a provisional medical cannabis cultivation and processing license for Strive Wellness of Nevada, LLC. As part owner she will serve as COO of the company.
Born in Minneapolis and raised in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Gullickson moved to the Southwest to complete her Bachelors in Communications at Arizona State University and her Masters of Business Administration and Marketing from the Keller Graduate School.
With a passion for health and wellness, it was natural for Gullickson to enter the medical cannabis industry. Her firm, Dispensary Permitsoffers license application services and seed to sale consulting.
At the forefront of one of the fastest growing industries in the nation, Sara has made it a priority to help other entrepreneurs succeed through educational endeavors and networking events.
From 2014-2017, Sara served as a founding member and Chair of Women Grow- Phoenix Chapter, a national organization created to connect and empower the next generation of cannabis industry leaders. During her tenure, Women Grow flourished expanding its membership from 30 to its maximum of 80 members. As chair, Sara made it a goal to host monthly networking events that provided essential industry knowledge and insight for those who were new to cannabis, and also to those who were well-versed in the industry.
Gullickson continues to serve as an industry spokesperson. She presented at the 2017 Real Estate Wealth Expo in Los Angeles and 2018 Real Estate Wealth Expo in Toronto. She has also spoken at numerous national cannabis conferences, including MJBizCon, the World Medical Cannabis Conference & Expo, Dispensary Next, and the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo, MJAC Investorshub International Conference, Women Grow Leadership Summit, and others.
Nationally recognized, Gullickson has been featured in a number of mainstream media outlets, including: CNN, NBC, Yahoo Finance, Entrepreneur Magazine, National Geographic, Dr. Oz, Forbes, Business News Daily, and others.
Gullickson also dedicates her time to advocacy efforts, personally helping multiple states with their programming. She has attended multiple political gatherings to raise medical cannabis awareness, both at Lobby Days in Washington, D.C, and at the Phoenix Capitol. Gullickson believes it is her duty to help new states and countries shape their government processes and has had the opportunity to work with clients in South America, Europe, and Australasia.
Beyond her work in cannabis, Sara is an avid yogi who has completed 200 hours of Yoga Teacher Training. An industry innovator and thought leader, Sara continues to develop and expand her business assisting clients on pre and post-license projects. She offers a full spectrum of services including: preparing dispensary operations for opening, securing real estate, cultivation/dispensary budgeting, policies and procedures, marketing and education, as well as facility functionality and design.
“As industry activists, business professionals, patients, and citizens, it is our responsibility to remove the stigma that surrounds cannabis, a plant has been used for hundreds of years and has helped millions of people with dozens of medical conditions and/or ailments.” – Sara Gullickson.