Being in the room is powerful—but knowing how to use it is what truly drives growth.

We’re here in Atlantic City, in the room at NECANN New Jersey 2025, and the energy is undeniable. The halls are alive with ideas, innovation, and people who care deeply about the future of cannabis. We’re proud to be part of that energy. But here’s what struck us almost immediately: so many people walk into NECANN not fully knowing how to navigate the opportunity. They want to grow, they want to connect, but the overwhelm of booths, panels, and noise makes it easy to miss what actually matters. And that’s a problem—because NECANN is too valuable to treat like just another conference.

This September 5–6, the cannabis industry gathers at the Atlantic City Convention Center for NECANN New Jersey 2025 and the NECANN Cup Awards. The halls are buzzing with cultivators, dispensary owners, investors, HR professionals, policymakers, and consumers—all carrying their own hopes for the future of cannabis in the Northeast.

But let’s get honest: showing up at a cannabis convention is easy. Walking the floor, grabbing free swag, attending a panel or two. The harder part is asking yourself:

Am I here to just look good—or am I here to actually grow?

And if that question stings, it’s okay. We’ve all been there—choosing appearances over growth because it feels safer. But the people who come to NECANN ready to grow, not just to win, are the ones who walk away with more than tote bags and handshakes. They leave with insights, partners, and a renewed sense of purpose that actually changes how they lead.

What Is NECANN New Jersey—and Why It Matters

NECANN (New England Cannabis Convention) has become the largest cannabis convention series in the Northeast, and it’s built a reputation for being more than just a trade show. Unlike some glossy national expos, NECANN feels closer to the ground. It’s where operators, advocates, and innovators collide in one messy, inspiring, challenging room.

The audience is diverse:

• License holders – dispensary owners, cultivators, manufacturers, labs, distributors.

• Ancillary providers – payroll, HR, insurance, banking, legal, packaging, marketing.

• Investors & executives – seeking companies with real staying power.

• HR professionals & employees – the ones carrying the burden of compliance and people management.

• Consumers & patients – showing up to experience the NECANN Cup Awards.

That balance of B2B and B2C is what makes NECANN unique. It’s where the industry doesn’t just sell to itself—it reflects on itself.

And here’s the part no one likes to admit: sometimes that reflection is uncomfortable. You might see gaps in your systems you’ve been ignoring. You might realize your peers are struggling with the exact same burdens you thought you had to carry alone. And if you’re a consumer or patient, you might witness just how fragile and human this industry really is. NECANN matters because it doesn’t hide those realities—it puts them in the open where we can face them together.

Why Cannabis Leaders Can’t Afford to Treat NECANN Like Just Another Trade Show

Conventions can easily become echo chambers. The loudest booths attract the biggest crowds, and the flashiest brands dominate the headlines. But beneath the noise, the most urgent issues in cannabis often go unspoken:

• Compliance fines that can sink a business overnight.

• 280E tax burdens that strangle cash flow.

• Payroll and banking challenges unique to cannabis.

• Turnover and burnout in dispensaries and cultivation sites.

Winning a NECANN Cup or running a polished booth means nothing if your systems behind the scenes are broken.

The danger of chasing clout without addressing foundations? You might win the weekend, but lose the future.

And we understand why it happens. It’s easier to polish the outside than fix what’s broken behind the curtain. But every operator who’s had their bank account frozen, every HR pro who’s faced a wage audit, every cultivator who’s lost good people to burnout—they’ll tell you the same thing: surface-level wins won’t protect you. NECANN should be the moment where we stop pretending and start addressing the real cracks in our foundations.

If You’re Here in the Room Attending NECANN: How to Make Better Choices

Here’s the hard truth: most people leave conventions with a stack of business cards and very little else. Don’t let that be you.

If you’re at NECANN this year, use it to cut through the noise. Ask the harder questions:

• To vendors: “How do you specifically handle cannabis payroll, compliance, or 280E challenges? Don’t give me generic answers.”

• To peers: “What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the last year, and how did you handle it?”

• To yourself: “Am I investing in what looks good—or in what will actually protect my business?”

Walk the floor with intention. Prioritize panels that deal with equity, sustainability, labor, and compliance, not just marketing hype. And don’t be afraid to sit in the smaller sessions—that’s often where the most unfiltered insights come out.

And remember—if you feel overwhelmed, you’re not failing. You’re human. NECANN isn’t about proving you have it all figured out; it’s about surrounding yourself with people and resources that can help you figure it out. That’s where the growth happens.

If You’re Not at NECANN This Year: Why You Should Consider the Next One

Maybe you couldn’t make it to Atlantic City. That’s okay. But if you’re serious about growing in cannabis, NECANN is worth putting on your calendar next time.

Here’s what you’re missing if you skip it:

• Regulation updates straight from the people shaping policy.

• Real-world peer stories that don’t show up in press releases.

• Networking that cuts deeper than LinkedIn connections.

• A chance to see through the noise and identify which providers actually understand cannabis.

NECANN isn’t just a trade show—it’s a temperature check on the industry. And right now, the industry can’t afford to ignore what’s really being said in these rooms.

If you’re a new licensee, NECANN is especially valuable. Think of it as a crash course in what’s waiting for you. You’ll hear the unfiltered truth from operators who’ve already stumbled, and you’ll see solutions you might not even know you needed. If you take advantage of this environment, you can avoid some of the costly mistakes that sink new businesses in their first year.

NECANN Cup Awards: More Than Just Recognition?

The NECANN Cup Awards celebrate innovation, craft, and creativity in cannabis. They give brands a chance to shine in front of both consumers and peers.

But here’s the disruption: Awards can be a blind spot.

Winning a Cup is a huge achievement—but it doesn’t fix payroll gaps, compliance risks, or employee turnover. Too many companies have chased recognition while ignoring the systems that sustain growth.

So here’s our challenge to the Cup winners: Use that spotlight wisely. Turn it inward. Strengthen your operations. Invest in your people. Build culture and compliance so your company thrives long after the applause fades.

Because an award can’t carry your business. Only leadership can.

And if you feel the pressure that comes with recognition—you’re not alone. Many leaders have shared that winning was the easy part. Leading differently afterward? That’s where the real work begins.

What Paragon Found in the Room

For us at Paragon, NECANN isn’t about clout. We don’t show up to shout the loudest. We show up to listen deeper.

And what we heard at NECANN was raw and real:

• HR professionals quietly carrying the weight of compliance, payroll, and people management.

• Owners worried about getting dropped by providers who don’t want to deal with cannabis risk.

• Leaders asking, “Who can I actually trust to be cannabis-committed, not just cannabis-curious?”

That’s what fuels us. NECANN reminds us that this industry doesn’t need another sales pitch—it needs partners who are present, accountable, and built for the long haul.

We know what it feels like to sit across from a leader who’s exhausted—who feels like every solution they’ve tried has let them down. We know what it’s like to be the HR pro who feels invisible, holding together the compliance puzzle while everyone else celebrates the wins. NECANN is where those voices are finally heard, and we take them with us in everything we build.

What NECANN Reveals About the Future of Cannabis in the Northeast

The Northeast is one of the fastest-growing cannabis regions in the country, but it comes with unique challenges:

• New Jersey’s legalization wave is creating intense competition.

• 280E tax restrictions still choke profitability.

• Banking access remains unstable.

• Talent wars are heating up—budtenders, cultivators, and managers are in high demand but short supply.

The takeaway? The Northeast market will reward businesses that prioritize compliance, culture, and sustainable systems over quick wins. NECANN shows us exactly which leaders are ready for that future.

If that feels daunting, take a breath. Every business you admire today started with the same unknowns. The difference between those who survive and those who collapse isn’t perfection—it’s a willingness to do the unglamorous work of building systems that last.

Key Questions Leaders Should Ask After NECANN

Whether you attended or not, here’s the self-checklist that separates winners from growers:

• Do I have systems in place to stay compliant and audit-proof?

• Am I building a culture that retains staff—or burning people out?

• Are my vendors cannabis-committed or just opportunists?

• Did NECANN give me real tools to grow—or just more noise?

If you can’t answer these honestly, you’ve got work to do before the next NECANN. And that’s okay—you’re not alone in this. Every operator, every HR pro, every investor has blind spots. The ones who succeed are the ones who are willing to name them and do something about it.

FAQs: What People Ask Paragon (and Our Answers)

Q: How is cannabis payroll different from other industries?
A: Cannabis payroll is tangled in banking restrictions, 280E tax complications, and compliance risks. Most providers avoid it. We design systems specifically for these realities, so you don’t get blindsided.

Q: Why do other providers drop cannabis companies?
A: Many providers are risk-averse. When regulation shifts or audits loom, they pull out. Paragon was built cannabis-committed from the start—we don’t disappear when things get messy.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake new licensees make with payroll/HR?
A: Waiting too long. Many focus on product and retail build-out, then scramble when compliance or payroll fines hit. The right systems should be in place from day one.

Resource List: Where to Go Deeper

• NECANN New Jersey Official Site

• NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission – Licensing, rules, compliance updates.

• IRS 280E Overview – What cannabis businesses need to know.

• OSHA Cannabis Guidelines – Worker safety compliance.

• Paragon Payroll: Cannabis-Specific Solutions – Payroll, HR, and compliance tailored for cannabis operators.

Why Showing Up Matters

At the end of the day, NECANN isn’t about being polished or perfect. It’s about being present. Vulnerable. Willing to admit what isn’t working.

That’s where growth starts. And that’s why Paragon shows up—not to sell louder, but to hold space, share resources, and stand with leaders who are ready to grow, together.

So whether you’re here in Atlantic City or planning for the next NECANN, ask yourself:

Will you just attend? Or will you show up to transform?

And if that feels like a heavy question, remember—you don’t have to answer it alone.