This Win Isn’t Just Ours—It’s Yours.
Being named Cannabis Business Times’ 2025 Best Cannabis Companies to Work For isn’t just a shiny badge we slap on the website. It’s proof of something bigger: when you invest in people, they create something unstoppable.
For the cannabis industry, this award is more than recognition—it’s a middle finger to every payroll provider that dropped a dispensary overnight, froze an MSO’s bank account, or left a cultivation team scrambling to make payroll. It’s validation that cannabis businesses deserve better than vendors who “support” the industry in press releases but abandon it when the risks get real.
At Paragon Payroll, we don’t cut and run. We build. We problem-solve. We stand with cannabis operators when others won’t. And that’s exactly why this award matters.
Why This Award Matters: The Real Ones Know
This recognition isn’t about a shiny trophy or a PR flex—it’s about you, the cannabis businesses that trust us to protect your people, your payroll, and your future. This award is proof that when you invest in your people, they create something unstoppable.
But let’s make this personal—because this isn’t just about payroll. It’s about the people who make it happen. The ones who don’t just clock in and clock out but show up with a fire to fight for this industry.
Meet the team behind Paragon Payroll—the problem-solvers, the compliance warriors, and the payroll pros who make the impossible look effortless. These are the people who work nights, weekends, and through banking disasters to make sure cannabis businesses don’t get left in the dust. They’re the ones picking up emergency phone calls at 7 AM when a dispensary’s payroll funds get frozen, staying late to decode the latest compliance change before it catches a client off guard, and fixing other payroll providers’ mistakes before they become full-blown financial disasters.
But here’s what makes their job even harder: they don’t just have to fight payroll issues—they have to fight against the trust that’s already been broken. Too many cannabis businesses have been burned by payroll providers that promised expertise but left them hanging the moment things got complicated. Our team isn’t just running payroll—they’re rebuilding faith in what payroll should be. They have to convince people who have every right to be skeptical that this time, things will be different.
And on top of that? They have to be more than just service providers. They have to be problem-solvers, listeners, and even therapists at times—because cannabis business owners are juggling so much that payroll problems often feel like the final straw. Our team doesn’t just process numbers; they absorb frustration, calm nerves, and provide clarity in an industry built on uncertainty. And they do it all while making sure we as a company continue to grow, improve, and challenge ourselves to be better.
And that’s why they deserve a company that does the same for them.
Women-Led Teams & Progressive Leadership
At Paragon, we believe that investing in people means investing in equity—from the boardroom to the budroom. And in an industry as fast-growing and historically male-dominated as cannabis, that commitment isn’t just progressive—it’s essential.
Our recognition as a Top Cannabis Workplace in 2025 wasn’t earned through perks and ping pong tables. It was earned by building a culture that shatters ceilings—specifically, the grass ceiling—and redefines what leadership in this space should look like.
We don’t just support women-led businesses—we are one. Our team includes 33 women, 21 men, and 1 nonbinary team member, and women hold the majority of leadership roles (8 out of 14). This wasn’t accidental—it’s the result of intentional hiring, promotion, and empowerment strategies designed to level the playing field and elevate the voices that have too often been left out of the conversation.
Breaking the grass ceiling means doing more than applauding diversity—it means actively dismantling outdated structures that prevent people from thriving. It means making sure women are not just included, but centered. That nonbinary and underrepresented team members feel safe, heard, and backed by real opportunity. And that leadership reflects the very people this industry was built for.
When women lead, companies thrive. Innovation increases. Empathy becomes a core business strategy. And culture becomes a catalyst for growth—not a barrier to it.
We welcome individuality, honor personal agency, and build systems that work for real people—not just policy binders. Our culture is one where motherhood isn’t seen as a weakness, where boundary-setting is respected, and where no one has to shrink themselves to climb a ladder.
This is the kind of environment that attracts and retains bold thinkers. The kind that earns national recognition. The kind that proves—without apology—that investing in people pays off.
If you want a deeper look into what this really means for cannabis and why it matters now more than ever, don’t miss our companion piece:
👉 How Women Are Shaping the Future of Cannabis—And What the Industry Doesn’t Want Us to Talk About
Written by our own team, it dives into the unspoken truths, structural biases, and culture-shifting power of women in cannabis today. It’s bold, honest, and necessary.
We’re proud to be breaking the grass ceiling. Proud to lead differently. And prouder still that our team reflects the very future the cannabis industry deserves.
Let’s Get Real—Payroll in Cannabis Isn’t Just Payroll. It’s The Key To Survival For Many Business Owners.
Imagine this. You wake up, check your inbox, and there it is: an email from your payroll provider saying they’re pulling out of cannabis effective immediately. No warning. No backup plan. Just a massive financial disaster waiting to happen.
Your team needs paychecks in two days. But now? You’re stuck scrambling to find a last-minute fix while your employees start to panic. The “cannabis-friendly” payroll provider that gladly took your money last month? Nowhere to be found.
Or maybe you’re a cultivator. You’re knee-deep in the work that keeps this industry thriving, only to have your bank freeze your payroll funds—again. Even though cannabis is a multi-billion-dollar industry, financial institutions still treat it like it’s illegal. Your employees don’t see the behind-the-scenes struggle. They just know if their paycheck hits their account—or doesn’t.
Or let’s say you’re scaling up. Business is booming, you’re opening a second location, hiring more employees, finally hitting the momentum you’ve worked your ass off to build. But your payroll provider? They weren’t built to handle cannabis growth. Now, your tax filings are lagging, compliance deadlines are slipping through the cracks, and instead of running your business, you’re stuck fixing payroll mistakes.
That’s why this award matters. It’s proof that we get it. That when others bail, we show up. That when you need a real cannabis payroll partner, we’re already in the trenches with you.
Cannabis Payroll: More Than a Service—It’s A Lifeline
Bluntly put—payroll isn’t just about cutting checks. It’s what keeps your team showing up, engaged, and committed.
But if your payroll provider isn’t built for cannabis, you’re rolling the dice every pay period.
Maybe you’ve already been burned—dropped overnight because your provider decided cannabis was “too risky.” Maybe you’ve been hit with compliance fines because they didn’t understand cannabis tax law. Maybe you’ve watched your team’s trust erode overnight because payroll errors made them doubt your business’s stability.
This isn’t just inconvenient—it’s an existential threat to your company.
That’s why Paragon Payroll exists. Because cannabis businesses don’t just need a payroll provider—they need a protector. A team that doesn’t just react to problems but anticipates them before they happen. A team that understands that in this industry, one banking issue, one regulatory shift, one frozen account can derail everything.
And to make that happen, we have to take care of the people who make it possible.
A Company That Invests in Its People.
We demand a lot from our team. We expect them to show up, show out, and never let a client down. We expect them to be problem-solvers, crisis managers, and trusted advisors. We expect them to bring excellence every single day.
And in return? We invest in them just as much as they invest in our clients.
Paragon isn’t just a payroll company—it’s a family. A place where people can grow, contribute their own personalities, and feel truly valued. We don’t just want a qualified team; we want a happy, thriving team. Because a team that feels safe, supported, and empowered is the team that delivers the best experience for our clients.
This means providing:
✔️ Opportunities for growth and advancement.
✔️ A workplace culture where people feel heard and appreciated.
✔️ A real sense of belonging—because they’re part of something bigger.
Because when our team wins, our clients win.
Want to Work With the Best? Here’s Your Next Step.
If you’re looking for more than just a job—if you want to be part of a team that’s redefining the future of cannabis payroll—we want to hear from you.
📩 Join the Paragon Payroll Team → Careers
Want to See Why We’re the Gold Standard? Let’s Talk.
If you’re a cannabis business looking for a payroll partner that won’t let you down, let’s put our reputation to the test.
💬 Schedule a Call With Us → Let's Talk!
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