One accounting system, three audiences
The same ledger has to answer to three different readers. The IRS wants a documented inventory position. The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation wants records that agree with Metrc. Owners and lenders want margin and cash they can act on.
Designing for all three at once is the entire discipline. When the accounting is built for only one audience, the other two get a reconstruction exercise at the worst possible moment.
Cost accounting as the foundation
For producers, we build a cost model that captures direct materials, direct labor and allocable indirect production cost, then applies them to batches, harvests or production runs. For retailers, we drive landed cost accuracy at receiving so unit cost is right before the product ever hits a shelf.
The model is documented, tested against actual output, and revalued at period end. Operators in Kansas City and St. Louis frequently discover their true cost per unit differs materially from what they assumed, which changes pricing and purchasing decisions long before it changes the tax return.
- Batch, harvest and production-run costing for plant-touching facilities
- Landed cost discipline at receiving for retail and distribution
- Standard versus actual cost variance analysis
- Period-end inventory revaluation with documented support
Internal controls that fit an operating business
Controls only work when the people running the facility can actually follow them. We design segregation of duties around the staffing an operator really has, put approval thresholds where the money moves, and document procedures in a form a general manager will use.
For multi-site groups, we standardize so that a facility in Independence and one in O'Fallon close the same way and produce comparable numbers.
Reporting the operator can run the business from
Financial statements are the beginning, not the deliverable. We pair them with unit economics, contribution margin by category and license, cash forecasting and a short written commentary on what changed and why.
Frequently asked questions
Do you only work with cannabis businesses?
Yes. The practice is built entirely around licensed cannabis operators in Missouri, which is why the cost models, controls and tax positions are specific rather than adapted from general small-business work.
Can you work alongside our internal bookkeeper?
Frequently. A common structure has internal staff handling daily transaction capture while we own the close, the cost model, the tax position and the reporting.
How quickly can an engagement start?
Onboarding typically takes two to four weeks depending on the condition of the existing records and how many licensed facilities are in scope.
