This CPA Will Teach You How To Become A Cannabis Accounting Specialist In Just 90 Days

From a rock-climbing gym owner to recognition as one of the top accountants in the burgeoning cannabis industry, Andrew Hunzicker has come a long way.

Today, he runs a national cannabis accounting, bookkeeping and tax training program in all 50 states and he's ready to share his valuable insights at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference this April 11-12 in Miami Beach.

A Bright Career

A finance veteran and founder of cannabis accounting firm DOPE CFO Hunzicker has a clear goal: to help accounting professionals looking to venture into the cannabis space, build thriving businesses and cultivate the next generation of experts.

The 1995 Gold Medal Award winner for the highest score on the CPA exam, Hunzicker has a vast knowledge of cannabis startups, CFO services, turnaround and high-growth strategies, capital sourcing, mergers, exits, and wealth protection. He was runner-up for Portland Business Journal's CFO of the Year in 2017 – the first cannabis CFO to ever be nominated.

Prior to his interests in cannabis, Hunzicker worked at a Big Four firm, including PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Dallas. He co-founded a drilling company that later sold to Chesapeake Energy in 2010 for nearly $90 million. Hunzicker semiretired in Bend, Ore., where he provided financial oversight from 2010 to 2018 and served clients in the cannabis industry while simultaneously imparting his knowledge about the industry to other CPAs nationwide.

Cannabis Industry Poised For Growth

"It was great to go into cannabis and work with CEOs that actually value what we're bringing to the table," Hunzicker said on episode 45 of the Accounting Leaders Podcast, hosted by Karbon CEO, Stuart McLeod.

Hunzicker developed DOPE CFO in 2017 to help accountants who were eager to learn about becoming specialists in all aspects of the space within 90 days. 

"This totally started out as a side hustle. I was just serving clients and I got these calls from accountants. 'Hey, Andrew, I heard you had a dispensary chart of accounts—can I buy it?' or 'Do you have a cost accounting template?'"

Nowadays, he believes that cannabis is among the fastest-growing industry in the country. Moreover, he believes the best is yet to come for industry growth.

"It doesn't matter who's the president. It doesn't matter if your state is red or blue. Every year, it moves forward," Hunzicker said.

Come and meet Andrew Hunzicker and many others like him at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference on April 12-12 and stay with us at Miami Beach’s historic Fontainebleau Hotel. Don't miss out on a chance to hear about future market forecasts and business advice on investing and finance from those in the burgeoning cannabis industry. Get your tickets HERE before prices go up. Book your room HERE.

Photo: Courtesy of Scott Graham on Unsplash