All - Cultivate Consulting Co.

10 Things We’ve Learned in 10 Years That Every Business Owner Should Know

Champ Digital April 14, 2026 No Comments

After a decade working with business owners across construction, manufacturing, retail, and complex multi-entity structures, one thing has become impossible to ignore: most businesses don’t fail because they lack demand.…

The 90-Day Cash Flow Plan for Inventory-Heavy Businesses

Champ Digital March 17, 2026 No Comments

Cash flow problems rarely announce themselves. They creep in quietly, like a delayed customer payment or unexpected equipment repairs. Before you know it, you’re staring at a healthy revenue report…

Why Your Tax Return Deserves More Than AI Automation

Champ Digital February 20, 2026 No Comments

You’ve probably seen the ads. AI-powered tax software promising to maximize your refund in minutes. Chatbots claiming they can answer any tax question. And slick interfaces suggesting tax preparation has…

illustrated man working at a desk with a computer, lamp, and plants

The Power of Clean Books: Why Accurate Bookkeeping Matters for Your Bottom Line

Champ Digital January 22, 2026 No Comments

When you need to know whether a project is actually profitable, whether there’s cash for new inventory, or why margins seem thinner despite steady sales—the answer lives in your books.…

Preparing for Rescheduling

Christine Gervais December 15, 2025 No Comments

What Your Cannabis Business Needs to Know Now The cannabis industry experienced a seismic shift this week as news broke that President Trump is preparing to issue an executive order…

Year-End 1099 Preparation Guide

Christine Gervais December 15, 2025 No Comments

Prepare for 1099s Now! As we approach year-end, it’s time to start organizing your records for 1099 reporting. Getting ahead of this process now will save you stress in January…

The Hemp Industry’s 280E Reckoning

Christine Gervais November 17, 2025 No Comments

What the New Federal Restrictions Mean for Your Tax Compliance On November 13, 2025, Congress closed what opponents called the “intoxicating hemp loophole” in the 2018 Farm Bill. For the…

Health Insurance Creates Tax Planning Crisis

Christine Gervais November 17, 2025 No Comments

Important Healthcare Tax Credit Changes Could Double Your Insurance Premiums in January If you purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, you need to pay attention to what’s…

The Government Shutdown and Tax Crisis

Christine Gervais November 3, 2025 No Comments

How Open Enrollment is Costing You More Without ACA Premium Tax Credits If you purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, you need to be aware of some…

Important: Paper Tax Refund Checks Are Ending – What You Need to Know

Christine Gervais October 12, 2025 No Comments

The End of IRS Paper Checks Effective September 30, 2025, the IRS and other federal agencies stopped issuing paper checks for most payments, including tax refunds. This change was mandated…

irs shutdown sign discussing the government shutdown

What the IRS Shutdown Means Your Small Business Needs the Right Tax Preparer More Than Ever

Christine Gervais October 12, 2025 No Comments

The IRS furloughed nearly half its workforce on October 8, and the agency has shut down most taxpayer services indefinitely. If you have an extended return due this week on…

Important Changes Coming for Tips and Overtime: What Your Business Needs to Know

Christine Gervais September 17, 2025 No Comments

Recent legislation has created new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and there are steps you should take now to ensure compliance and help your employees maximize these benefits. New…

The R&D Tax Credit

Christine Gervais September 17, 2025 No Comments

A Hidden Gold Mine for Small Manufacturers and Product-Based Businesses You might be doing more “research and development” than you think – and missing out on valuable tax savings If…

A graph and a pie chart alongside a box that says C Corporation

Should Your Business Be a C Corporation?

Christine Gervais August 24, 2025 No Comments

New Tax Law Changes Could Save You Thousands If you’ve been told that C corporations are always bad for small businesses because of “double taxation,” it’s time to reconsider. Recent…

A man and a woman sitting at a restaurant counter with works books and a calculator doing taxes.

What Most Accountants Miss About Restaurant Accounting (And Why It’s Costing You Money)

Andrew Gervais August 8, 2025 No Comments

Not Every Accountant is a Restaurant Accountant Running a restaurant is unlike any other business, which means restaurant accounting is not the same as other business models. The margins are…

3 sizes of glass jars holding coins. The last one is the fullest and shows a plant sprouting from it.

Maximize Your Tax Savings While Building Employee Benefits: A Guide to Retirement Plan Strategies

Christine Gervais August 7, 2025 No Comments

The Tax Advantages You Can’t Afford to Miss When you establish a retirement plan for your business, you’re not just offering a valuable employee benefit—you’re creating substantial tax deductions. Here’s…

The 471(c) Cannabis Tax Strategy: Why This “Silver Bullet” Could Backfire

Christine Gervais August 7, 2025 No Comments

Cannabis businesses are constantly searching for relief from Section 280E’s crushing tax burden. With effective tax rates that can exceed 70%, it’s no wonder that any promised solution gains quick…

A yellow sign indicating tax law changes

Major Tax Changes Are Here: What Small Business Owners Need to Know Now

Christine Gervais July 5, 2025 No Comments

Trump Signs Historical Tax Bill on July 4th President Trump signed sweeping tax legislation into law on July 4th, and the changes affect your business immediately. If you’re a contractor,…

Important Update: IRS Tax Payment Processing Delays – What Our Clients Need to Know

Christine Gervais June 28, 2025 No Comments

We believe in keeping our clients informed about developments that could affect their tax situations. Recent payment processing delays at the IRS may be causing confusion and concern for taxpayers…

Avoid Year-End Tax Surprises: 7 Essential Mid-Year Bookkeeping Tasks to Complete Now

Christine Gervais May 30, 2025 No Comments

The halfway point of the year is the perfect time for a financial check-in, and one of the best ways to get ahead is by conducting a mid-year bookkeeping cleanup.…

Man using a calculator next to his laptop

Mid-Year Financial Checkup: 3 Smart Bookkeeping Steps for Inventory-Based Businesses

Christine Gervais May 6, 2025 No Comments

2025 is nearly halfway through, making now the perfect time to assess your business’s bookkeeping and financial health. With the second half of the year still ahead, it’s critical to…

3 Common DIY Bookkeeping Mistakes That Could Cost Your Business Big Time

Christine Gervais April 7, 2025 No Comments

Many business owners attempt to manage their bookkeeping or opt for low-cost services like QuickBooks Live to save money. Especially when you’re just starting, we completely understand the value in…

How Tariffs Will Impact Your Inventory-Based Business

Christine Gervais April 5, 2025 No Comments

Our team has spent the better part of the last decade helping inventory-heavy businesses navigate financial challenges. President Trump’s recent “Liberation Day” tariff announcements represent a significant shift in the…

Stick people on an HR compliance notebook with blue highlighters on either side.

April 2025 HR & Compliance Updates for New England Employers

Christine Gervais March 25, 2025 No Comments

Applicable to: Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, and New York As Q2 of 2025 approaches, it’s critical for small to mid-sized businesses in New England to stay aligned with new labor law…

Man with a clipboard and laptop sitting across from a man with his hands clasped together.

Why Small Businesses Need HR Support: 3 Reasons to Invest Now

Christine Gervais March 10, 2025 No Comments

“Why would I need HR support? I only have three employees!” This sentiment is common—and if you’re a business owner who feels this way, you’re not alone. Small business owners…

POS vs Proper Bookkeeping: Fix Your Inventory Strategy

Why Your POS System is Not an Inventory Management Strategy

Christine Gervais February 6, 2025 No Comments

Did you know your point-of-sale (POS) system is not an inventory management strategy? Many business owners believe they automatically have an inventory management strategy because their POS tracks their sales.…

strategic tax planning with laptop and calculator

Year-End Bookkeeping: Why Industry Expertise Matters for Inventory-Heavy Businesses

Christine Gervais February 6, 2025 No Comments

As year-end approaches, many business owners in inventory-intensive industries find themselves facing a common challenge: ensuring their bookkeeping is accurate and complete for tax preparation. While basic bookkeeping might seem…

Woman at a desk with an open binder, holding a pen and using a calculator.

Don’t Let 1099s Derail Your New Year: A Small Business Guide to Stress-Free Filing

Christine Gervais January 8, 2025 No Comments

The first tax deadline of the year comes on January 31st for 1099 forms. This date tends to sneak up on business owners year after year due to its proximity…

Bookkeeping Clean Up for Easier Taxes

Christine Gervais November 3, 2024 No Comments

Get Your Books Tax-Ready: Year-End Bookkeeping Tips As we approach the end of another fiscal year, now is the crucial time to ensure your business’s financial records are organized and…

year end review written across whiteboard

Year-End Business Planning: Essential Tips for Small Business Owners

Christine Gervais October 1, 2024 No Comments

Running a successful small business is contingent upon frequently looking at your business from a higher view and considering where you are at strategically as well as where you are…

Dealing with the IRS – How to Respond Effectively

Christine Gervais September 5, 2024 No Comments

Any mail you get with an IRS return address will raise your blood pressure instantly. It’s not just you; it happens to us tax accountants, too. It instantly means spending…

Did the Supreme Court Just Kill Rescheduling?

Christine Gervais July 5, 2024 No Comments

Buckle up because the Supreme Court just dropped a bombshell that could have your cannabis business plans going up in smoke if you were relying on rescheduling tax relief for…

Why Your Startup Needs a CPA

Christine Gervais April 4, 2024 No Comments

I loved this April article from the Huffington Post. It highlights some great points about why start ups should consult with an accountant, and might I add, an attorney. It’s…

Were IRS Refunds to Trulieve Strategic?

Christine Gervais March 23, 2024 No Comments

Were IRS Refunds to Trulieve Strategic? It came as a surprise to many, tax accountants and professionals included, when Trulieve announced that they had received 113 million of the 143…

Rescheduling – What’s the Impact?

Christine Gervais February 27, 2024 No Comments

As it starts to seem more imminent that we may actually see real cannabis law reform this year, a lot of questions remain surrounding what the impact will be to…

Why You Need a Fractional CFO

Christine Gervais February 15, 2024 No Comments

It’s not uncommon for me to hear the question “so what exactly does a CFO do?”. The position of Chief Financial Officer however, has become increasingly more critical in the…

10 IRS Red Flags

Christine Gervais February 1, 2024 No Comments

Clients always ask, is this going to result in me getting audited? The truth is that we never really know. Some audits are randomly generated, some are more likely based…

Should You Pursue 280(e) Refunds?

Christine Gervais January 29, 2024 No Comments

On the heels of Trulieve filing for over $143 million in tax refunds, the cannabis world is all waiting with bated breath to see whether or not the canna giant…

Labor Compliance Updates: January 2024

Christine Gervais December 19, 2023 No Comments

Maine Maine Minimum Wage Increases to $14.15 Effective January 1, 2024, the minimum wage in Maine increases from $13.80 per hour to $14.15 per hour under an annual inflation adjustment…

Navigating Maine’s Retirement Evolution: A Guide for Cannabis-Focused Businesses

Christine Gervais November 18, 2023 No Comments

In January 2024, Maine is changing the retirement game for businesses with five or more employees that currently don’t offer a retirement plan. Administered by the Maine Retirement Investment Trust…

Tax Planning for Gig Economy Clients

Christine Gervais November 14, 2023 No Comments

Post-COVID, more people than ever are freelancing, finding remote work, or maybe they started a fashion blog, but no matter what the newest trend is, the gig economy is here…

Not Enough Canna CPAs

Christine Gervais September 2, 2023 No Comments

On the heels of the AICPA’s 2023 Agriculture and Cannabis conference, little improvement has been made in the cannabis industry in terms of accurate accounting and tax reporting. While the…

The Hidden Downfall of Skipping Yearend Inventory Counts

Christine Gervais December 21, 2022 No Comments

“I think our inventory is pretty spot on.” These are the famous last words we hear from every client we have ever brought on. It’s understandable as to why. Point…

man looking at cannabis dispensary offerings

Your Inventory is Drowning You – How Lack of Inventory Management is Costing You More Than You Think

Christine Gervais April 30, 2022 No Comments

“It’s the same with almost every client we work with” says Andrew Gervais, CEO of Cultivate Consulting and experienced cannabis inventory consultant. “We ask how their inventory management and counts…

Is Your Business Missing These Common Areas of Non-Compliance?

Christine Gervais March 31, 2022 No Comments

Human resources is a vital part of your business but one that’s often overlooked. As small businesses grow, we as owners tend to stay too long in the mentality that…

Cannabis and Crypto: A Love Story

Christine Gervais January 19, 2022 No Comments

As cannabis banking continues to be a struggle more and more owners are turning to creative strategies in order to avoid the proverbial “cash in the mattress” storage method. Physical…

5 Tips to Improve Year End Inventory (And Your Bottomline)

Christine Gervais November 1, 2021 No Comments

In the world of cannabis, nothing is more important to the success of your business than managing your two most valuable assets; cash and inventory. Inventory management isn’t just an…

Take Control Over Your Cannabis Inventory Management

Christine Gervais June 10, 2021 No Comments

5 Step Checklist Step 1: Dedicated Cannabis Software Having a dedicated cannabis software is critical to efficient inventory management. From cultivators to distributors, processors to retailers, dealing with large volume…

So, You Started a Cannabis Business (3 People You Need to Hire Right Away)

Christine Gervais April 27, 2021 No Comments

Congratulations on your new adventure! Starting a business is both exciting and terrifying! Mostly exciting though, don’t worry! BUT! We can definitively say from our own experience there are a…

Caution When Building a Cannabis Empire

Christine Gervais April 6, 2021 No Comments

Our most frequently asked consulting questions are always centered around legal entity structure and ownership structure when it comes to cannabis businesses. Partners, shareholders and operators all want to know…

How Many Hats is Too Many?

Christine Gervais March 30, 2021 No Comments

The internal debate of every entrepreneur…”Do I spend the money to outsource this when I can do it myself?”. The common conundrum of wearing too many hats when growing a…

Maine Marijuana Marketing Pitfalls

Christine Gervais March 29, 2021 No Comments

Maine state law has a unique provision related to recreational marijuana marketing that can cause some accidental pitfalls for business owners. Recently, South Portland recreational cannabis retailer SeaWeed Co. was…

Recession Proof Your Cannabis Business

Christine Gervais January 4, 2021 No Comments

A lot remains to be seen as 2020 continues to unfold but uncertainty seems to be the theme so far this year. While cannabis businesses being deemed essential was a…

3 Daily Actions to Grow Wealth

Christine Gervais August 14, 2020 No Comments

We all want it, but we’re not all willing to do the work. Like, real, hard, daily grind kind of work. And I’m not just talking about the stuff that gets you…

Does Your Accountant Have a Flower Calendar?

Christine Gervais August 3, 2020 No Comments

Do you know much it costs your cannabis business to grow a pound of weed? You might have a good idea, or maybe no idea at all. What we find…

Your Cannabis Business Data May Not Be Safe

Christine Gervais August 3, 2020 No Comments

It’s one thing to find a great accountant who knows your industry, it’s another thing entirely to be a cannabis business who finds a great accountant who knows your industry.…

Hiring a Cannabis Focused CPA (Why You Need One and How to Find an Expert)

Christine Gervais August 3, 2020 No Comments

The Cannabis world is an ever increasing “hot market”. Set to be a $70 billion industry by 2021 (that’s just the regulated portion), we’re going to inevitably continue to see…

How Cost Studies are Saving You $$ on Your Tax Return

Christine Gervais August 2, 2020 No Comments

Cannabis businesses are subject to the restrictive tax rules under 280(e) which essentially say NO deductions are allowed for normal business operating expenses. Cannabis businesses can however take an adjustment…

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