Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | August 24, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 45 ADVICE & OPINION BY TIMOTHY MURRAY Special to WBJ S ince Massachusetts voters voted to support the le- galization of recreational marijuana, the growth of the cannabis industry has built our economy and supported local job growth. I have seen firsthand just how the legalization of recreational cannabis has helped businesses across Worcester and Central Massachusetts. Since the legalization, the City of Worcester has seen a total cannabis excise revenue of $8.54 million, with $1.89 million added to the City's budget last year alone. Looking at the broader context of Worcester Coun- ty, those numbers only grow. Since fiscal 2019, $22.59 million in cannabis excise was received by municipali- ties across the county, including $1.6 million for Leicester and $904,000 for Shrewsbury. At a statewide level, more than $196 million has been collected in excise, with Worcester acting as a top five revenue-earning community. However, excise taxes are only one small part of a much larger picture, which includes property tax revenue, permits, local purchasing, payroll, and more. Estimates suggest the legal can- nabis industry has brought $2 billion in state and local revenue since 2019. e industry has produced hun- dreds of jobs in Worcester and the surrounding area. Bud's Goods and Provisions, a member of the Worces- ter Regional Chamber of Commerce, employs 132 people, including 22 based in Worcester. In total, the city has 18 operating addresses occupy- ing 22 active licenses; 21 of those licenses are adult-use authorizations, which would all be eliminated should Question 8 pass on November's ballot. ose 21 licenses include 15 retailers, three manufacturers, one micro-busi- ness, one courier, and one delivery op- erator. Among Worcester's neighbors, the story is the same. ere are 12 operating licenses in Graon, Shrews- bury, Leicester, and Millbury; and 15 operating licenses in West Boylston. In total, Worcester County has 132 businesses operating with licenses, with 125 of those being the adult-use licenses this ballot question targets. Beyond statistics, Massachusetts regulation requires that every adult- use vendor submits a positive impact plan, which outlines the ways in which these organizations will contribute to their surroundings and their commu- nities. In Worcester, this has included two neighborhood cleanup days, food donations, and resume workshops. Furthermore, Worcester chamber member Major Bloom has partnered with students in the Nichols College MBA program to conduct research on local needs and social equity-related issues, and Bud's Goods and Provi- sions has provided career counseling to local students at Quinsigamond Community College. Continuing our state's path of allowing a highly regulated, safe, and secure way through which Bay Staters can access recreational marijuana en- sures responsible patronage, while respecting the rights and safety of both user and community. Re- moving that right will force those who choose to use marijuana to find their sources elsewhere. In the end, this causes a higher likelihood that members of our community will seek out unsafe and unverified sources. Massachusetts should continue looking for ways to make its legal cannabis market work better. We should support this industry, which has expanded municipal tax bases and strengthened the state economy. ese are the reasons the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce urges Bay Staters to vote "NO" on ballot Ques- tion 8 on Nov. 3. Timothy Murray is president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Don't repeal recreational marijuana Timothy Murray CHAMBER CORNER BY JULIA BECKER COLLINS Special to WBJ B efore you run ads, write marketing copy, or make a plan, pause. You need to know who you are mar- keting and selling to. Most businesses know who buys from them. But that group may not include the cli- ents who are most profitable, easiest to serve, or best positioned to grow with you. Your ideal client should guide every marketing decision. 10) Your current customers may not be your ideal customers. An ideal client profile, or customer avatar, is more than a description. It combines the traits, goals, behaviors, and buying triggers of the people you want to reach most: those who not only want to buy but will provide the best ROI. 9) Review the data you already have. Start with sales records, address- es, website analytics, and conversa- tions with deal closers. Look beyond volume. Your largest customer group is not the one with the highest return or best long-term value. 8) Look for valuable adjacent audiences. Once you see patterns, ask who else resembles your customers. A manufacturer may find an opportunity in an industry; a retailer might discov- er an overlooked age group. Expansion should be based on demand and fit. 7) Go where your client is. Cus- tomers are not in the same place or making decisions the same way. Re- search-heavy B2B prospects may begin with Google and a website. Consumer audiences may respond to short videos and social media. Put your budget where customers are paying attention. 6) Change your language, not your identity. is isn't just how you sell; it's what you say. Review the questions, terminology, pain points, and out- comes that matter to an ideal client. Update headlines, service descriptions, emails, and content to show how your business helps these new customers. 5) Make your website feel designed for them. Your website should remove friction, not create it. Make it mo- bile-friendly and easy to navigate. e next step should feel natural, whether someone wants to call, submit a form, start a chat, or send a text. 4) Turn insight into ad targeting. Audience research should inform advertising. Use geography, job title, industry, interests, search terms, and purchasing intent to target ads. Send clicks to a relevant landing page with a clear call to action. Broad targeting wastes money. 3) Bring sales and service into the plan. A new audience can bring new questions, objections, and preferred communication methods. Brief sales and customer service teams before launch. Provide them with talking points, follow-up processes, and ma- terials so the experience aer the click aligns with mar- keting promises. 2) Keep the customers you already earned. Chasing new business should not make current customers feel invisible. Explain relevant changes, keep delivering the service they expect, and use email, check-ins, and articles to stay connect- ed. Customer retention gives growth a stronger foundation. 1) Be willing to change and do it deliberately. Changing your market- ing and sales to your ideal client may not be easy, but it's oen the most ROI for the change without the headache of product or service changes. Julia Becker Collins is the chief operating officer at Vision Advertising, a full-service digital marketing agency in Northborough. I know about getting your ideal clients' attention Julia Becker Collins 10 THINGS... W W

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