Running a Cannabis Operation Is Hard Enough Without Fighting Your Own Finances

If you’re operating a licensed cannabis business in California, you already know the financial pressure is unlike any other industry. Here’s what I hear from operators every week:

✔️ You’re overpaying in taxes because your 280E deductions aren’t properly structured

✔️ Month-end close takes weeks - and you still don’t fully trust the numbers

✔️ You have a bookkeeper, but no one who actually owns your financial operations

✔️ Cash flow is tight and you have no forward-looking forecast to manage it

✔️ Your COGs allocation is manual, inconsistent, or just wrong

✔️ If a DCC auditor or an investor asked to see your books tomorrow, you’d be scrambling

✔️ You’re running a $5M+ operation with financial infrastructure built for a $500k business

These aren’t bookkeeping problems. They’re financial leadership problems - and Ledger & Code is the solution.

What Changes When You Have a Fractional Controller.

Your books close on time, every month - No more month-end that drags into the following month. A defined close process means your financials are ready when you need them — not whenever someone gets around to it.

Your 280E exposure is structured correctly - Cost of goods sold is your primary lever under 280E. Proper allocation — done consistently and defensibly — is one of the most significant financial decisions your operation makes. It's built into how we work, not treated as an afterthought at tax time.

You know your real margins - Not just revenue minus COGS. Real margins by product, by location, by license type — so you're making decisions based on what's actually happening in your business.

Your books are audit-ready, always - DCC, an investor, a lender, a potential buyer — whoever asks to see your financials, you're ready. No scrambling, no cleanup, no surprises.

You have a financial partner, not just a vendor - Someone who has operated a dispensary, navigated a build-out, and managed the collective-to-license transition — and who now brings controller-level financial expertise to your business every month.

A fractional controller isn’t a bookkeeper with a fancier title. Here’s what actually shifts for your business.

Three Tiers. One Firm. Built for Cannabis.

Financial Operations

Clean, METRC-reconciled books delivered every month. The financial foundation every licensed operator needs.

Starting from $1,200/month

Fractional Controller

Month-end close ownership, 280E structuring, cash flow forecasting, and reporting that actually tells you something.

Starting from $2,500/month

Strategic CFO

Tax strategy, entity optimization, multi-location expansion planning, and investor-ready reporting for operators building something significant.

Pricing based on scope - let’s talk.

  • Operated Dispensaries — Didn't Just Audit Them

    GM through the collective-to-license transition. Three dispensaries launched. One built from a strip mall shell. That experience lives in every engagement.

  • Controller-Level Expertise, Fractional Cost

    Current controller role in hydrogen and clean energy manufacturing. That financial rigor comes to your cannabis operation at a fraction of a full-time hire.

  • California-Specific, All the Way Down

    DCC compliance, METRC reconciliation, BCC legacy transition, local licensing — the California regulatory landscape isn't a learning curve here. It's the foundation.

  • A Platform Built to Grow With You

    Financial leadership today, technology and software development services coming. As your operation grows, Ledger & Code grows with it.

Getting Started Is Straightforward

3-Step Process

Step 1: Book a Cannabis Financial Assessment

A free 30-minute call where we review your current financial state, identify your highest-priority issues, and determine which service tier fits where you are right now. No cost, no obligation.

Step 2: Cleanup & Onboarding

Most new clients need some level of historical cleanup before we can build forward. We assess what you have, create a remediation plan, and get you to a clean baseline — typically within 30 days.

Step 3: Ongoing Engagement

Monthly close, reporting, cash flow management, and strategic support — delivered on a defined timeline, every month. You focus on running your operation. We handle the financial infrastructure.

Meet Your Accountant & Business Bookkeeping Partner

Hi, I'm Jared Cox, Accountant and founder of Ledger & Code. After 7+ years providing bookkeeping and accounting services to businesses in construction, legal services, and real estate, I've seen what happens when business owners try to handle their own books: stress, mistakes, and way too much time spent on tasks that should take minutes, not hours.

I started Ledger & Code because I believe every business owner deserves professional bookkeeping that actually makes their life easier. My unique combination of accounting expertise and technology integration means you get accurate books PLUS systems that save you time every month.

Credentials:

  • Bachelor's in Business Administration, Accounting

  • Currently pursuing Master's in Accounting

  • 7+ years bookkeeping and accounting experience

  • QuickBooks ProAdvisor Certified

  • Specialized in Construction, Legal, and Real Estate bookkeeping

FAQs

  • Most bookkeeping cleanups take 2-4 weeks depending on how behind you are. We can typically get you current within 30 days and then maintain clean, up-to-date books going forward.

  • Perfect! We work alongside your CPA to make their job easier (and cheaper for you). We provide them with clean, organized books so they can focus on tax strategy instead of data entry.

  • Yes! Our bookkeeping services include basic payroll processing and sales tax preparation. We can also set up automated payroll systems that integrate with your bookkeeping.

  • We build your fee to include everything you need for clean books: bank reconciliation, transaction categorization, financial statements, A/P and A/R management, and direct access to your degreed accountant (that’s me!).

  • If you're spending more than 2 hours per week on bookkeeping, your books aren't ready for tax season, or you're not getting monthly financial statements, you need professional help.

Why Business Owners Choose Our Bookkeeping Services

Free Bookkeeping Assessment: See exactly what needs to be fixed - no cost, no obligation

Expert-Level Accounting: Professional bookkeeping at a fraction of CPA firm rates

Same-Day Response: Questions about your books? We respond within 24 hours

Month-to-Month Service: No long-term contracts - stay because you love the service

Satisfaction Guarantee: If you're not completely satisfied, we'll make it right

How Much Is Poor Bookkeeping Costing You?

Every month you handle your own bookkeeping is another 15+ hours of your valuable time, potential missed deductions, and financial decisions made with incomplete information. If you bill $100/hour for your expertise, that's $1,500 in lost productivity every month.

Meanwhile, businesses with professional bookkeeping services make better financial decisions, catch problems early, and save thousands at tax time.

I only take on 8-10 new bookkeeping clients per month to ensure exceptional service.

Spots are filling up fast.

Plus, your CPA charges 2-3x more to work with messy books vs. clean, organized records.

Ready for Bookkeeping That Actually Works?

Book your free 30-minute Bookkeeping Assessment today. We'll review your current books, identify exactly what needs to be fixed, and show you how our monthly bookkeeping services will save you time and money. No cost, no obligation - just a clear plan to get your books working FOR your business instead of against it.

Join the many business owners who've transformed their bookkeeping with Ledger & Code