Managing a business is hard enough but running a cannabis business while navigating complicated laws adds a whole new layer of difficulties.

Having tools to make the process easier is a must for businesses of any size in this industry. That’s why at Ciclo, we created software solutions for cannabis companies to help them manage every aspect of their business, from regulatory compliance to their own internal operations.

Our software solution is called Chaski, an unusual name but one with surprising significance. Drawing from our founder’s indigenous Peruvian roots, the meaning of chaski relates directly to the needs of owning a cannabis business. 

What is a Chaski? 

The word chaski stems from the Incan Empire of South America. The Incas controlled an expansive area, stretching along the Andes mountains from Colombia to Chile. To connect the different regions, the Incans built a road system that was essential in moving supplies and information across the land.

Along this road was a special type of messenger called a chaski. The chaskis were relay runners tasked with delivering critical information. Because the Incas did not have a written language, the chaskis memorized the messages. 

The chaskis could run 6-9 miles a day, coming to a stop at a chaskiwasi, which was a small house where the next chaski waited for them. When a chaski approached the house, they would sound a shell trumpet to alert the next runner so they could quickly relay and exchange information. In this way, 25 chaskis could cover 150 miles in one day and travel the 1,250 miles between Quito and Cusco in one week!

The chaskis communication skills were so vital in keeping the empire connected that they were exempt from mit’a, or the Incan version of taxes.

How Chaski Compares to Cannabis 

Like how the Incan empire used a chain of chaskis to keep their matters linked, Chaski software connects everything, from cultivation to retail, to support cannabis companies.

With Chaski, businesses of any size can not only satisfy state regulations but operate more smoothly and efficiently from a B2B perspective. They can manage and track costs, inventory, and know exactly where money is coming and going to improve back-end processes and sales. 

For instance, just because a cultivator sold their product to a manufacturer or distributor does not mean they lose it. Instead of hiring a private investigator like how one cultivator did to track down their flower after a distributor neglected to pay or communicate, Chaski lets cultivators see what’s happening in the whole chain of operation. When all partners in the chain use Chaski, data is shared with everyone transparently. Cultivators can then log in and view its status in the distribution chain or which cultivar is selling the best in which dispensary.

Chaski also offers countless tools to help business owners and their employees get the job done, like integrated scanners, customized label printing, real-time inventory management, integrated test management, and QuickBooks integrations for reporting taxes.

With transparency of this scale, there is no more entering into blind contracts or losing sight of how certain products impact the market. It also sounds a trumpet to how the cannabis industry ecosystem can achieve more validation, efficiency, and trust.

Get your Chaski Running 

Connecting two remote cities across mountains using verbal messengers like an ancient blockchain system is an impressive feat that speaks to the ambition, innovation, and culture of the Incan empire.

By adopting these early ideas and repurposing them with technology, we can connect all aspects of a budding cannabis empire by giving them more power.