Webinar Date/Time

January 27, 2026
1:00 - 2:00 pm ET

$149 Includes Playback without Expiration

Enroll Today!

About this Event

Cannabis lenders are underwriting more than balance sheets—they’re underwriting real-world operations. In this webinar, Danielle Hernandez/Gilbert Insurance Group  and Alex Hearding/Red Wolf Risk unpack the hidden operational risks that often go unseen in cannabis lending decisions. While operators may present strong financials to secure capital, the reality of how facilities, equipment, testing protocols, and day-to-day controls are managed can dramatically impact loan performance, insurance recoverability, and business continuity. 

This training webinar will expose where financial underwriting falls short, how operational failures translate into insurance exclusions, and what lenders should be looking for before capital is deployed.

Key Takeaways

  • Why strong P&Ls can mask serious operational, property, and product-related risks
  • Common gaps between how cannabis operators present themselves and how they actually operate
  • How overlooked operational issues lead to insurance exclusions, uncovered losses, and loan impairment

Instructor(s)

Alex Hearding

Founder & President - Red Wolf Risk

Alex Hearding is a seasoned professional with over 16 years of experience in the legal cannabis industry, specializing in risk management, operational safety, and compliance. Alex leverages his deep expertise in science, engineering, and occupational safety to provide innovative solutions that empower cannabis businesses to operate smarter, safer, and more profitably. Alex’s career has been defined by his ability to navigate the complexities of the cannabis industry. From licensing and building cannabis companies to consulting on organizational health, product safety, and risk mitigation, Alex has been at the forefront of developing proactive strategies to address industry challenges. Since 2017, he has focused on creating tailored risk management programs that help cannabis businesses reduce operational risks, prevent losses, and lower insurance premiums. With a reputation for integrity, innovation, and industry expertise, Alex Hearding is dedicated to fostering a safer, more sustainable future for cannabis businesses and their stakeholders.

Danielle Hernandez

Director, Cannabis Practice - Gilbert Insurance Group

Commercial Risk Insurance Specialist with 20 years of experience in manufacturing, commercial real estate, nutraceuticals, construction and franchising. Her vast experience in those vertical lend to her knowledge in the cannabis insurance space. She has been working with Cannabis Insurance for 8 years through cannabis REITS, cultivators, dispensaries and extraction facilities. In tandem, Danielle has been working with Construction Insurance for over 17 years. Her experience with construction has led her to emphasize unique offers within the insurance space for her construction clients. In 2022, Danielle completed authoring curriculum as a subject matter expert for a module in a cannabis specific insurance designation CICS (Cannabis Insurance Coverage Specialist). Her curriculum examines the differences unique to insurance requirements for real estate and relevant exposures for operations ranging from cultivation operations, manufacturing and retailers in the cannabis space.