About Us

Most cannabis companies have fractional CFOs to manage their finances. But who holds the risk and quality leadership role?

That question drove the creation of Red Wolf Risk.

After 16 years building and operating and working with licensed cannabis facilities across multiple states, founder Alex Hearding recognized a critical gap: the industry had plenty of compliance documentation, but very little compliance enforcement.

The pattern was consistent:

• SOPs existed but weren't followed
• Compliance and quality and systems were built for auditors, not operators
• Insurance was purchased but not optimized
• Risk management was reactive, not strategic

The insight was simple:  Compliance is only valuable if it's enforced and measured.

The solution became OPS: A comprehensive operational preparedness system that makes compliance enforceable, makes insurance negotiable, and makes risk measurable.

Alex Hearding founded Red Wolf Risk after spending more than 16 years building, operating, and consulting for licensed cannabis businesses across the United States.

Experience Includes:

• Director of Operations for cultivation facilities
• Safety and compliance leadership for vertically integrated operations
• GMP implementation and ISO readiness programs
• Insurance program development and claims management
• Regulatory compliance and license application support
• Start-up operations leadership for new licenses

Unique Expertise: Alex is one of the few cannabis professionals who can speak fluently in three critical languages:

1. Operations — Hands-on experience running and supporting cultivation, extraction, and manufacturing facilities
2. Insurance — Deep understanding of underwriting, claims, and loss control
3. Regulation — Working knowledge of state cannabis regulations, OSHA, NFPA, ISO, and GMP standards

This combination allows Red Wolf Risk to design systems that satisfy operators, insurers, and regulators simultaneously — creating real ROI for clients.

Professional Approach: Alex's philosophy is simple: risk management should make you money, not just spend it. Every OPS engagement is designed to produce measurable financial returns through insurance savings, loss prevention, and operational efficiency.

Mission: To revolutionize cannabis risk management through enforceable systems that convert compliance from a burden into a competitive advantage.

Vision: A cannabis industry where operational excellence is the norm, insurance is a strategic tool, and risk management drives enterprise value.

Tagline: Smarter. Safer. More Profitable.

Core Values: 

Resourcefulness We find practical solutions to complex problems. Cannabis operates in a challenging regulatory and financial environment, we thrive in complexity and deliver actionable answers.

Integrity We do what's right, not what's easy. Our recommendations prioritize long-term safety and sustainability over short-term convenience. We tell clients hard truths when necessary.

Stewardship We take responsibility for the outcomes of our work. Your success is our success. We don't just provide recommendations — we partner with you to ensure implementation and results.

Kindness We treat every relationship with respect and empathy. Cannabis businesses face enough adversity — we're here to support, not judge. Our approach is collaborative, not confrontational.

Cannabis Operators The primary users of OPS,  we help you reduce insurance costs, protect your license, and build enterprise value through enforceable risk management.

Lenders We provide operational intelligence that protects your capital,  verifying compliance, monitoring risk, and delivering early warning of problems.

Insurance Carriers We give you verified operational data for better underwriting, proactive loss control, and faster claims resolution.

What unites them: Everyone wins when cannabis operations are safer, more compliant, and better documented.