MCIG (OTC: MCIG) positions itself as a diversified holding company serving the global cannabis market. The deck focuses on three primary revenue pillars: construction services for grow facilities ($2.4M revenue), CBD products ($1.2M revenue), and e-cigarettes ($900K revenue). By operating across 18 countries and maintaining a database of 6 million contacts, the company aims to solve systemic industry issues like licensing hurdles, lack of professional construction, and the 'cash-only' nature of the business. While the deck provides strong 2017 fiscal data and a clear breakdown of their 'Top T…
Key takeaways
- The company operates in 18 different countries and claims worldwide brand name protection through multiple trademarks (Slide 2).
- MCIG identifies 50,000 commercial uses for cannabis, framing the plant as a versatile raw material for everything from medicine to construction (Slide 3).
- The business model is split between 'The Plant' (ancillary services like construction and growing) and 'The Money' (merchant opportunities in a cash-heavy market) (Slide 5).
- MCIG claims a massive reach, citing 40,000 business contacts and a database of 6 million contacts (Slide 6).
- Construction is the largest revenue generator at $2.4M for Fiscal Year 2017, supported by an $8M backlog in Nevada and Oregon (Slide 9).
- The CBD division generated $1.2M in 2017, featuring brands like Just Chill, VitaCBD, and Cherry Hemp Oil (Slide 9).
- The e-Cig division, under the VitaCig brand, generated $900K with a $5M backlog and 4 global distributors (Slide 9).
- Recent corporate news includes a 446% quarterly revenue increase to $1,362,689 and a $200,000 investment from the CEO and CFO (Slide 10).
MCIG Pitch Deck Analysis
MCIG, trading on the OTCQB under the symbol MCIG, presents a deck that reflects the transition of the cannabis industry from a niche market to a professionalized global sector. The deck, dated around 2017 based on the news and financial slides, portrays the company as a diversified holding group rather than a single-product startup. By spreading their interests across construction, consumer goods (CBD), and technology (e-cigarettes), they attempt to mitigate the regulatory risks inherent in the cannabis space.
Slide 1: Title and Branding
The cover slide establishes the company's identity as the MCIG Group, prominently displaying their OTCQB ticker. The background collage features cannabis leaves, medical equipment, circuit boards, and architectural blueprints, visually representing their multi-disciplinary approach to the industry. The copyright notice indicates a range of 2013-2017.
Slide 2: Global Footprint
Slide 2, titled "Our Company World," uses a map to highlight 18 countries where MCIG operates. The text emphasizes that they are an "International Corporation" with multiple trademarks providing worldwide brand protection. The map shows activity in North America, parts of South America (Colombia), Europe, Russia, China, Australia, and South Africa. This slide is designed to show scale and regulatory navigation capabilities.
Slide 3: The Market Opportunity
Titled "The Need for Cannabis," this slide serves as a macro-economic justification for the business. It lists an estimated 50,000 commercial uses for the plant, ranging from textiles and paper to explosives and livestock feed. By citing historical uses (bibles and maps made of cannabis), the company attempts to normalize the industry and move away from the stigma of recreational use, focusing instead on industrial and medical utility.
Slide 4: Cannabis Market Conditions
This slide identifies six pain points in the current market: Laws, Obtaining Licenses, Construction, Growing, Distribution, and Dispensing. It characterizes the licensing process as a "roadmap nightmare" and notes that many growers are "prior home grown or black market growers" lacking professional training. MCIG positions its ancillary services as the solution to these professional gaps, particularly in construction and legal support.
Slide 5: Vision and Value Proposition
MCIG breaks its value proposition into two categories: "The Plant" and "The Money." Under "The Plant," they reiterate their focus on ancillary products and services like construction and licensing. Under "The Money," they address the "cash" nature of the cannabis business, suggesting there are significant merchant opportunities and solution requirements for businesses struggling with mainstream financial services.
Slide 6: Our Reach
This slide uses a tiered graphic to quantify the company's scale. It claims operations in 8 different markets (with 2 more in development), a presence in 13 countries (notably lower than the 18 cited on Slide 2), 40,000 business contacts, and a database of 6 million contacts. The final tier claims the ability to reach over 1 billion potential customers, though it does not explain how this reach is calculated.
Slide 7: Core Values
The company lists five core values: Integrity, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Inclusiveness, and Quality. The text for "Integrity" mentions that "Moral turpitude is needed to change world perception," which is a curious choice of words as moral turpitude usually refers to conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty, or good morals. It is likely the author meant the opposite or was referring to overcoming the perception of turpitude in the industry.
Slide 8: Best Practices
This slide outlines the company's operational strategies, including long-term contracts to secure a backlog, revenue sharing through white labeling, and asset development. It also mentions "Shareholder Opportunities," specifically citing spin-offs and stock dividends as ways they generate value for their investors.
Slide 9: Revenue Generators
This is the most data-dense slide in the deck, focusing on the top three revenue streams for Fiscal Year 2017. Construction led with $2.4M in revenue and an $8M backlog, primarily as a licensed contractor for grow facilities in Nevada and Oregon. CBD followed with $1.2M, encompassing brands like Just Chill and VitaCBD. The e-Cig division (VitaCig) generated $900K, supported by a $5M backlog and 14 flavors across 3 product lines.
Slide 10: Corporate News
The final slide in this set is a chronological list of press releases from late 2016 to mid-2017. Key highlights include a 446% revenue increase reported in March 2017, the launch of the "420 CLOUD" app in the Apple and Google Play stores, and a $200,000 investment from the CEO and CFO. This slide serves as a proof-of-traction and momentum indicator for potential investors.
What Works in This Deck
Diversified Revenue Streams: By showing three distinct revenue generators (Slide 9), MCIG demonstrates that it is not dependent on a single product or regulatory whim. · Quantified Backlog: Citing specific dollar amounts for backlogs ($8M in construction and $5M in e-Cig) provides a sense of future revenue predictability that is often missing in early-stage decks. · Market Friction Identification: Slide 4 does an excellent job of identifying real-world problems (licensing nightmares, lack of professional construction) that the company is actually being paid to solve. · Traction Evidence: The news slide (Slide 10) provides a clear timeline of growth, including executive hires and significant revenue jumps, which builds credibility.
What Is Missing from This Deck
Team Slide: There is no slide detailing the backgrounds of the management team or board of directors. In a highly regulated industry, the pedigree of the leadership is crucial. · The Ask: The deck does not state how much capital the company is looking to raise, the terms of the offering, or how the funds will be allocated. · Unit Economics: While total revenue is provided, there is no information on margins, customer acquisition costs (CAC), or lifetime value (LTV) for their CBD or e-Cig products. · Competitive Landscape: The deck assumes a vacuum. It does not mention other ancillary service providers or competing CBD brands, making it difficult to assess MCIG's market share or moat. · Financial Projections: While 2017 data is strong, there are no 3-5 year projections to show the long-term scale of the opportunity.
What a Founder Should Copy
The 'Top Three' Revenue Breakdown: Slide 9 is a great template for companies with multiple business units. It clearly shows revenue, backlog, and key sub-brands or regions for each unit. · Problem/Solution Alignment: The way Slide 4 and Slide 5 link market problems (licensing, construction) to the company's value proposition is a logical flow that founders should emulate. · Visualizing Reach: The tiered graphic on Slide 6 is an effective way to show the funnel from "Markets" down to "Potential Customers," even if the 1 billion figure is optimistic. · Momentum Timeline: Using a news/press release slide (Slide 10) is an effective way to show a high velocity of execution over a short period.
Frequently asked questions
- What are MCIG's primary sources of revenue?
- According to slide 9, MCIG's top three revenue generators for Fiscal Year 2017 were Construction ($2.4M), CBD ($1.2M), and e-Cig ($900K). The construction arm operates as a licensed contractor for grow management, while the CBD and e-Cig divisions focus on wholesale, exclusive brands like Just Chill, and global distribution networks.
- How does MCIG address the challenges of the cannabis market?
- Slide 4 outlines their approach to market friction, including providing legal services to navigate changing laws, construction services for grow facilities to meet zoning requirements, and marketing solutions to help dispensaries compete with the black market. They specifically highlight the 'roadmap nightmare' of obtaining licenses as a key area where they provide support.
- What is the scale of MCIG's international operations?
- Slide 2 states that the company operates in 18 different countries. Slide 6 further clarifies that they have a presence on 5 continents and 13 countries (noting a slight discrepancy in the numbers between slides), with an expectation to expand to more than 30 countries within two years.
- Does the deck include financial projections or historical performance?
- The deck focuses on historical performance for the 2017 fiscal year. Slide 9 lists $4.5M in combined revenue from its top three segments. Slide 10 mentions a press release from March 2017 reporting a 446% revenue increase to $1,362,689 for the most recent quarter. It does not provide multi-year forward-looking projections.
- What is missing from this pitch deck that an investor would need?
- The deck is missing several critical components: a team slide detailing the experience of the leadership, a clear 'ask' (how much money they are raising), a use-of-funds breakdown, and detailed unit economics for their various product lines. It functions more as a corporate status report than a fundraising document.
