We’re back with another Cannabis Spotlight, featuring the Chronic Gals, Ash & Ri! Ash & Ri are the founders of Chronic Gals podcast and Take Root Training, a budtender and dispensary cannabis training program. They sat down with us and discussed the challenges of cannabis marketing, their own path of cannabis entrepreneurship, and some changes they hope to see in the future of our industry!
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to start a podcast in the cannabis industry?
Our best advice for starting a podcast in the cannabis industry is really to just start! Talk about topics that interest you and make you want to learn more. Use the tools you have - even simply your smartphone - to feel it out before investing in equipment. We use Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor.fm) for hosting our podcast. We really believe that there is space for every voice, it's just a matter of getting started and then putting yourself in front of the right audiences, especially in the cannabis industry.
Tell us a little bit about Take Root and the importance of Budtender training and education!
Budtenders are the front-of-the line salespeople for both dispensaries AND cannabis brands! They are the people interfacing with customers and making recommendations based on what they know. As our industry began, professional training was not a priority, but as the wide world of cannabis continues to expand into new products, new research, new applications, if dispos and brands don't prioritize budtender training, they're missing out on sales opportunities. Our budtender training company, Take Root Training (takeroottraining.com), offers platforms for budtenders to learn, brands to educate, and dispensaries to train so that our industry can grow with well-educated and empowered budtenders.
What changes do you hope to see in the future for the Cannabis Industry (if any)?
Open up safe banking to protect industry staff. (This isn't just to benefit the heads of companies - tons of workers can't qualify for mortgages or credit due to the mixed legality of the cannabis industry.) Adjust regulations and taxes so cannabis businesses are not burdensome to operate, especially for smaller operations. Don't price out craft growers so monopolies can take over. Open up social media options.
As far as Cannabis Marketing goes, what do you think is one of the most important marketing tactics for a brand to focus on?
Cannabis marketing is so tricky because of stringent social media regulations, so it seems like every individual campaign you run has to have its own customized strategy. One of the most important questions to ask is who is your audience? This will inform so much, like the platform you work on (which comes with its own unique regulations for cannabis creators), the information you're disseminating, and the way in which you convey the info. For example, Instagram and LinkedIn are both valuable platforms to reach cannabis audiences, but IG will reach more users and businesses while LinkedIn will connect you with cannabis industry leadership, decision-makers, and professional communities. Each of these audiences require different messaging.
What makes a good dispensary environment in your opinion?
A welcoming, friendly atmosphere and staff. A clear vision for the culture of the store, whether they seek to present like a super clean, modern tech store or more like a down-home mom & pop shop or anywhere in between. Budtenders are knowledgeable about their inventory and how to apply different products to different situations. Management feels trustworthy and supportive to the staff.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
We'd love any current or former budtenders reading to take our budtender survey! We're asking the industry for their experiences with budtender training, so we can continue to provide content that is relevant and useful to today's budtending staff. It only takes about 10-15 minutes. We'd love anyone's input! Check that out here: https://forms.gle/6YVD38figsaAjQxx7
Connect with the Chronic Gals
Visit the Chronic Gals on their IG @chronicgals_420 and learn more about their budtender trending program at @takeroottraining.
Feel free to check out their podcast at the link below:
If you’re a budtender, check out their survey on budtender and cannabis training below: https://forms.gle/6YVD38figsaAjQxx7