Small Business Tool Kit
Consumers Define Quality
Here’s the harsh truth: You don’t decide what’s good—your customers do. Their tastes, habits, and sometimes bizarre preferences rule your world. Whether they’re loyal to a specific strain or constantly chasing the latest trend, their needs should shape everything you do. You might think you’ve got a killer product lineup, but if it doesn’t resonate with your customers, it’s worthless.
What this means:
Listen to them closely: Are they coming in asking for that same pre-roll every week, or are they browsing for something fresh? Pay attention. Keep your ear to the ground for those subtle hints—they’ll tell you what’s working and what’s not.
Reviews are your best (and worst) friend: Check the online feedback about your store. If it’s bad, own it. Don’t offer weak excuses or blame the customer. Fix the issues—whether it’s long wait times, budtender knowledge gaps, or subpar product quality—and do it fast. Customers respect a business that makes things right.
Adapt to trends: In cannabis retail, trends shift fast. One week it’s all about solventless concentrates, the next it’s a rush on fruity edibles. Pay attention to what’s moving in your area, and don’t be afraid to adjust your inventory to fit those trends. It’s not about what you think will sell; it’s about what they want to buy.
Follow the Money
In cannabis retail, you’re a scientist in the lab. Sure, it’s tempting to rely on gut feelings and push that flashy new brand of flower or the new live resin, but data is your real compass. This is where a bit of cold, hard calculation comes in.
In practice:
Track every move: Use your POS system to track sales, customer preferences, and product turnover like a mad scientist logging their latest experiment. Which product sold out in two days, and which is sitting like old inventory collecting dust? Analyze it.
Follow the breadcrumbs: If your stock keeps disappearing into a black hole, you’ve got a problem to solve. Maybe it’s inventory mismanagement, or maybe it's theft. Dig into the data and find the root of the issue before it costs you even more.
Build a relationship with numbers: Data doesn’t lie. It’ll tell you exactly what’s working and what isn’t. When a product is a hit, double down. If something’s flopping, pivot—don’t be sentimental about it.
Keep it Simple
At the end of the day its the same business its always been, don’t lose the product; keep your money right. While running any business comes with obstacles, keeping strong fundamentals ensure stability.
Feel it:
Prices and Promotions: Everyone loves a deal, but don’t turn a good sale into a confusing nightmare. Keep your prices simple and program any discounts to keep your budtenders selling, not doing math.
Don’t Nickel and Dime: If your sitting on shake, jar ends, or anything other prime nugs - just get rid of it! Spend your time and energy on the good stuff, not the snicklefritz.
Don’t Fake the Funk: Your rapport with your customers is more valuable than anything else, don’t lie to make a sale. Honesty will always be your best policy.
Work Lean
This isn’t rocket science—trim the fat. Get rid of anything that doesn’t add value. Bloated inventories, convoluted processes, and wasted time will eat you alive in the cannabis industry. Wasted effort is like a bad trip—unnecessary and regrettable.
Focus on:
Streamlining inventory: Your product should come in, get labeled, and hit the floor like clockwork. No excuses. Overstock is dead weight, outdated strains are a liability, and if you’re holding product too long, you’re burning money.
Simplifying the buying experience: Customers shouldn’t feel like they’re wandering through a weed museum. If they can’t find what they want easily, you’re doing it wrong. Organize your store so it’s intuitive. Make it easy to shop, pay, and get out. Don’t make them wait—happy customers spend more.
Quality Involves Teamwork
Running a cannabis shop is like being the captain of a pirate ship—you’re nothing without your crew. Your budtenders, stockroom clerks, and managers are your most valuable assets. They’re the ones face-to-face with customers every day. You need to empower them, engage them, and—most importantly—listen to them.
How to do it:
Regular team check-ins: Keep a pulse on what’s happening on the floor. What are customers asking for? What challenges are your employees facing? What’s slowing down sales or causing frustration? Your team knows—ask them.
Train your team like it matters: Budtenders aren’t just cashiers—they’re your store’s front line. They should know everything about the products, from terpene profiles to the high. Knowledge sells. If your team can educate customers, they’ll build loyalty.
Create a team culture: A motivated team works better together. Let them contribute ideas and feedback. Recognize when they’re doing well, and coach them through mistakes. They’ll feel invested in the success of your store, and that energy will come through to customers.
View Failures as Opportunities
Guess what? You’re going to screw up. Whether it’s overordering inventory, a flop product launch, or a misguided promotion, failure is part of the process. The key is to turn those failures into valuable lessons. You’re not going to nail everything every time, so learn fast, fix faster, and move on.
Actionable steps:
Break it down: After a mistake—whether it’s a recall, a bad event turnout, or an underwhelming product—analyze what went wrong. Was it bad timing? Poor communication? Misaligned expectations? Dig deep and don’t be afraid to be brutally honest.
Get to the root cause: It’s easy to blame external factors, but often the root cause lies in planning or execution. Learn from it. Did you promote the wrong product to the wrong audience? Did your marketing fall flat? Whatever it is, fix it and adjust for next time.
Move on quickly: Failure isn’t fatal—unless you wallow in it. Use what you learned to make improvements, and get back to business. There’s always another opportunity just around the corner.