How can I help you?” a lovely saleswoman in West Hollywood recently asked me during my visit to a local weed shop. Budtenders like her make an average of $14.90 an hour, and the turnover rate is 70 percent within the first 90 days of employment, according to recent research by Vangst.
This is shocking, considering a budtender (or flower host, wellness guide, cannabis consultant, or whatever you call them) is often the first person a cannabis consumer encounters in their purchasing journey. They’re the ones asking questions, making recommendations, sharing their expertise. So why does the industry treat them like, well, bartenders without the tips?
The lack of support for decent, experienced budtenders is in a way ironic considering that the industry is trying so hard to educate potential…
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Green Entrepreneur (Digital) - 1 Issue, Winter 2019