An Army of Budtenders with Jaime Lipowitz | Episode 28

At the core of the cannabis retail world lies something more powerful than any available strain or well-developed product— it’s the budtenders. Often overlooked by brands and executives, these individuals are the real taste-makers in the dispensary world, guiding consumer purchases with every conversation.

Jaime Lipowitz, founder of High Buds Club, has always been ahead of her time in understanding this. She’s built a community of 7,000 passionate budtenders, and what she’s accomplished through smart, insightful strategies should serve as a blueprint for every cannabis brand aiming to thrive in this industry.

Getting to the Roots of High Buds Club

Back in 2018, Lipowitz recognized something others missed. Watching brands pour enormous budgets into flashy marketing campaigns, she saw one critical flaw: most brands forget that their fate sometimes rests in a budtender’s hands.

Imagine this: you spend millions on brand positioning, product design, and social media hype. Everything is peaking, and then someone walks into the dispensary. Right before they’re about to purchase your product, the budtender—the last line between you and the customer— suggests a competing product. Why? Because budtenders hold that power.

Lipowitz came to this realization on a trip to Los Angeles. As she wandered into an LA dispensary, her eye caught a sleek vape pen on the shelf. She was ready to buy based purely on esthetics—until the budtender mentioned another option with a longer battery life. It was a game-changer of a moment. The budtender effortlessly shifted her decision, and Lipowitz knew immediately that similar situations were about to unfold constantly within Canadian legalization.

She understood that budtenders could make or break a brand. And High Buds Club was born from that insight—giving budtenders access to information and sample products, while building an exclusive community where they could give feedback and influence one another.

Why Budtenders are the Taste-Makers of Dispensaries

Lipowitz didn’t need to convince budtenders that they were powerful. They already knew that. But over time, she built something deeper—a community that recognizes them as experts and values their input.

Through High Buds Club, budtenders not only have the chance to try some of the hottest products before they hit shelves, but they also have platforms to engage with brands directly, share their candid reviews, and, most importantly, feel valued for their expertise. Brands now clamour to get their products into this tight-knit group because they understand that word-of-mouth among budtenders moves the needle.

Here’s where it gets serious: on an average day, a budtender recommends cannabis products or shares their favourite strains with dozens or even hundreds of customers. If a brand doesn’t prioritize the education and experience of the budtender, they’re missing a massive opportunity. In a space where up to 500 SKUs flood store shelves, standing out means winning the hearts of those working behind the counter.

Sampling, Feedback Loops, and Learning to Work With Budtenders

High Buds Club doesn’t just toss out products to budtenders. Lipowitz crafted something far more valuable—a feedback ecosystem. Before anything gets sent out, there’s a process: budtenders answer pre-flight surveys laying the groundwork for how they feel about the brand. After receiving products, they’re required to complete post-flight feedback within two weeks.

Participation is through the roof, with 92% survey completion rates on sample flights, a number any brand would love to claim. This rigorous process shows detailed insights into a brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Even more impressive? Brands leveraging High Buds Club data consistently see their Net Promoter Scores (NPS) grow as budtenders learn more about their products.

But why does it work? For one, exclusivity. There's no group more excited about the latest developments in the industry than budtenders who feel they have inside information. Lipowitz has created demand among the community and by giving them a voice, she ensures their loyalty. Forget the half-hearted, mass giveaways without follow-up strategies—brands that carefully curate their education and feedback loops have the highest chance of success, growing mindshare with passionate insiders.

The Power Balance Between Retailers and Budtenders

There’s an uncomfortable truth about some cannabis retailers: they often miss the importance of empowering their budtenders. Many retailers rely too heavily on forcing budtenders to attend sales-focused training sessions. Worse yet, some offer kickback incentives over actual product education. This approach backfires.

Lipowitz has seen time and time again that there’s a right way to approach educating budtenders about brands. Forcing mandatory "training" rarely works. Why? Because budtenders don’t respond well to prescriptive management, especially when they’re forced into one-size-fits-all agendas. Instead, when training comes from respected industry peers or companies who truly engage their passion, budtenders willingly dive into learning more—sometimes even spending an hour of their time engaging in virtual education sessions.

Brands that start to see dramatic success in the conversation around retail acknowledge and embrace the important dynamic between budtender passion and brand loyalty. And, naturally, ideas crafted within the High Buds Club community unlock that in spades.

Consistency is King: Why Brands Like Carmel Win Long Term

The success of High Buds Club isn't about flooding the market with sample after sample. Brands need to pick their battles wisely. Lipowitz highlights Carmel Cannabis as a perfect example of a brand that has managed to consistently stay top-of-mind. From day one, Carmel’s Animal Face strain has been one of their top-sellers. Why? Whisper it: consistency. They don’t re-release flashy new products left, right, and center—Carmel gets consumer attention by perfecting the few strains they introduce, building on reliability.

Everyone’s instinct in a growing industry is rapid expansion. But Carmel’s 60-day strategy of consistent product release cadence has put them on the map. The lesson? There’s no need to rush if the quality and passion are there. And that’s precisely what Jaime underlines with all her budtender experiences: getting your brand out there isn’t one touch-point with a budtender; it’s about steady, consistent interaction and education to nurture long-term brand loyalty.

Conclusion

Jaime Lipowitz’s High Buds Club demonstrates that the hidden key to cannabis brands’ success lies within the hands of the budtenders. If your product is brilliant, but the people talking directly to your consumers ignore you, then you're toast. Budtenders drive hundreds of recommendations each day, and they don't care how great your financing is or how glossy your Instagram looks. They care about quality, passion, and whether you're giving them the tools they need to educate the public on your product.

If your brand isn’t engaging with budtenders, you’ve already lost.

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