Supporting Budtender Knowledge And Developing A Consistent Dispensary Experience With Take Root Dispensary Program

Ashleen, Rileigh, and Melissa felt that their dispensary experiences were inconsistent, so they put their years of hospitality skills together to create Take Root Dispensary Training Program. Take Root Training is on a mission to make it easier to educate budtenders in the growing cannabis industry. Their comprehensive cannabis retail platforms for individuals, dispensaries, and cannabis brands connect these frontline salespeople to educational resources that will empower them on the dispensary sales floor. A Budtender plays an important role in educating, converting sales, and building a dispensary's reputation to build a loyal, returning customer base. On today's sesh, Ashleen and Rileigh join me to discuss the roots of Take Root, share details about what you can expect from the training program, they'll inspire you to use your knowledge to fill gaps in the market, and so much more.

Host: How do you celebrate your wins? 

Ashleen: Food primarily. And a joint. 

Rileigh: Smoking a bowl. 

Ashleen: We love to eat good food around here. 

Rileigh: We do love to eat good food. 

Host: What's your number one celebration meal?

Rileigh: A charcuterie board! That's a good work meal.

Ashleen: Yeah, we often have a lot of meat and cheeses while we're working. 

Rileigh: I don't know, something really expensive. Something that I don't cook. Haha!

Host: Share a quote that keeps you motivated.

Ashleen: For me, it's to turn off the radio. This is a quote that we have in between each other, that just means, if you don't like something, then do something about it. Turn it off. 

Rileigh: I have two quotes. The first quote is from my mom, and she always says,” It's not what you know, it's who you know.” That has been a very big thing in our lives. And then the second quote is from our business partner. She always says,” It's always a no, if you don't ask, so ask.” It'll always be a no or it'll be a maybe or yes. 

Host: Dream person to sesh with and why? 

Ashleen: Oh, I can never settle on one person for this! Okay, my answer is gonna be weird… I want to sesh with our ancestors. We're pretty sure that our Filipino ancestors had hemp farms in the Philippines back in the 19th/18th centuries. I want to sesh with them! 

Rileigh: Okay, you sesh with our Filipino ancestors. I'll sesh with our Irish ancestors. Because hemp was used for hemp rope and medicine. So... you smoke with our Filipino ancestors and I'll smoke with our Irish ancestors.

Host: Describe an A+ dispensary experience in three words. Like they took your training program, you walk in as a secret shopper, and the experience was perfect, how would you describe that experience in three words? 

Ashleen: Comfortable, informative, by that I mean they're asking me questions about what I actually want, and I leave smiling. 

Rileigh: Communicative. We're having a conversation. Informative, where they're showing me what's going on… This is way more than three words. And then, happy… and high. You know you've got exactly what you wanted. 

Host: What is your biggest dream for women in cannabis? 

Ashleen: Just to get out there and do it. Just that they get out there and believe in themselves. That they can just change the industry and change the world. 

Rileigh: Yeah, believing that women are here to innovate what the fuck has been going on because what has been going on is not really been helpful. And I really do truly believe that us women coming into the workforce is going to change the industry, every industry, but especially our industry into being more efficient and effective, more welcoming and inclusive. We got to grow that 20%. 

Host: Where can people find Take Root online so they can level up their hospitality game and where can people find you?

Ashleen: You can find Take Root at takeroottraining.com. You can reach out to us directly hello@takerootdispotraining.com. You can also find us on Instagram, LinkedIn. 

Find Chronic Gals on Instagram @chronicalgals_podcast. Listen HERE.

You can find me @queen.ashleen on Instagram

Rileigh: You can find me @shrimpfried_righ on Instagram

This is just an excerpt from Take Root’s Episode on Work Sesh. Listen to the full episode by following the links below.