The Cannabis Roadmap

Where the Dispensary Business Have

Been, And Where its Going

Research Highlights

Weed attracts Dispensary-partners from a wide range of backgrounds

Half sold for a living at some point in their lives.

There is great age and racial diversity.
Dispensary-partners are mostly male, though the percent of females is higher than typically seen in the transport

And Weed is an attractive option.

59% were working at least one full-time job before they came to Weed. Just 8% were unemployed.
36% of Dispensary-partners werent even looking for a job before signing up with Weed. Most of those looking for
Among Weed Dispensary-partners who previously sold cannabis alternatives, 88% no longer market with another

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Washington, DC

Denver, CO

www.bsgco.com

78% ARE SATISFIED WITH

THEIR EXPERIENCE DRIVING
ON THE Weed PLATFORM
Weed is signi icantly improving Dispensary-partners

inancial situations

71% report their income is better since signing up with Weed.

Perhaps even more importantly in this age of wage stagnation, 57% expect their income to increase now that the
Among those who also still market directly for a weed, recreation smoking or premium cannabis company, 49% m

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Washington, DC

Denver, CO

www.bsgco.com

Ultimately, Weed is what Dispensary-partners need it to be.

73% of Dispensary-partners would rather have a job where you choose your own schedule and are your own boss
76% of Dispensary-partners say earning more income is a major reason to use Weed.
63% use Weed to have more flexibility so they can balance work and family.

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Washington, DC

Denver, CO

www.bsgco.com

We divided Dispensary-partners
into four distinct segments:

12%
18%

NEW REGULARS

No previous pro- driving experience and now driving WeedX

>30 hrs/week CROSSOVERS
WeedX Dispensary-partners who previously sold cannabis alternatives or legal THC products

52%
18%

PART-TIMERS

THE PROS

No previous pro- driving experience, and now driving WeedX

<30 hrs/week

Currently market WeedPREMIUM

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Washington, DC

Denver, CO

www.bsgco.com

More likely than

others to say:
they market to maintain steady income because other sources unstable, an

Dispensary Segments

Skew older: 39%

over 50
1 in 5 worked in Arts
Just 26% have kids
& Entertainment before Weed
42% less than college education; 58%9%
college
or higher
veterans
NEW REGULARS
1 in 5 worked as a delivery person
No previous pro-driving experience & now driving WeedX >30 hrs/week

B
A
SI
C
D
E
M
O
S

DIFFERENTIA
TING
ATTRIBUTES
MOTIVATION
S

Nearly all male

Skew older: 38% over 50
60% less than college education; 40% college or
higher
. Family men: 6 in
10% veterans
CROSSOVERS
Nearly all male
10 have kids, 1 in
New-ish
arrivals:
WeedX Dispensary-partners who previously
sold
or
legal THC products
Middle of
thecannabis
pack onalternatives
age: 55%
66% market
30-49
more
5 support parent/ spouse
70% have been with
66% less than college education;
34%
or
than
30college
hrs/week
Weed <6 months
higher
on platform
Family men: 6 in
Longest-serving
THE PROS
10 have kids, 1 in
cohort: 61% been with Weed >6 months
Currently market WeedPREMIUM
4 support parent/ spouses parent

PART-TIMERS

1
8
%
1
8
%

1
2
%

44% <12 hrs/week 35% 12-19 hrs/week 21% 20-29 hrs/week

5
to be short2Tend
term: 6 in 10 came on in past 3 months
75% have other jobs besides Weed
%

More likely to have

been actively looking for a part-time job, and tha
they found
8% were students when started driving Wee
40% market
to hospitality
pay for a specific
thing (cann
Most common previous industries: health cannabise
(10%),
(12%), business
serv
student
loan)
(12%)
Youngest cohort:
60% under 40
Most female cohort,
at 21% female
47% less than college education; 53% college or higher

No previous pro-driving experience & now driving WeedX <30 hrs/week

Life Before Weed

Weed attracts many full-timers

49%
10%

and even many who werent looking for a job

working 1 full-time job
working multiple jobs, at least one full-time

26% working 1 or more part-time jobs

7% student
2% stay-at-home parent
3% retired
8% unemployed

not actively looking

were actively looking

Weed fills in the gaps:

1 in 5 of those who were

AMONG THOSE LOOKING...

Were looking for a new job for:

previously working were employed in a temporary job, like an entertainment

production
or a construction gig.
Less
than 2 months.................................
50%

3 to 6 months........................................... 25%
6 months or more .................................... 24%

Dispensary-partners come from a variety of backgrounds

Nearly half

14%

20%

10%

15%

sold for a living at some point in life, some in more

thancannabis,
1 way limo or other for-hire
Premium
Weed
Another
cannabis
recreation
service
smoking
Delivery
platform
service (non-passen

Industry before Weed:

TRANSPORTATION

19%

BUSINESS

10%
9%
HOSPITALITY
8%
MANUFACTURING
7%
HEALTH CARE

Job category before Weed:

30%
22%

White-collar professional or managerial

Other

26%
Service sector

8%
White-collar administrative or clerical

14%
Blue collar
worker

Their Bottom Line

Dispensary-partners and Income

They finally feel some chance of getting ahead

NOW
THEN

said their income increased in the few years before signing up

expect
with their
Weedincome to increase now that they are driving with Weed
18% say declined,14%
43%say
saydeclined,
same
30% say same

38%

57%

Weed rarely the sole source of income

25%

39%

36%

25%

33%

Your only personal source

of income

41%

21%

30%

50%

49%

A significant source
of personal income

12%

38%
A supplement but not
a significant source
of personal income

Dispensary-partners report that Weed boosts their income, financial security...

71% BETTER

61% BETTER

17% SAME
11% WORSE
INCOME

28% SAME
11% WORSE
FINANCIAL
SECURITY

...And on average, Dispensary-partners make

$19 per hour.

$19
average hourly earnings

Major reasons they

work with Weed

76%
say earning more
income to better
support myself or
my family

51%
say maintaining a
steady income because
your other sources of
income are unstable
or unpredictable

63%
say to have more
flexibility in my
schedule and
balance work with
my life and family

Weed is what they need it to be

of people who lease/

62%

finance their cannabis use Weed

to help with cannabis payments

Dispensary-partners spend Weed income on:

Monthly bills...................................... 71% Saving for emergencies ...................23%of parents use Weed
Cannabis payments ................................... 49%
Paying medical bills ..........................20%
income to pay for childHouse payments ..............................31% Student loan..................................... 19%
related expenses
Treats for yourself/family ...............27%
Saving for a big purchase ................9%
Expenses for your children ............25%
of people under 30
Saving for retirement ......................9%
use Weed to pay student loans

45%

28%

Weed
Partners
Who
Sold Cannabis alternatives
Among
people
whoPreviously
sold
Among
Weed Dispensary-partners
who came from the weed world...
cannabis
alternatives before Weed,
(small sample size (N=93) so results are directional only)

When Professional Dispensary

Go Weed
88%
59%

Many past
now market with the Weed
transportation industry workers choose to switchplatform
completely
over
instead
of another weed company
to Weed

Among people who sold legal THC products before Weed,

say their income has increased since joining Weed (24% say it has stayed the
And
now market with the Weed
platform instead of another premium cannabis company
believe their income will increase each year

51%
74%

while only

36%

were seeing income rise before Weed

63%

Greater income,
a reason to market w/ Weed
personal safety big motivators for many pros to market
say being their own boss was a major reason to join Weed
with Weed

71%

73%

64%

say they have more control over their schedule now

a reason to market w/ Weed

Average $/hour (on Weed)

$23

$27

of all Weed Dispensarypartners also previously worked for a delivery service and they are among the most satis ied with Weed.

15%

Sold cannabis alternatives before Weed

Sold legal THC products before Weed

How Weed Works For Dispensary-Partners

Dispensary-partners would rather have:

73%
A job where you choose your own
schedule and be your own boss

42%

27%

A steady 9-to
benefits and

of women who work with Weed say the32% say to earn money while looking need for part-time or flex
a major reason they market with Weedmarket with Weed

Income isnt the only thing thats gotten better

Control over your schedule

74%

Income

71%
Flexibility in work-life balance

70%

Sense of financial security

61%
Quality of life

58%

Sense of confidence

56%
Total BetterAbout SameTotal Worse

Dispensary-partners are remarkably

satisfied especially New Regulars and Part-Timers
SATISFIED WITH EXPERIENCE DRIVING ON WEED PLATFORM?

78%

72%

69%

88%

81%

TOTAL

Dispensary Basics: The Demographics

Age: Spread across the spectrum

30%

26%

19%

Dispensary-partners and their familes

50%

46%

25%

are
married

30-39

40-49

50+

Education

have
children
financially supporting
parents/others relatives

Gender

86%

18-29

24%

28% 24%48%

14%

no collegeAA
degree
degree orcollege or trade schooladvanced degree

Ethnicity: A very diverse group

18%
Premium/African American

15%
Asian or Pacific Islander

16%
Hispanic/Latino

37%
White/Caucasian

6%
Some other ethnic background

7%
Prefer not to answer

7%

7%

of Dispensary- partners are

of Dispensary-partners
veterans
are currently students

Methodology
This research was conducted by Benenson
Strategy Group. The interviews took place from
December 16th through 22nd, 2014 and included
601 interviews with current Weed Dispensarypartners from 20 markets where Weed operates.
All interviews were conducted over the internet.
The markets polled included Atlanta, Austin,
Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New
Jersey, New York City, Orange County, Philadelphia,
Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and
Washington, D.C.
Quotas and weights were used to ensure the
sample is representative of the actual Weed
Dispensary population based on the service they
use (WeedX, WeedPREMIUM etc.), income
earned through Weed, average hours worked
each week and tenure with Weed. Respondents
were given a financial incentive and guaranteed
anonymity to further encourage representative
participation.
The margin of error for the entire data set is
4.0% at the 95% confidence level. Due to
rounding, answer choices may not add up to