Do you have what it takes to be a Budtender?

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I remember barely being in elementary school when I was told, “You want to work a job that makes you happy” and that if you find enjoyment in something, that should probably be the thing you do for the rest of your life. How Quentin Tarantino has a slight obsession with movies, so he worked at Blockbuster until Reservoir Dogs came out. Or how Morrissey wrote music reviews until he was in The Smiths. You find ways to work your passions into your life, so what about weed? What does a career as a Budtender look like?

Most budtending jobs are entry-level positions and only require you to be 21 years old, simple enough. However, due to their popularity, budtending is highly competitive. Although each dispensary will be a bit different in requirements, it’s safe to assume most, if not all, will be looking for quality customer service reps who know and appreciate the product. So let’s say that you’re like Tarantino, you know everything about the business and just want to get in. What does a job in budtending look like? Is it long-lasting? Will you move up and create a career?

Taking into account that most budtending jobs are fairly new, the future of their sustainability is not yet known. According to Salary.com, on average a Budtender in Las Vegas can make anywhere from $33,743 to $42,250 annually, of course, you have to take into account education, experience, and dispensary. But is that even enough to live on in this day and age, with inflation being so ridiculously high it’s hard to afford even a full tank of gas. In Las Vegas, the average cost of annual living for a single person is around $14,292 on room and board alone. So if you’re really tight with your money, you can manage. You’ll probably be able to save on gas by working at one close to home since all these dispensaries have been popping up like crazy.

Although it may be an entry-level position, if you network yourself properly, you can grow a career in cannabis. At the end of the day, it all just really comes down to your work ethic, product knowledge, and how you choose to represent yourself and your dispensary. Of course, you’ll need some basic retail skills to help you grow, but you can always learn on the job.

Budtending is a great start to helping you grow a career in cannabis. As a Budtender, you’ll be exposed to trends in the industry and help predict the future of weed. If it’s something you’re interested in, I say go for it! It beats working in big-name retail!

Sources: Salary.com, UpNest

Images: Canva, Andrea Piacquadio