As a professional fighter, Ali Wasuk knows a thing or two about stress.
The nagging aches and chronic inflammation that plague mixed martial arts fighters are what pushed Ali to try CBD a decade ago. As he recalls, the difference was night and day – and was one of the main catalysts that drove him into the medical cannabis business. The other catalyst? Meeting his business partner and co-founder, Sam
“Sam’s dad was dealing with cancer, and he didn’t really have an appetite,” Ali explained. “Sam started bringing him some cannabis products, and he believes it helped his dad live a little longer. That was the reason he got into the business, so we were just really aligned as far as our ideas and convictions about cannabis. It was a match made in heaven in terms of partnership.”
That partnership led to the opening of WestCanna in 2016, which operated as one of Vancouver’s licensed medical dispensaries for five years. In 2021, WestCanna made the transition to recreational – a move that presented its own unique hurdles.
From Legacy to Legal
According to Ali, one of the biggest challenges in transitioning from medical to recreational was product procurement.
“With the medical market, we were able to see the product, smell it, and then buy it right then and there,” he said. “On the rec side, you were just looking online or at the LCRB website and purchasing it that way.”
While procuring inventory online may work for other industries, Ali explained why it’s not ideal for cannabis retailers: “You want to curate your menu based on experience – how the product actually is, and even being able to try it before you buy it. That’s one thing we pride ourselves on; most of the products we have are things the staff enjoys, or things we’ve talked to our customers about and know that they enjoy.
“We really do our homework,” Ali continued. “If we’re talking to a customer and they tell us they liked something, we ask what they like about it.”
Finding the balance between a menu of tried-and-true staples and new product offerings is another common challenge Ali and his crew contend with.
“We do bring in a variety of new products to let the market test them,” he said. “If something doesn’t stick, or if something isn’t up to our standards, we don’t continue to carry it. I think that’s one of our key differentiators. We really pride ourselves on a curated menu and well-informed staff who can really guide our customers.”
Finding the Perfect Technology Partner
When it came to dispensary technology, Ali explained that their previous platforms just weren’t up to snuff. After partnering with a few different POS solutions that didn’t meet their expectations, WestCanna made the switch to Cova.
“What really drove us to Cova was the analytics,” Ali said. “I love that you can just be at home and get an email at the end of the day like, this is how you did today – these are your numbers, these are your margins, these are your returns… I feel the biggest piece of cannabis retail is the point of sale.”
Along with the standard analytics, Ali says he especially loves Cova’s report hub for even deeper insights that help WestCanna run more efficiently.
“The report hub gives me comparisons like, this day last week you had X amount of customers, and today you have X amount; that really allows me to dive into the reasons for why that’s happening… is there a concert today? Is there a Canucks game?” he said. “Based on that data, I can look ahead and say, OK, there’s a Canucks game coming up – am I going to need another body in here between 12:00 and 3:00? That allows us to save on labor by scheduling more efficiently based on projected demand.”
This in-depth reporting also helps Ali understand sales trends and make more informed decisions around product procurement. “It’s like, OK, every Thursday I seem to be selling a lot of vapes,” he explained. “Why is that? Even if I don’t know exactly why that is, it’s good data to have for ordering. Having those analytics, as an operator, really goes a long way.”
Advice for Up and Coming Cannabis Retailers
When asked for his advice to new owners and operators, Ali offered three salient points.
“Number one, focus on your menu. Curate it based on your demographic, and listen to your customers and their needs. Two, listen to your analytics – because the numbers don’t lie. And three, train your staff well; they’re your soldiers, and they’re the ones that put in the work. They deserve to be given the opportunity to recommend the best products to people,” he said.
“So many times I’ve had people come in here and give me a hug, and you can just see their genuine happiness after, say, not being able to sleep for four to five days, and then I gave them a recommendation that helped and they come back to just express genuine gratitude,” Ali continued. “That’s the ultimate reward of this job; so really understand your product, and make sure your staff do, too.”
Finally, Ali recommends Cova not only for the industry-leading reporting and analytics capabilities, but for the stellar customer support.
“I’ve never been on hold for more than two minutes. Just having them walk you through something as simple as, like, my barcode scanners weren’t working – I gave Cova’s number to one of my managers and within two minutes, they were up and running,” he said.
“If you want a reliable company, a team you can really count on as a software provider, I can’t recommend Cova highly enough,” Ali continued. “Last 420 was a record number of sales for us for both locations, and it went like a breeze… If you don’t choose Cova, then I don’t know how to help you.”
Ready to see how Cova’s cannabis retail technology can help elevate your dispensary’s operations? Book a demo at the link below today!