January Welcome

January 2022 Welcome

The first issue of 2022 is here! The fact that we made it through the past 12 months is nothing short of miraculous, and we all know why, so there’s no need to revisit the chaos that was 2021. It’s time to move forward and embrace new adventures and opportunities. As we’ve discovered, germs, the government, and even the wrath of mother nature are no match for creativity, stamina and the entrepreneurial spirit. A big shout out to retailers, manufacturers, and distributors for finding ways to connect and deliver products that fit the needs of today’s cannabis enthusiasts and progressive wellness consumers. Pause for applause. We encourage everyone to join us in helping to bring more positivity, more stability, and more community to our industry. Stay tuned for another exciting giveaway coming up soon where you can win prizes galore from your favorite vendors. And don’t forget about the HQ Event trade show happening later this Spring. As always, it’s our continuing mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations — wait, that’s Star Trek — but our course heading is kinda the same: to boldly go where few B2B magazines have gone before, to bring you more products, more features, more news, more inspiration (more run-on sentences) not only in the print editions, but online and on the social media platforms where you get your news and information. Think of us as HQ-PLUS, the Metaverse of the smoke shop industry, but without the need for crazy goggles. v

Recent Articles

With Halloweentime upon us, ghosts and goblins all around the world are gearing up for the annual celebration of the macabre. Between dressing up in fun costumes and making caramel apples to taking our kids trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, there’s no shortage of things to do at the end of October; but did you know that some of the earliest traditions revolved around the use of incense and other herbal blends?
When I was in college, my sophomore year roommate, who went by Bear, had a two-foot-tall bong with a name. Green Lucy was a gorgeous emerald-colored masterpiece with thick, bulbous glass at the top, comfortable for ripping huge hits. It was a celebrity on our floor of the creative arts co-op where we lived. People would come from all over the house, and sometimes from other parts of campus, just to hang with Bear and get baked from Green Lucy.
Charlea came into the cannabis space as a journalist, covering Missouri’s fascinating cannabis landscape as it rapidly evolved. While reporting on the state’s medical marijuana vote, Charlea got to know a local physician who was equally passionate about legalizing medical use in the state.
Common business advice tends to view the 80:20 rule simplistically. Focus on the 80% of your store that drives profit, it says. Ignore the rest. That’s fine for the average folks. But what about those who want to boost the other 20%?
Before you've said a word, your shop is selling. The customer hasn’t touched a single product, and your staff hasn't even said hello. Your decor and layout have already done the talking, either pulling people in or pushing them away.
As VP of Operations at ATM Wholesaler and Elite Merchant Services, he’s picked up the baton from his father and CEO, Norman Koza, who passed it to him after founding this successful company over 25 years ago.