Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Dinner, a ride and office supplies are a few touchpad clicks away. So, Jonathan Ghiz and Justin Schudel figured that the booming medical-marijuana market would be a natural fit for this on-demand model.
When the two friends with backgrounds in technology and hospitality discovered no such service existed in this where-you-want-it, when-you-want it culture, they set out to change that.
Ghiz and Schudel did it in 2016 with Supurb, their Tempe software company that harnesses the convenience utilized by services like Uber and Postmates to provide medical-marijuana delivery from dispensaries to patients. It's the first online platform in Arizona to do this. It's also compliant in other states where the treatment is legal.
How it works
Patients fill out an online profile that includes a photo of their medical marijuana card and driver's license. When Supurb verifies a patient is active and in good standing, he or she is can place an order from a computer or mobile device to any of the dispensaries in Supurb's database. Typically, patients find one geographically closest to them.
"Everything now is on-demand and that's what people are looking for – a personalized experience. It was the perfect timing," said Schudel, who shares managing partner duties with Ghiz.
Deliveries are made to wherever patients are within an hour. Schools, churches and government-owned facilities, however, are off-limits, Ghiz said. Drivers meet customers curbside.
Patients have requested deliveries at a friend or relative's home, a restaurant or even outside a movie theater. Many prefer not to receive their medical marijuana at home.
"Patients are all about privacy. We feel this is the best way to get patients their medicine in the most convenient, fast and affordable time and manner," Schudel said.
Rates are based on purchase total and/or distance. For example, deliveries within five miles from a dispensary are free with a $30 minimum purchase. Eventually, Ghiz said the goal is to eliminate the delivery fee.
There are currently more than 4,900 customers who use Supurb, with a total of 10,000 users in the database composed of patients and anyone who has enquired about the services, Schudel said. Most are from medical-marijuana permissible states.
Timing could be on their side. North American legal sales of marijuana are projected to top $20.2 billion by 2021, assuming a compound annual growth rate of 25 percent, according to Arcview Market Research.
By the end of the year, Supurb will have 10 dispensaries on board spanning the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas as well as Sedona and Flagstaff. By spring 2018, the platform is slated to be live in Maryland, Oregon and Alaska, Schudel said.
The company has experienced a 25 percent monthly growth rate since launching. Ghiz said the concept was met with an overwhelming reception by patients, with about half the dispensaries reaching out, wanting to get on board.
The dispensaries
Dispensaries pay a monthly fee to partner with Supurb, which also benefits from revenue sharing on every sale.
Ghiz and Schudel vet each dispensary to get them up to speed on how to use the software and train employees. Not only do they make sure a dispensary fits their mission, values and vision, it gives the dispensary a chance to see whether it is equally comfortable with the concept. Dispensaries also have to take into consideration that they provide the delivery drivers.
It takes about two weeks to get a new dispensary on board. Currently, there is a waitlist.
"There's a lot of attention to detail. We're building something new, but we know we are creating a new division for their business (too)," Ghiz said.
Dispensaries view Supurb as an opportunity to generate leads, increase their sales and get an edge over competitors in their area, Schudel explained. In a time when competition is growing, this is an advantage.
"Dispensaries can use employees during downtime and maximize employee output. They're giving patients an experience that competitors are not," Schudel said.
Level-Up dispensary in Scottsdale has been on board for a few weeks but has already seen an increase in new clientele who found it via Supurb, said Jenna Urusky, marketing director at Level-Up.
"One of Supurb's strengths is that people can find us organically and they are finding us now," she said.
Previously, Level-Up had an arrangement where customers could pick up their orders at a central location. But after using Suburb, they have eliminated that option. Urusky said the speed and ease of getting Level-Up up and running and Supurb's hands-on training underscored it was the right choice.
"People really like the convenience. We found that (using) it is easier than expected. We've really been pleased," she said.
When Ghiz and Schudel came up with the idea that would become Supurb, Ghiz was in the hospitality and nightlife industry and Schudel had just returned to the Valley from Los Angeles, where he ran an energy-efficiency company he started but was tired of the grind.
The University of Arizona alumni were thinking about other business opportunities and they hit upon the medical-marijuana delivery concept. It didn't take long for them to learn that no such model existed, not even in popular legalized marijuana states like Colorado and California, Ghiz said.
"The cannabis industry is the next gold rush, and it was a virtual unknown. Many were thinking conventional retail but not many were thinking outside of the box. We realized we had the skills set to create something unique," Ghiz recalled.
It took them a year to develop a solid model they felt comfortable with to put in motion. They started with one dispensary to test the platform. Now, they look to take their concept to other states and are braced for competition.
"We want to make sure to solidify Arizona to where competitors would have a difficult time coming here," Ghiz said. "We hope to replicate this model in other states without compromising patient care and attention to detail."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 4,900 customers using Supurb to get medical marijuana delivered
Author: Georgann Yara
Contact: Contacting Republic Media | AZ Central
Photo Credit: Loren Townsley
Website: azcentral.com: Arizona news, Phoenix local news, sports, entertainment, national and world news
When the two friends with backgrounds in technology and hospitality discovered no such service existed in this where-you-want-it, when-you-want it culture, they set out to change that.
Ghiz and Schudel did it in 2016 with Supurb, their Tempe software company that harnesses the convenience utilized by services like Uber and Postmates to provide medical-marijuana delivery from dispensaries to patients. It's the first online platform in Arizona to do this. It's also compliant in other states where the treatment is legal.
How it works
Patients fill out an online profile that includes a photo of their medical marijuana card and driver's license. When Supurb verifies a patient is active and in good standing, he or she is can place an order from a computer or mobile device to any of the dispensaries in Supurb's database. Typically, patients find one geographically closest to them.
"Everything now is on-demand and that's what people are looking for – a personalized experience. It was the perfect timing," said Schudel, who shares managing partner duties with Ghiz.
Deliveries are made to wherever patients are within an hour. Schools, churches and government-owned facilities, however, are off-limits, Ghiz said. Drivers meet customers curbside.
Patients have requested deliveries at a friend or relative's home, a restaurant or even outside a movie theater. Many prefer not to receive their medical marijuana at home.
"Patients are all about privacy. We feel this is the best way to get patients their medicine in the most convenient, fast and affordable time and manner," Schudel said.
Rates are based on purchase total and/or distance. For example, deliveries within five miles from a dispensary are free with a $30 minimum purchase. Eventually, Ghiz said the goal is to eliminate the delivery fee.
There are currently more than 4,900 customers who use Supurb, with a total of 10,000 users in the database composed of patients and anyone who has enquired about the services, Schudel said. Most are from medical-marijuana permissible states.
Timing could be on their side. North American legal sales of marijuana are projected to top $20.2 billion by 2021, assuming a compound annual growth rate of 25 percent, according to Arcview Market Research.
By the end of the year, Supurb will have 10 dispensaries on board spanning the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas as well as Sedona and Flagstaff. By spring 2018, the platform is slated to be live in Maryland, Oregon and Alaska, Schudel said.
The company has experienced a 25 percent monthly growth rate since launching. Ghiz said the concept was met with an overwhelming reception by patients, with about half the dispensaries reaching out, wanting to get on board.
The dispensaries
Dispensaries pay a monthly fee to partner with Supurb, which also benefits from revenue sharing on every sale.
Ghiz and Schudel vet each dispensary to get them up to speed on how to use the software and train employees. Not only do they make sure a dispensary fits their mission, values and vision, it gives the dispensary a chance to see whether it is equally comfortable with the concept. Dispensaries also have to take into consideration that they provide the delivery drivers.
It takes about two weeks to get a new dispensary on board. Currently, there is a waitlist.
"There's a lot of attention to detail. We're building something new, but we know we are creating a new division for their business (too)," Ghiz said.
Dispensaries view Supurb as an opportunity to generate leads, increase their sales and get an edge over competitors in their area, Schudel explained. In a time when competition is growing, this is an advantage.
"Dispensaries can use employees during downtime and maximize employee output. They're giving patients an experience that competitors are not," Schudel said.
Level-Up dispensary in Scottsdale has been on board for a few weeks but has already seen an increase in new clientele who found it via Supurb, said Jenna Urusky, marketing director at Level-Up.
"One of Supurb's strengths is that people can find us organically and they are finding us now," she said.
Previously, Level-Up had an arrangement where customers could pick up their orders at a central location. But after using Suburb, they have eliminated that option. Urusky said the speed and ease of getting Level-Up up and running and Supurb's hands-on training underscored it was the right choice.
"People really like the convenience. We found that (using) it is easier than expected. We've really been pleased," she said.
When Ghiz and Schudel came up with the idea that would become Supurb, Ghiz was in the hospitality and nightlife industry and Schudel had just returned to the Valley from Los Angeles, where he ran an energy-efficiency company he started but was tired of the grind.
The University of Arizona alumni were thinking about other business opportunities and they hit upon the medical-marijuana delivery concept. It didn't take long for them to learn that no such model existed, not even in popular legalized marijuana states like Colorado and California, Ghiz said.
"The cannabis industry is the next gold rush, and it was a virtual unknown. Many were thinking conventional retail but not many were thinking outside of the box. We realized we had the skills set to create something unique," Ghiz recalled.
It took them a year to develop a solid model they felt comfortable with to put in motion. They started with one dispensary to test the platform. Now, they look to take their concept to other states and are braced for competition.
"We want to make sure to solidify Arizona to where competitors would have a difficult time coming here," Ghiz said. "We hope to replicate this model in other states without compromising patient care and attention to detail."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 4,900 customers using Supurb to get medical marijuana delivered
Author: Georgann Yara
Contact: Contacting Republic Media | AZ Central
Photo Credit: Loren Townsley
Website: azcentral.com: Arizona news, Phoenix local news, sports, entertainment, national and world news