The Origins of HashDash

Consumers have not had the opportunity to turn somewhere for clear, direct, and insightful cannabis data.

The current market is fragmented, and there’s not a trusted platform, or any platform really, that one can turn to that can give clear, categorized, and educational data for consumers to make informed purchases. We can turn to Yelp to pick a restaurant, or make an almost - instantaneous purchase off Amazon for pretty much any product a person can think of. Why not clarify the cannabis industry and make it more accessible for a wider range of consumers, from the most dedicated and experienced ones to those who are curious in learning more about what the industry has to offer, but haven’t had a clear source to turn to? This is where our origin story begins.

The Birth (The Frustration)

As a consumer it can be intimidating, not knowing which direction to look or where to start getting your questions answered. I spent countless hours searching through “resources” online, bouncing from website to website for credible information and cross referencing “data”. This is how the past seven years played out on repeat. It became even more evident that most websites were presenting information that had little legitimate backing or studies. I'm sure you can relate right? This cycle only seemed to compound as legislation opened up. The legal recreational market was only born in 2012 (thanks Colorado and Washington). Fast forward to 2020 and you now have a total of 11 states approved for adult use and 33 approved for medical. So what does this all mean? Within a period of 8 years, 29% of adults in the US are now living on turf where adult use cannabis is legal. An influx of consumers from all walks of life are searching and curious about the industry and its product offerings. New products, new packaging, new dispensaries, new ways to consume. With this rush of consumers means a need for accurate information.

Data + Simplicity + Reasoning

Let's be honest, cannabis is more complex than most other consumables. The research is limited and the complexity is much greater. Over the last seven years we have witnessed a trend. A lack of information being presented and if information was being presented, it was not noted as to why it was relevant or added value to the consumer. We decided to change that. We made it our personal mission to add value to those that needed more information and transparency.

Creating A Universal Language

Many consumers may find that a lot of the guidance offered in the industry right now is perhaps subjective in its scope. The name of the game with HashDash is to utilize data at scale to offer a broader, fact - based, objective perspective to inform purchasing decisions. What better way to increase transparency in the researching and purchasing process than to incorporate the voices of prior consumers themselves? An informed consumer is a more satisfied consumer. If we continue to present relevant data to consumers, it means that their expectations are going to continually increase. Driving those expectations up means the demand for higher quality, safer products will subsequently increase too.

"What better way to increase transparency in the researching and purchasing process than to incorporate the voices of prior consumers themselves?"

In building this platform, we are making it our mission to understand on a granular level where consumer frustrations lie. We want to build a platform for the people, built on feedback from those same people. We've made it our personal responsibility to become the translator of cannabis data so that the consumer can digest the information no matter what level they’re coming in at. Looking to make a more universal language out of cannabis. We will make sure that as HashDash continues to evolve, that we have laser focus on the customer experience.

Just The Beginning

The cannabis industry continues to evolve on an almost daily basis - therefore, we have a responsibility and opportunity to mold this into something innovative. There is a lot of work to be done in combating misinformation and stigma. We hope to be a part of that educational front to continue to move this industry forward.