Living the Dream: Steve Lopez

I have found that we are the most successful when we take the time to look back and look ahead. Looking back makes it possible to learn from our mistakes and successes, whereas looking forward makes it possible to plan a comprehensive strategy. Combining both provides us with the tools we need to create a roadmap as we tackle new projects and overcome new obstacles.

While this past year has presented unprecedented challenges, it has also been a year for innovation. At The Green Solution, we have had a keen eye on technology and new partnership opportunities, as well as creating a stronger bond within the communities we serve.

When we debuted our self-serve kiosks in September 2020, we had no way of knowing just how instrumental they would be in doing business in the COVID-19 era. We now have 56 kiosks in our 21 Colorado locations, and they have been immensely popular with our customers. In addition to making it possible to shop all available inventory at each location, the kiosks make the retail experience more efficient and minimize time customers need to spend on sales floors. Plus, our loyalty program is integrated into the kiosks.

Throughout the holiday season, these kiosks gained even more popularity with our customers, who had convenience and limited personal interaction at the top of their lists. We have seen tremendous growth through online orders on our website, as well as through our express pick-up windows.

While 2020 was hallmarked by separation, we were able to come together through unprecedented partnerships with some of the most innovative cannabis brands that are out there. We were the first company in Colorado to carry the highly acclaimed products from Belushi’s Farm with the launch of The Blues Brothers pre-rolls.

In December, we expanded our partnership with Toast, a cannabis company inspired by the natural beauty, social spirit and culture of Aspen. A BIPOC-managed and controlled company, the Toast brand is centered around enhancing experiences and making shareable moments. In addition to Toast’s hemp CBD extract tinctures and hemp CBD chocolates, we are now offering Toast Original and Toast Classic pre-rolls, which are exceptional.

As we begin to take on this new year, so many of us in cannabis are building on the foundations we built in 2020. In addition to enhancing the customer experience at TGS, we are planning to build on our support of the military and green initiatives through ambitious benchmarks we have set for ourselves. We are also working to better serve each of the communities where our dispensaries are located.

We look forward to checking back very soon with some more information about these plans, as well as other plans we have for 2021. Until then …