The cannabis business has been one of the most controversial, yet most profitable industries for the last few years. Business mogul and Oakland native, Gregory “Kasi” Reeves has created a trustworthy business and brand with Lit Delivery Service. LIT is a premium cannabis delivery service based out of Oakland, that serves multiple areas in California. LIT believes in providing quality cannabis for the lowest possible prices to enable easy access to clean, legal cannabis. Founder Kasi takes pride in running a successful, black owned, legal cannabis business. The foundation of his business is the community. LIT supports and sponsors community projects that align with their values of supporting and rebuilding black and local communities. Gregory’s passion came from being raised in the cannabis industry and working at several dispensaries prior to opening his own business. He wanted to create a space for the community and people who could not afford the luxury of shopping at a dispensary. Gregory overcame many roadblocks and obstacles to attain his legal license. In October 2018, his hard work and dedication paid off and his license was granted. Since January 2019, LIT has become one of the #1 destinations for cannabis delivery services plus more!
What are the main barriers to entry that you overcame to become a licensed cannabis business?
The main barrier to entry for any cannabis business is real estate. Finding a location that is zoned for cannabis and has a landlord that is willing to work with a cannabis company is extremely limited. Most landlords think that cannabis businesses are profitable the day they open but they are not, they take time to build like any other business. Landlords also believe cannabis businesses are extremely profitable and often try to charge double or triple the standard lease rate.
Please tell readers about your location on “Telegraph Ave” prior to starting Lit Delivery Service. Why did you close the business?
Our walk-in dispensary LIT was an illegal cannabis dispensary. I was not allowed to apply for a legal cannabis license, and I felt it was unfair we were being left out of an industry our people suffered to build. We were eventually forced to close because our landlord found a corporation with a legal license that was willing to pay double what we were paying in rent. He effectively cut our lease and forced us to relocate. Luckily, we found a new location not even a block away from our original store.
What were the essential business steps you followed to make your business “official” and successful?
I would suggest finding a trustworthy, reliable, and talented accountant. You can make all the money in the world but without someone to manage it properly you’ll always end up back at square one. The second thing I would suggest is focus intensely on marketing. Find creative ways to market your business and get your brand out there. Lastly, understand your industry, read the laws and regulations and know what you can and cannot do. This will allow you to find ways to make money, market your brand, and compete with larger corporations.
What is the process of placing an order? Do you plan to expand and build your own app for LIT?
The process for ordering cannabis is just like using Amazon. You visit our website, create a profile, add items to your cart, and pay with your credit or debit card. Once your payment is approved, we pack your order and one of our drivers brings the order to your door! We are in the process of getting our app developed. When it’s done, we plan to make it available on Google Play and Apple App Store.
What are some of the healing properties in cannabis?
Cannabis can be used to help ease a variety of ailments; muscle pain, anxiety, eating disorders, and cancer are just a few of the health issues our customers use cannabis for.
Is there a difference between cannabis and CBD?
Cannabis contains two major cannabinoids, THC and CBD. There are many others, but these two are the ones people are most familiar with. THC is the psychoactive molecule, the “high you get from smoking cannabis comes from THC. CBD is the muscle relaxing, healing molecule, ingesting CBD will not get you “high”, but will relax your mind and muscles.
Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?
In five years, we plan to have a LIT franchise in every legal state across the country.
Has owning a business been life changing for you? If so, how?
Owning a business for me was necessary. I was never able to find gainful employment. I’ve always been self-motivated and ambitious. Before owning a cannabis business, I ran a record label here in Oakland. Music took me around the world on tour, which completely changed my perspective on life itself and allowed me to grow into owning a cannabis business. Without entrepreneurship I wouldn’t have a way to feed my family. Once I started a business I wasn’t just surviving, I was finally able to truly live.
Featured Image courtesy of Lit Delivery Service
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