Insights from Grow Up 2025: Budtending as a Career

The CannSell team had a blast chatting with budtenders, retailers and other industry professionals at this year’s Grow Up Conference and Expo. Not only were we impressed with your cannabis trivia skills, but we loved hearing about what sparks your passion and what inspires you. You spoke and we listened. We put together a short list of the Top 5 Budtender Insights from Grow Up 2025.

Budtenders understand that knowledge isn’t just power—it’s progress. Whether it’s deepening product knowledge, mastering compliance language, or refining sales techniques, expanding your skill set is the key to excelling on the floor and beyond. Time and again, we hear from budtenders who are passionate about learning and getting hands-on with education that actually makes a difference.  

At CannSell, we hear you—and we’re committed to delivering the kind of training and tools that help you thrive. Our mission and focus is to connect you with meaningful, career-building education that supports both your current role and your future goals.  

The budtender role is one of the most visible and influential positions in cannabis retail. It’s often the first point of contact for consumers, and a role that demands a deep blend of product knowledge, people skills, and passion. While it’s considered an entry point into the industry, many of you are looking ahead eager to grow, take on new challenges, and expand your impact. At Grow Up, we saw that drive on full display.  

The event served as a powerful space to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and explore pathways into roles like brand reps, marketing, education, and beyond. We’ve already seen countless examples of budtenders levelling up into leadership and specialist roles—and it’s inspiring. If you’re looking to advance, know this: your experience matters. Keep learning, keep showing up, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. The industry needs passionate professionals like you to help shape its future. 

Opinions are mixed on this one, but many budtenders we speak to tell us that both large and small events/experiences are valuable. Large events bring loads of your peers together and provide space to interact and consume with friends and colleagues you may not have seen for some time. They also allow you to build relationships with brands that are new or unfamiliar and solidify relationships with brands you’re already acquainted with. Last but not least, they provide access to large quantities of samples, so you get to try many new drops and exciting releases.

On the flip side, smaller events and experiences allow for more relationship building and networking, and typically offer a more customized experience, since fewer people are involved. Some of you mentioned that smaller events can be preferable because they are less intense, less likely to make you feel stressed or anxious, and usually don’t involve having to line up for anything or compete for attention. Speaking of samples...

Let’s be honest - getting a grab bag of goodies might have felt exciting as a kid, but today’s budtenders are looking for more than just freebies. You're curious, informed, and eager to understand the why behind each product. What we consistently hear is that you value purposeful engagement. A pre-roll tossed into your tote without context isn’t helpful - it’s forgettable.

What makes an impression is a real conversation: learning about the cultivar, understanding the terpene profile, hearing the story behind the brand. That’s what equips you to make authentic recommendations to your customers and that’s what makes a sample worth your time. For brands and event organizers, the takeaway is clear: bring the education, not just the swag (but don't forget the swag). 

With experience comes insight, and seasoned budtenders have developed a sharp sense of authenticity. You’ve seen the wide range of people drawn to this industry, and you’ve learned to distinguish between those who are genuinely here for the right reasons—from those who aren’t. You recognize the ones who truly care about product quality, who respect budtenders as professionals, and who are working to make cannabis better for everyone. That clarity is powerful—it protects culture, elevates standards, and builds stronger connections.

We see that, and we salute it. Keep trusting your instincts and keep surrounding yourself with the people who match your energy and your values. That’s how we all move forward and build this industry together.