interview
W H O ’ S Y O U R FAV O R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N A T I O N S T O T O M @ C A L I F O R N I A L E A F . C O M
TRUMAN SMURR CALIFORNIA LEAF
Budtender of the Month YOU’RE FROM THE MIDWEST. HOW DID YOU LAND IN CALIFORNIA? I had a buddy in Los Angeles and also a buddy who was going to school in Tahoe. I went and visited my buddy in Los Angeles for about two weeks and did not want to move there. And then I just moved up here to Tahoe.
12
WHAT LED TO YOU WORKING IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I worked at Tahoe Wellness Collective when they went recreational – they were needing a lot more workers and my buddy who was working over there got me a job. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH TAHOE GREEN? I’ve been working with them for about three months, pretty much since they opened. I interviewed with them back in April, right as COVID shutdowns were starting – they weren’t sure when they were going to be opening, but said they’d be in touch. They hit me up and said, ‘We now have an opening date and we’d like to offer you a job.’
caliFornialeaf.COM
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF YOUR JOB? Educating the other budtenders. I feel I have a pretty decent attention to detail and I would really like to build a ‘Hash 101’ to share with the team. Right now, it’s a lot of self-training and giving people things to read up on, but I really enjoy the educational aspect of Cannabis.
“I LIKE TO SHOW CUSTOMERS A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS … RATHER THAN JUST DIRECTING THEM TO MY FAVORITE OR WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST.”
WHAT IS YOUR MANTRA ON DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS? Giving any and all customers an education. If they don’t know what they’re after, I like to show them a variety of products, educate them on each one, and know they can make a short-term, educated decision for themselves. I like creating that sort of shopping experience for people, rather than just directing them to my favorite product or what I consider to be the best.
Truman Smurr is a passionate concentrate enthusiast, artist and lover of music.
He is also Tahoe Green’s relative dab expert and when he’s not budtending, can most likely be found enjoying some fine hash rosin or live resin while adventuring around Lake Tahoe with his Belgian Malinois mix, Maiev. Follow him @latticetech
WHAT IS A GOAL OR ASPIRATION OF YOURS FOR THE FUTURE? I would like to publish a video game. I went to college for 3D Modeling, Programming and Development – my degree is in Interactive Media. If something like that was successful, I could then expand into further aspirations.
TAHOE GREEN 3930 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA | (530) 725-1555 | TahoeGreen.com @Tahoe_Green
JAN. 2021
INTERVIEW & PHOTO by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/CALIFORNIA LEAF
