Updating the Smoke Shop Experience
Hans Enriquez: LazyDaze Co.
Hans Enriquez is quite the personality. He’s witty, driven, and personable. He’s committed to his vision, enraptured by his clientele, and has succeeded in creating a new type of experience for the cannabis consumer community. For years, the cannabis community has found themselves wandering into dingy storefronts being sold only low-quality products and vessels in the stereotypical dark and sketchy atmosphere, but with the changing tide of cannabis in mainstream culture, they’ve been looking for something more. That is where Hans sought to explore the opportunity to create a new smoke shop experience, one that empowers its customers rather than shaming them, and that is the niche in which him and his team at LazyDaze Co. are seeking to bring worldwide.
What was the deciding factor for you to join this particular industry?
I was majoring in Biology and prepping to become a doctor and I got bored with the redundancy of Microbiology and cellular mumbo jumbo. I dropped all my classes that semester and changed my major to Business. I was introduced to the counterculture industry by getting a job at the local smoke shop during college for my weekend beer money. After I graduated, I was working at the mall in a management training program that was going nowhere. Some buddies encouraged me to open my own smoke shop, and basically said to me, “Hey, you can work at the mall or you can start your own business.” You can have all the weed in the world, but you still need a pipe to smoke it… Thus, the Lazydaze Counterculture was born.
What were you doing before?
I have been preparing for where I am now. I haven’t had a job since I started Lazydaze Counterculture, which was about 10 years ago now. All my previous jobs were in retail stores like NIKE, Banana Republic, and the Buckle, which all gave me the perspective I needed to fine-tune the skill set I needed to start my own business. In the past years, I have been refining those skills and learning from the ground floor up.
Tell us about the point in the time you realized the coming of the ‘green rush’?
After I graduated college, I focused on starting my career path as an entrepreneur. I could not yet venture into the legal grow and recreational retail space quite yet, though I knew it was only a matter of time, so I had to move on from that idea. What piqued my interest was the ancillary sector, the ‘everything else’ category. Until marijuana became legal, I could sell everything else that the cannabis culture needed. I knew the counterculture lifestyle was alive and well and continuing to evolve and “grow up.” The fragmented smoke shop industry would soon need a strong dose of corporate structure at some point to evolve with our target market, as to grow with the market and be what they’d desire in the future. I knew that the typical ‘smoke shop concept’ would need a complete revamp from its dark and dingy storefront and I knew I was capable of bringing that kind of value to the market. I realized that we needed to fill that gap as marijuana became more and more acceptable in mainstream culture. If we created a smoke shop with the look of Urban Outfitters, with the customer service of Nordstroms, while offering the quality of products and convenience of Macy’s, we would surpass the dingy image of the typical smoke shop and become something more… We would be COUNTERCULTURE!
I knew that the typical ‘smoke shop concept’ would need a complete revamp from its dark and dingy storefront and I knew I was capable of bringing that kind of value to the market. I realized that we needed to fill that gap as marijuana became more and more acceptable in mainstream culture.
Right now, where are you guiding your passion and energy towards?
I just want to focus and do what we do best, which is offer a retail experience that completely differentiates us from every other smoke shop in existence. I strive to create true value by creating a company that is truly scalable with multiple streams of revenue. And in order to do that, I must continue to build a team of steamrollers and strategic partners who are eady to execute, assist in franchise and corporate expansion, Round 1 capital raise, add value to the company, transform this company into a brand name, and complete the mission at hand. We have created a store for ladies and gentlemen who live the counterculture lifestyle and enjoy living free of stereotypes and plan on continuing to pursue on becoming the #1 Premier Counterculture Retailer in the World, through a combination of corporate and franchised brick and mortar stores and an E-commerce site. Our Franchise Disclosure Documents are complete and we have some pending international license agreements, so the time is now and we are ready to work!
Describe your work ethic to us in one word.
ONWARD!!
Who is a person that you consider as a role model? Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you? Why and how did this person impact your life?
My dad. He delivered babies when he was a mere 23 years old. He’s been a psychiatrist for about 30 years now, listening and helping people with their struggles. He took care of his family! And last, but not least, he was an Army Reserve Captain. He’s done so much in his life, so it’s very hard for me to make excuses not to succeed when I’ve seen everything he’s been capable of accomplishing. He has supported me since day 1, even though we did not agree on Business 101 matters for a very long time, we now love talking business together.
He’s done so much in his life, so it’s very hard for me to make excuses not to succeed when I’ve seen everything he’s been capable of accomplishing. He has supported me since day 1, even though we did not agree on Business 101 matters for a very long time, we now love talking business together.
What book have you read that you’ve been inspired by? Any particular read we should put on our list?
I’ll give you my list, which I believe is a good collection that is crucial for all entrepreneurs: Rich Dad Poor Dad, Good to Great, Trust me I’m Lying, Breakthrough Branding, The Nordstrom Way, Why She Buys, Eat People, and the Beatles Biography.
Tell us about an esteemed achievement of yours.
My most esteemed achievement is my daughter. I am 34 years old and I have a 17 year old daughter who is getting ready for college, and hopefully be taking over this company in the future to stomp all over the competition.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Cliché advice : Look both ways before you cross the street and don’t eat yellow snow.
Actual Advice: Don’t be like stagnant water; you’re just stinkin’ up the place.
My Advice: Evolve or Die.
What is the most important thing for us to know now about the legal marijuana industry?
The industry is still in its infancy. It is rolling, moving fast, and changing quickly! Be ready to adapt, because the big players are here, and many more ready to move in.
If we are sitting across from each other a year from now, how will our conversations about the ‘green rush’ be going?
More states will have legalized medical and recreational consumption. I hope that either Congress, our current President, or the incumbent will finally flip the switch and re-schedule marijuana so that vets, sick, and disabled patients will have access to their medicine. Recreational will follow as the states figure out the tax issues and so forth. I will probably say…. Damn!! Someone made a lot of money last year!? I am confident we will be leading the way in counterculture retail. We are definitely just getting started.
Looking for more information on LazyDaze? Visit them online, inquire about franchise opportunities, or call them directly at 512.947.6425
