High Time for a Cannabis Culture Change

The seed that set Becker’s business in motion was the Cannabis Act that came into effect in Canada on October 21, 2018. Becker realized that even though cannabis was legalized, there was no structure in place about how or where to consume it. There weren’t places where people could gather socially and consume cannabis together, like going for a glass of wine or a beer on a date or with friends. The ‘cannacurious’ had no idea what they were doing or how to responsibly partake in and explore the newly legalized herb.

In addition to making a positive impact in society, the idea of HiBnb stemmed from her desire to build a community more than anything. “It’s the peace pipe, right? That’s what cannabis is. It brings people together,” she says.

Leave No Trace Behind

Isn’t it a recipe for disaster to have a group of high people staying at your place? Won’t they trash the place and leave you with a big mess and a bunch of empty chip bags? Becker insists this is old-world thinking and is committed to educating people about what cannabis users look like in 2022. Her customers include professionals like teachers, lawyers and doctors. “I find there’s a lot of people who work in the industry who are creating listings because they are celebrating cannabis,” she says.

HiBnb is insured by Superhog, who run a mandatory, three-step screening process for all HiBnb accommodation guests. This allows HiBnb to provide a property damage guarantee for accommodation hosts and hold guests accountable for their actions.

In the House Rules for guests you’ll find requests in categories of Respect and Cleanliness such as:

‘There is a zero-tolerance policy for disrespectful, intolerant, discriminatory or abusive behaviour.’

And:

‘Please be respectful of property and leave the space just as clean and tidy as you found it. If in doubt, use the ‘Would you do this in your mother’s house?’ rule. If the answer is yes, rock on.’

To Put It Bluntly

Like many startups, HiBnb is facing cash flow issues. Aside from credit cards and bank loans, the company closed a pre-seed round of funding of $500K, but that was back in 2020. It gave Becker a salary for a while but the company needs more capital to keep things going. They are now amidst closing another seed round but presently, HiBnb doesn’t have the infrastructure to support major marketing activities – and a lot of marketing is paid advertising.

But there were advisors who told Becker she’s doing it all wrong.

“Some people think that I created it backwards, where I created the technology and the platform first and we’re going for the traction and engagement second.” She was invited to pitch her business for investment dollars on the television show The Dragon’s Den. She didn’t secure any funding and the famous dragon entrepreneurs concurred she was running her business incorrectly. They suggested the traditional model of starting small, perhaps in a smaller city, and once that market was saturated, move to the next and grow, grow, grow.

“It’s important to note that the cannabis industry is different from the cannabis tourism industry,” Becker says. “And the future looks bright given that cannabis tourism is in its infancy and the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, hopefully.” Becker believes it’s a good time to invest in a company that offers unique experiences and differs from its main competitors such as AirBnb, VRBO and StayWithLodgr.

And business is growing. Since HiBnb’s inception in 2020, Becker has seen interest from a global perspective and has plans to grow internationally. People have reached out to her from around the world – places like Mexico and Chile, asking for help on how they can build out similar communities in their regions.

Becker is following her instinct, something she learned from her mother.