WebJoint is the Shopify of Cannabis: The ACR Profile of Chris Dell'Olio
Much has been written about Christopher Dell'Olio, and we can certainly understand the media's fascination. In person, he's so humble and gracious you wouldn't know that he started his first company at 19 years old and while working two gigs created WebJoint, the popular cannabis software platform. As this prodigy's story unfolds, it becomes clear he's got a strong creative future ahead.
INTERVIEW
American Cannabis Report: Hey Chris, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. We know you're working on putting up the California Cannabis Awards show and are incredibly busy. Give us the log-line on you. What should people know about Chris Dell'Olio right off the bat?
Christopher Dell'Olio:
I'm a software developer and website developer. For the past two and a half years I've been developing a software platform called WebJoint, an all-in-one cannabis software that helps manage inventory, sales, deliveries, employees, customers (patients), and a lot more.
ACR: Rumor has it you’re a software prodigy…?
CD: That's really nice to say, but I just work hard. When I was 19, I started a web design firm with friend from high school. So you could say our company was started by a couple of teenagers in a bedroom!
ACR: When was this?
CD: This was 2014. At the time, we also worked for an independent blues record company, doing SEO and online marketing. So really, we were working 2 gigs. Those were 12-14 hour days. We noticed that MJ (Freeway) and Biotrack were making big money and we said, “Why can’t we do that?”
Turns out, we could.
ACR: So how is WebJoint different?
CD: Doing research, we saw that dispensaries and collectives were all using directories, not websites. They had Yahoo email addresses, etc., it was all very low on the scale of tech. So we started building them really nice, pro websites and it just kept growing…
After months of making websites for dispensaries and delivery companies, we recognized some trends in the features that people were asking for. We decided to put these features together and create a software that was needed in the industry and called it WebJoint. We launched WebJoint near the end of 2014.
In the beginning, we had 1 cannabis client, a collective in the Valley. We built relationships with dispensaries, one at a time, and grew.
ACR: About how many clients does WebJoint have now?
CD: Webjoint has 220 cannabis retail clients (about 70% delivery, 30% dispensary).
ACR: But Webjoint does much more than make websites, right?
CD: Definitely. We're going to be full service soon. At the beginning, we didn’t know Seed-to-Sale would be required – well no one did, the regulations were developed after we started. We’ll have seed-to-sale capabilities this year.
ACR: Is WebJoint just Point of Sale now?
CD: We are POS and e-commerce. With WebJoint, your Website and POS software are integrated in real time. We are the Shopify for cannabis.
ACR: Are all your clients all in California?
CD: We have clients in California, Michigan, Canada, and recently just got our first client in Montana.
ACR: What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the California market since you entered the space?
CD: The complexity of the regulations. The many types of licenses, and their requirements. On the upside, the relationships we’ve built. It’s all about the relationships in this business.
ACR: What’s coming up for WebJoint?
CD: A lot! We’re working on Distribution software because California has specific structure for Distribution. We’re adding Taxation, Inventory, Wholesale orders… We’re integrated with METRC.
We’re working on the Cultivation piece, within the year we’ll have a solution that integrates WebJoint. Ultimately, the goal for us and all software companies is to become seed-to-sale.
ACR: Is Webjoint integrated with other software, or can it be?
CD: We’re working on integrations with other software. WebJoint has an API, or we can integrate with their APIs… We are integrated with OnFleet for delivery, so companies have no need to re-build the GPS… We are working on loyalty programs… Accounting… it’s all coming together.
ACR: Anything fun in the future?
CD: On May 18th WebJoint is hosting the California Cannabis Awards Show at the Novo Theater at LA Live. We have a Compliance Workshop coming up at the Hitman Coffee Shop in Korea Town in Los Angeles. We just announced new updated POS, and we’re doing a big launch party soon.