Joyology is one stop on many cannabis consumers’ path to happiness, whether they seek improved mental, physical or spiritual well-being.
As a staple dispensary in Michigan, Joyology is on a mission to enhance consumers’ quality of life through the “science of happiness,” said Bill Ludwig — the chief brand officer and owner of Joyology.
“Everything we do is about happiness,” Ludwig told Emerald via email. “As Buddha said, “There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.” It is a way of life for our bliss-ologists and our customers.”
Understanding the Importance of Happiness
At Joyology, achieving happiness means improving one’s quality of life through a balance of body, mind and spirit.
“When we use the word “happiness” we are not talking about the silly, giddy, ha-ha-happiness,” Ludwig explained. “We are speaking about the pursuit of happiness that Thomas Jefferson meant.”
To Ludwig, true bliss is the freedom to make decisions that result in the best life possible. With that in mind, he created Joyology to aid both medical patients and recreational partakers in their pursuits of happiness.
Joyology’s mission to spread joy began in May 2020 when its first dispensary opened in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In less than a year, they opened three more locations throughout the state in Reading, Center Line and Wayne.
Bliss-ologists: People who Curate Joy
Ludwig assures that Joyology’s staff of bliss-ologists are experts at inspiring joy and enhancing consumer well-being.
“We believe that a happy team makes happy customers,” said Ludwig. “Our bliss-ologists promise [that] no matter who you are or what you may be going through, we [will] help bring joy into your life.”
Bliss-ologists are essential to Joyology’s mission. Specifically, they curate unique products to enhance consumers’ minds, bodies and spirits. These products, which Joyology makes in their proprietary growing facilities, are created by combining specific chemicals in cannabis that have shown to improve personal well-being.
Along with their own handcrafted products, Joyology also carries products from over 100 other brands. This proves helpful for consumers when the dispensary does not have their top picks in stock.
“The wide selection is nice,” said Paula on the Grand Rapids’ dispensary review website. “Whenever they’re out of a product, they call you immediately and recommend several substitutions, which is always appreciated!”
As for partnerships with specific brands, Ludwig said “stay tuned.”
Beyond the Dispensary
In addition to spreading joy, the company also supports criminal justice reform efforts. Joyology donates a portion of its sale to the Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to releasing those in prison for cannabis.
Beyond Joyology’s reform efforts, the company wants to leave a legacy of happiness.
“We want to be the most-loved brand in the industry,” said Ludwig.
The Grand Rapids dispensary seems to be meeting that goal as visitors rate them four and a half out of five stars on Google.
The majority of commenters left five-star ratings, as they referred to budtenders by name and raved about the customer service. However, scattered throughout the review history are a couple of one-star reviews.
Reviews that gave the dispensary low ratings appeared to reflect isolated incidents of customer dissatisfaction, such as product weight, pricing and availability issues. Yet, happy customers overwhelmed the negative reviews.
“I’ll be back and look forward to trying different “prescriptions” to ease my ailments,” said CI Lee on the Grand Rapids’ dispensary review website. “Thanks, Joyology! You definitely bring joy!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️”
The owner also responded to each review, whether the comment was good or bad, to clarify product prices and availability, as well as explain how delivery and in-house services operate.
The Wild, Wild Midwest
Despite being off to a good start, Ludwig expects challenges ahead as the cannabis industry grows.
“It is the wild, wild midwest here in Michigan,” said Ludwig. “This is a nascent industry that is sorting itself out. I think that you will see, sadly, a lot of fall off and a lot of mergers and strategic alliances.”
But Ludwig is undeterred as he continues spreading his message about the importance of happiness while introducing Joyology to more communities.
Joyology expects to open four more dispensaries in the following Michigan cities: Burton, East Lansing, Battle Creek and Bay City.
With each new dispensary, Ludwig plans to uphold the same values that sparked Joyology’s creation, while continuing to help consumers enjoy their highest level of well-being.
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