Bryan Gerber, 27
Hemper in Mid-Wilshire sells monthly subscription cannabis boxes, limited-edition celebrity-curated boxes and third-party and original smoking products through an online head shop. The company also sells to distributors and has a manufacturing plant in India.
Employees: 10
Financials: $6 million-plus revenue; a recently closed seven-figure seed round.
What led you to start this business?
The best ideas come out of personal necessity. I was in my last semester of college and purchasing a ton of rolling papers off Amazon. After months of re-ordering the same products, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if someone could send me my monthly essentials on a subscription basis?” I discussed the idea with Ravjot Bhasin and Henry Kochhar, my two co-founders. I finished college on May 18, 2015. We shipped our first boxes the next day.
How did you fund it, and how are you funding it going forward?
We each threw in $5,000 and didn’t need to raise any capital for the first 2 ½ years. We plan to go for our Series A round very soon.
Are there advantages/disadvantages to starting a business in your 20s, and if so, what are they?
Freedom is directly based on how hard you work. This is my prime; why would I give it to anyone else and make them rich? I am essentially responsible for the financial well-being of all the guys that work for Hemper. There’s a lot of stress. But it’s high risk, high reward, in my eyes.
Where do you go for advice regarding your business?
I first turn to my two co-founders, RJ (Ravjot) and Henry, and our creative director Thai Tran, a dynamic group of guys that each have their own separate skill sets. We also have a board of advisors.
Where do you go for professional services (legal help, accounting, etc.)?
We have experts to turn to if we don’t know something or need anything handled by a professional.
How much time/money do you spend on social media for your business?
Social media is our largest focus – and upwards of $20,000 a month on marketing. Tons of time goes into planning schedules, recruiting influencers and finding marketing channels. This industry is very difficult due to the nature of the products. Content is king.
Does social responsibility play a role in your business?
Destigmatizing the cannabis community. With recreational use of marijuana now legal in eight states and medical use approved in 30, cannabis plays a legitimate, and in some cases medically important, role in many people’s lives.
Do you feel that your business is particularly tailored to the Los Angeles market, or do you feel you could have launched it in another location?
As a predominantly online commerce company, we can be based anywhere. But L.A. is the mecca of the cannabis community, so it is the place we need to be to grow the business.
Do you encounter skepticism from investors because of your age, and if so, how do you handle it?
Not really. In the early days, I took about 100-plus investor calls from a variety of different people, and no one seemed to even pay attention to my age.
What do you do for fun?
Eat out, work out, see a comedy show at the Comedy Store in West Hollywood, go to the beach.
