In a world where cannabis-tech startups chase million-dollar funding rounds, Digital Awesome quietly carved its own path—no VC dollars, 200+ dispensary clients, profitable in year three, and still the same down-to-earth founders. Here’s how Mark Nelson and Brady Halse pulled it off.
Two Paths Converge in Cannabis
Nikki: Let’s kick off with the origin story. How did you two first meet, and what drew you into cannabis?
Mark: I spent over a decade running Digital Awesome as a bespoke software company where we worked with clients from all sorts of industries like real estate, edu-tech, internet of things, and finance before the cannabis world found me. Our very first cannabis gig was a mobile‐ordering app for a Washington dispensary, which we started developing in 2020. Seeing that work, I realized this could be our biggest pivot yet.
Brady: As for me, I came from real estate and hospitality sales at the Westin. Mark and I actually met in an entrepreneur accountability group, and he wouldn’t stop ranting about this gaping hole in cannabis apps. And as a dispensary customer myself, I noticed the same thing: no one was making a slick, user-friendly app. That’s when I knew we had to team up.
Spotting the Gap
Nikki: What exactly was missing in the cannabis app space?
Mark: Everything felt ancient, with clunky wallets or half-built custom platforms and apps that were not as fun and intuitive to use. Nobody was delivering the polished, intuitive feel you get from brands like Starbucks or Target.
Brady: Add a regulatory minefield on top of that with app-store restrictions, complex integrations, state-by-state rules, and dispensaries were left frustrated and craving a better ROI on tech. Plus, we all deserve a faster and smoother mobile ordering experience.
Mark: So we bet the farm on cannabis and walked away from all our other projects. I’d say it’s one of the craziest, most exhilarating moves we’ve ever made. Not to mention, we both were also raising our young families, so you can imagine how crazy that was!
Bootstrapping a Weed Tech Startup
Nikki: You’ve never taken outside funding. Why not?
Brady: We encountered investors and even had buyout offers, but we’re fiercely loyal to our clients. We didn’t want any board breathing down our necks.
Mark: Bootstrapping forces radical focus in my opinion. And every dollar has to earn its keep. So this principle has made us lean, nimble, and obsessed with impact.
Nikki: How did you snag those first clients?
Brady: Total old-school hustle like cold calls, LinkedIn outreach, organic brand building, and leaning on genuine relationships. Every demo had to wow and really show the power of our platform, even if it was in the state of continuous improvement.
Mark: We really believed in our vision, and thank goodness one client led to two, two to four… and before we knew it, we were doubling our roster every year. We experienced our peaks and lows for sure, but by year three, we were comfortably in the green.
That Rock-Bottom Moment
Nikki: Was there a moment when you thought about throwing in the towel?
Mark: Oh, absolutely. Around five months in, we were burning through our reserves fast, iterating on the product as we went, hustling to get our name out there and just doing our best to avoid bloat. Every dollar mattered, and with no runway for mistakes, it felt brutal when prospects wouldn’t give us the time of day. We started second-guessing ourselves… human nature, right? But rather than quit, we doubled down on our lean approach and decided to see it through.
Brady: I remember those days well. Getting anyone’s attention seemed impossible, yet a handful of forward-thinking dispensaries took a chance on us. Three years later, those first clients are still with us, and their belief kept our incredible team going.
The Power of Partnership
Nikki: You’ve mentioned building connections. How did your network expand?
Mark: From day one, we knew dispensaries needed the freedom to plug in their preferred e-commerce and rewards platforms. So we reached out to integration partners and got our product and processes validated. Though an uphill battle, once our shared vision caught on, doors started opening.
Brady: That collaborative spirit, combined with the business savvy of the dispensary teams we work with, now translates to serious results. Our clients have seen user retention soar as high as 95% and average order values jump up to 48%. Those numbers keep us fired up because real businesses demand real results.
Keeping the Startup Spirit Alive
Nikki: With 200+ clients, how do you stay nimble?
Mark: We intentionally keep our team small and build our culture around fairness, flexibility, excellence, and impact. On the development side, we follow an agile process—two-week sprints, daily stand-ups, and regular retrospectives so everything stays systematized and runs like a well-oiled machine. And every Friday, we ask, “Did we move the needle for our retailers this week?” If not, it’s back to the drawing board.
Brady: And we keep it fun! So laughter (and maybe a little sarcasm) is our secret ingredient for success. There, I said it!
What’s Next for Digital Awesome
Nikki: Awesome, so spill on what’s ahead for Digital Awesome.
Mark: AI-driven personalization like recommendations that feel like mind-reading and a slick new app UI that converts on sight. Plus, a beefed-up customer success process. We’re currently doubling down on helping clients squeeze every drop of ROI from their apps.
Advice for Cannabis Tech Companies from the Founders
Nikki: Last question. What advice would you give aspiring cannabis-tech founders?
Mark: Stay lean. Obsess over real customer needs. Quality trumps quantity, every time.
Brady: Don’t just chase funding at the expense of focus and mission. You can do a lot with a little, but only if you care enough to sweat every detail.
With zero VC backing and no glitzy ads, Mark and Brady rely on grit, laughs, and laser focus to help dispensaries grow. Proof that smart hustle can thrive among the giants.
