Live Higher Community Success Story: From Cannabis Events to Wellness Empire

✨ executive summary community type mixed social wellness community location nyc metro area (new york city / new jersey) founded april 2021 (as weed and wellness) sweatpals since april/may 2024 (full adoption october 2024) transformation snapshot before sweatpals after sweatpals breaking even or losing money consistently profitable events paper based check ins digital event management instagram shadowbanned multi platform visibility 4 6 events per year monthly events + expanding to bi weekly single revenue stream multiple revenue streams (tickets, sponsorships, vip packages) 🌱 community story origin & vision the evolution of live higher offers a masterclass in brand transformation and market positioning what began as "weed and wellness" has transformed into one of new york's most innovative wellness communities, but the journey wasn't without its challenges saint, the founder, originally combined his passion for cannabis education with outdoor activities, hosting hikes and beach bonfires that attracted a niche but dedicated following however, saint discovered a fundamental problem that many community leaders face your brand name can become your biggest limitation despite the growing acceptance of cannabis, the word "weed" in his brand name was creating an invisible barrier potential members would see the name and immediately disqualify themselves, thinking "i don't use weed, this event's probably not for me " this realization sparked a strategic evolution through "higher health" and ultimately to "live higher" a brand that maintains the elevated philosophy while opening doors to a much broader audience the transformation wasn't merely cosmetic each rebrand represented a deeper understanding of his market and a refinement of his mission today, live higher embodies a lifestyle philosophy centered on "higher energy, higher purpose, higher standards higher everything " this positioning allows saint to maintain his authentic identity as "coach saint" and "the recovery guy" while appealing to anyone interested in elevating their wellness journey, regardless of their relationship with cannabis the community experience live higher has pioneered what saint calls "wellness parties" a concept that's revolutionizing how people think about sober socializing in a culture where nightlife often revolves around alcohol, saint recognized an underserved market people who want the energy, music, and social connection of a party atmosphere without the substances his events prove that you can have just as much fun if not more when the high comes from endorphins rather than alcohol the community has organically grown to attract a diverse demographic, primarily 20 40 year olds with a particularly strong representation from the latin community this cultural influence stems from saint's role as stretch coach for run club usa, demonstrating how strategic partnerships can shape community composition the latin influence brings a natural vibrancy and warmth to events, with djs who understand how to create that special energy through music selection and atmosphere what makes live higher special isn't just what they remove (alcohol) but what they add wellness shots, iv drip stations, ice baths, compression boots, and other recovery modalities that leave attendees feeling better than when they arrived it's this inversion of the typical party experience leaving energized rather than depleted that has created such passionate word of mouth growth it's this inversion of the typical party experience leaving energized rather than depleted that has created such passionate word of mouth growth 🧩 the challenge before sweatpals a common mixed social community struggle saint's pre sweatpals experience mirrors the struggles faced by countless community leaders trying to professionalize their operations while maintaining authentic connections despite his passion and growing reputation in the wellness space, the business side was barely sustainable he was trapped in a cycle that many community founders know too well working hard to create amazing experiences while barely breaking even, lacking the tools to efficiently scale, and spending more time on administration than community building the reality of manual operations the operational challenges went beyond just tools saint was experiencing the growing pains that occur when a community outgrows its founding infrastructure check ins had become particularly chaotic imagine trying to check in 300+ excited attendees using "just a piece of paper " the scene was all too familiar long lines, frustrated attendees, and saint trying to simultaneously welcome people, manage the list, and maintain the positive energy that made his events special financial tracking was another pain point that held back growth without visibility into event profitability, sponsor roi, or member lifetime value, it was impossible to make strategic decisions each event felt like starting from scratch rather than building on previous success tool stack complexity tool purpose pain point basic website ticket sales limited functionality, no analytics instagram marketing shadowbanned, couldn't be found in search sporadic email communication no consistency, poor open rates paper lists event check ins chaos with 300+ attendees 🔄 the transformation journey discovering sweatpals the power of social proof saint's discovery of sweatpals illustrates a crucial truth about how community leaders find solutions through their network seeing other successful communities using the platform provided the social proof that traditional marketing never could implementation process the gradual adoption playbook what makes saint's implementation story particularly instructive is his gradual adoption approach rather than trying to migrate everything at once, he started using sweatpals in april/may 2024 but didn't fully commit until october/november this slow ramp allowed him to learn the platform organically, testing features with real events rather than in theory the turning point came when saint committed to consistency the combination of regular monthly events and reliable platform infrastructure created a flywheel effect that had been impossible with his previous fragmented approach 🛠️ sweatpals solution in action core features utilized a mixed social community playbook the way saint uses sweatpals demonstrates how a flexible platform can adapt to creative community needs rather than forcing his unique vision into rigid software constraints, he's been able to use the platform as a canvas for innovation 📅 event management beyond basic ticketing saint's approach to event management showcases sophisticated thinking about experience design and revenue optimization for his upcoming friday night wellness club event, he's created a tiered experience that drives both exclusivity and community but the real innovation comes in his use of hidden events for sponsor management this creative use of the platform eliminates the need for separate invoicing systems while maintaining professional sponsor relationships 📣 promotional tooling the cross platform revolution one of saint's most enthusiastic discoveries was sweatpals' ability to automatically cross post events to other platforms this feature solved a fundamental challenge reaching audiences beyond his shadowbanned instagram account 💬 member communication creating vip experiences saint has masterfully used sweatpals' communication tools to create a sense of exclusivity and belonging his strategic use of early access has become a key driver of platform adoption among his community email and sms campaigns have transformed from sporadic afterthoughts to strategic community touchpoints regular communication maintains momentum between events, keeping the community engaged even when they're not physically together 💰 financial tools hidden revenue streams the financial features of sweatpals have unlocked revenue streams saint didn't even know were possible his creative use of the platform for sponsor management shows how community platforms can streamline b2b relationships 📊 measurable results & strategic insights growth impact the consistency multiplier the transformation in saint's business metrics tells a powerful story about the impact of proper infrastructure on community growth moving from sporadic events to a consistent schedule has fundamentally changed the business trajectory metric before after impact event frequency 4 6 per year 12+ per year 200%+ increase event size small groups 300+ attendees 10x growth profit margin negative/breakeven consistently positive sustainable business marketing reach instagram only multi platform 5x visibility operational efficiency from chaos to clarity the operational improvements extend beyond just saving time they've fundamentally changed how saint can allocate his energy instead of drowning in logistics, he can focus on experience creation and community building revenue transformation multiple streams of success perhaps the most dramatic transformation has been in revenue generation saint's evolution from losing money to building multiple revenue streams shows how proper infrastructure enables business model innovation 💡 playbook key strategies for mixed social communities 1\ the rebranding decision framework saint's journey from "weed and wellness" to "live higher" offers valuable lessons for any community leader whose brand may be limiting growth the key is recognizing when your name becomes a barrier rather than a bridge when to consider rebranding your name automatically excludes potential members platform algorithms penalize your content corporate partners hesitate to associate with your brand you spend more time explaining what you're not than what you are 2\ the consistency commitment building momentum requires showing up reliably, even when the first events are small saint's journey from sporadic events to monthly consistency provides a roadmap for sustainable growth 3\ the non alcoholic social revolution live higher's success in creating alcohol free parties that maintain all the energy of traditional nightlife represents a massive market opportunity the key is understanding that people aren't giving something up they're gaining a better experience essential elements maintain all environmental cues of premium nightlife add wellness elements that enhance rather than replace price for the experience, not the substances create instagram worthy moments throughout 4\ the b2b2c expansion model when a venue cancellation threatened an event, saint's aggressive networking revealed an entirely new business model this constraint driven innovation shows how challenges can reveal opportunities 🔮 future vision & scaling strategy geographic expansion the virtual first model saint's vision for scaling beyond nyc demonstrates sophisticated market development strategy rather than blindly launching in new cities, he's designing a proof of concept model that builds demand before requiring physical presence the ultimate vision looking ahead, saint sees live higher becoming a national wellness movement that proves healthy living doesn't mean sacrificing fun the bi weekly event schedule, corporate partnerships, and geographic expansion all ladder up to a bigger mission 🤝 why sweatpals works for mixed social communities the platform community fit the alignment between sweatpals' capabilities and mixed social community needs goes beyond features to fundamental philosophy the platform understands that community leaders are entrepreneurs who need flexibility to innovate 📚 key takeaways for community leaders if you're considering sweatpals if you're building a mixed social community the journey from "weed and wellness" to live higher shows that evolution is part of growth don't let legacy decisions limit your future stay authentic to your mission while being willing to evolve your approach key principles for success consistency beats perfection show up monthly, minimum premium experiences command premium prices don't undervalue unique offerings your brand name should open doors, not close them be willing to evolve technology should enable creativity, not constrain it choose flexible platforms community building is a business track metrics, diversify revenue 📋 case study information community leader saint, founder of live higher sweatpals community page www sweatpals com/livehigher instagram @thisislivehigher interview date june 6, 2025 case study published july 6, 2025 last updated june 30, 2025