Live Higher: From Cannabis Events to Wellness Parties

✨ 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) "it's become a wellness party experience " "when people ask what live higher is, i tell them it's a wellness party you come to our events, we're serving wellness shots, we're doing ice baths, we're creating this whole vibe it's not just about working out it's about having fun while raising your vibration everything we do is designed to leave you feeling higher than when you arrived " — saint, live higher founder 🌱 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 rebrand changed everything for our growth " "i was hosting these amazing events, but i kept hearing the same thing 'i don't use weed, so this probably isn't for me ' that's when i realized the name was excluding people who would actually love what we do the transition to live higher opened so many doors suddenly wellness brands wanted to work with us, residential buildings were interested in partnerships, and people who were sober curious felt welcome it's still about living a higher lifestyle, just without the limiting associations " — saint 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 "our community brings incredible energy " "we've attracted this amazing mix of people, especially from the latin community through my work with run club usa when we pick our djs, we specifically look for someone who can bring those latin vibes because that energy is infectious you see people who might be shy at first, but once the music hits and everyone's moving together, the whole room transforms it's mostly 20 to 40 year olds who are looking for something different they want to party, but they also want to feel good the next day " — saint 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 "instagram's shadowbanning nearly killed our growth " "even after we rebranded away from the cannabis name, instagram's algorithm had us marked you literally couldn't search for 'weed and wellness' our name wouldn't even appear in the results sometimes our posts would get three likes when we had hundreds of active members it was incredibly frustrating because social media was our main way to reach people, and we were essentially invisible i was working twice as hard for half the visibility " — saint 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 "i wasn't really running a business i was just throwing events " "looking back, i wasn't tracking anything properly i'd throw an event, maybe break even or lose a couple hundred bucks, and just hope the next one would be better i knew i needed to get on quickbooks or something, but i was so focused on creating the experience that the business side kept getting pushed aside without proper tracking, i couldn't make smart decisions about pricing or growth i was flying blind " — saint 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 "when i saw other communities thriving on sweatpals, i knew i had to try it " "i first noticed sweatpals on instagram other fitness communities were using it and clearly growing that caught my attention more than any ad could have when you see your peers succeeding with something, you pay attention i thought, 'it doesn't hurt to try it out ' there weren't any fees to get started, so really, what did i have to lose? that low barrier to entry made the decision easy " — saint 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 "growing with the platform was key to our success " "i've been with sweatpals since its early days, which meant i learned each new feature as it rolled out i wasn't overwhelmed trying to understand everything at once as my events grew, i'd discover new capabilities right when i needed them it felt like the platform was growing alongside my business, which created this perfect learning curve by the time i was ready to fully commit in october, i understood the platform inside and out " — saint 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 "we're creating the club experience without the hangover " "for our friday night events, we're bringing everything people love about going out the dj, the vip bungalows, the bottle service presentation but replacing alcohol with wellness we'll have iv drip stations, non alcoholic craft cocktails served with all the fanfare of traditional bottle service, and ice baths for people who really want to elevate their night the bungalows create that exclusive vip feel, and packaging them as six person experiences encourages groups to come together " — saint 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 "the eventbrite integration blew my mind!" "i was literally about to start manually posting our events on eventbrite because i met someone at run club who found events that way when you mentioned sweatpals could do it automatically, i couldn't believe it 'get out of here!' i said 'is that active now? f yeah!' this changes everything because there's a whole audience on eventbrite who would never find us on instagram it's like having a marketing assistant who posts everywhere for you " — saint 💬 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 "exclusivity drives our community engagement " "we release vip packages and special tickets exclusively to our sweatpals members first i'll post on instagram saying 'we just released our vip packages exclusively for our sweatpals community comment sweatpals if you want early access ' this creates real fomo people see others getting first dibs on the best experiences, and they want in it's not manipulation we're genuinely rewarding our most engaged members with the first choice of premium experiences " — saint 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 "i'm discovering new ways to monetize every month " "i realized i could create hidden events just for sponsors they purchase their $500 gold sponsorship package right through sweatpals, and no one else even sees that option but here's where i'm getting really creative for our friday night events, i'm thinking about adding a digital drink menu people could pre order their non alcoholic craft cocktail bundles through the app, then just show their confirmation at the bar it turns sweatpals into our entire business operating system " — saint 📊 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 "consistency was the game changer for profitability " "when i was only doing 4 6 events a year, each one felt like starting from scratch now with monthly events and soon bi weekly we've built real momentum the first 20 tickets used to be the hardest to sell now they sell themselves because people know live higher delivers that consistency has turned us from a money losing hobby into an actual profitable business last year was the first time i made real money from events " — saint 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 "i can finally focus on what matters the community experience " "before, i was so buried in administrative tasks that i couldn't focus on what made our events special now everything is streamlined setting up an event is easy, tracking sales is automatic, and i can spend my time on the creative aspects designing new experiences, building partnerships, and actually connecting with our members though i admit, i check the ticket sales on the app way too often it's addictive watching your event grow in real time!" — saint 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 "we've gone from hobby to real business " "i used to hope to break even maybe make a couple hundred bucks if i was lucky now we have multiple revenue streams ticket sales, sponsorship packages, vip experiences, and we're about to add corporate wellness programs for residential buildings one venue cancellation forced me to network harder, and i discovered luxury buildings want to offer wellness experiences to residents they pay us to bring live higher to their community it's a completely new revenue stream i never imagined " — saint 💡 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 "don't let your brand name limit your potential " "the hardest part was letting go of the original name, but i had to ask myself am i more attached to the name or to growing the community? once i realized the name was the barrier, the decision became clear the key was evolving gradually weed and wellness to higher health to live higher bringing our core community along while opening doors to new members throughout it all, i stayed true to who i am coach saint, the recovery guy the business brand evolved, but the personal connection remained " — saint 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 "push through the discouragement of small beginnings " "those first few months of consistent events were tough sometimes only 20 30 people would show up, and it's easy to get discouraged but i kept showing up, kept improving the experience, and slowly the word spread now when we announce an event, the early bird tickets sell out fast but you have to push through those early days when it feels like no one cares consistency creates its own momentum " — saint 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 "we're proving parties are better without the poison " "people leave our events feeling better than when they arrived that's the complete opposite of traditional nightlife we keep all the elements that make a great party amazing dj, vip areas, beautiful presentation but instead of waking up with regret and a hangover, our community wakes up energized and proud of their choices the sober curious movement is massive, and we're showing them they're not missing out on anything they're actually gaining a better experience " — saint 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 "corporate partnerships stabilized our business " "when i had to scramble for a new venue, i started reaching out to residential buildings that's when i discovered they're all looking for unique amenities to attract and retain residents now we're in talks to provide monthly wellness experiences exclusively for their communities the building pays us, residents get free access to live higher events, and many become regular attendees at our public events it's a win win win that provides predictable revenue while growing our community " — saint 🔮 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 "we're going to build communities before we even arrive " "my plan is to launch virtual whole30 nutrition challenges that anyone can join from anywhere as people participate, we'll build email lists and connections in different cities once we have 100+ engaged members in a city, then we'll bring the live higher party experience there they'll already know us, trust us, and be excited for the in person experience it's so much smarter than just showing up in a new city and hoping people come " — saint 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 "this is bigger than just events it's a movement " "i see live higher becoming the go to for anyone who wants to live their best life without alcohol friday night parties, sunday morning wellness sessions, virtual challenges, corporate programs we're creating a complete ecosystem for the sober curious and wellness minded five years from now, i want live higher events in every major city, showing people that you can have more fun when you're actually present for it " — saint 🤝 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 "sweatpals gets that we're building businesses, not just communities " "what i love most is that there are no platform fees eating into our margins when you're trying to grow from breaking even to profitable, every dollar matters but beyond that, it's the flexibility i can use hidden events for sponsors, create complex ticket tiers, and they're always adding features based on what we actually need the regular check in calls are huge too it's not just a platform; it feels like they're invested in our success " — saint 📚 key takeaways for community leaders if you're considering sweatpals "just try it you have nothing to lose " "if you're not happy with your current setup, or you're not where you want to be, just give sweatpals a shot there's literally nothing to lose no platform fees, no complex contracts start small, use what you need, and grow from there don't feel like you need to use every feature on day one i started with basic ticketing and built from there now i'm discovering new ways to use it every month " — saint 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 https //www sweatpals com/livehigher instagram @thisislivehigher interview date june 6, 2025 case study published july 6, 2025 last updated june 30, 2025