Podcast Summary: Living The Red Life
Episode: Xvertuz Co-Founders: Turning Vape Bans into Business Breakthroughs
Host: Rudy Mawer (and Ray Gutierrez for this episode)
Guests: Debbie & Dina, Co-Founders of Xvertuz
Date: November 17, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Rudy Mawer and Ray Gutierrez sit down with Debbie and Dina, the co-founders of Xvertuz, a smoke shop business born out of adversity. The conversation centers on how they transformed the challenge of state vaporizer bans into an innovative and thriving retail experience. The discussion covers their business evolution, the impact of cultural perceptions on the smoke shop industry, regulatory hurdles, and their customer-first approach to retail. Their journey underscores the importance of adaptability, community-building, and creative problem-solving for entrepreneurs.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Founding Story and Business Evolution
- Starting Point: The business began as a vape shop in Utah but encountered immediate obstacles when the state banned vapes.
- Quote: “Ours started as a vape shop mostly, but then Utah banned vapes. We had to, like, branch out into other things.” (A, 00:04)
- Adaptation: They pivoted by expanding their offerings, diversifying into complementary products (coffee bar, oxygen bar, traditional tobacco alternatives).
- “We struggled through it and spread out and kind of so far, we're still going and growing.” (A, 00:27, 01:51)
2. Setting Themselves Apart: Culture & Experience
- Personal Touch: Most smoke shops are described as “barren,” lacking welcoming energy and personal connection.
- “A lot of the smoke shops don't have any personal touch. It's very barren.” (B, 00:15)
- Xvertuz’s Approach: They designed a vibrant, space-themed atmosphere to shift perceptions and attract a broader audience.
- “Ours isn't a normal smoke shop. It's actually very vibrant, fun place to actually just go.” (C, 00:18, 02:25)
- Custom painted, space-themed floors; focus on inclusivity and community.
- Target Audience: Customers range from middle-aged to older adults, with a strict 21+ policy.
- “Yeah, we have older people that come in. There's younger people, nobody under 21.” (A, 04:22)
3. Navigating Stigma and Legal Challenges
- Public Perception: Smoke shops are often stigmatized as non-essential, even ‘sketchy’ places.
- “It's not essential. It's kind of like a luxury lifestyle.” (B, 00:35, 05:27)
- Breaking Stereotypes: Xvertuz aims to create a safe, welcoming, community-centered space.
- “That was my goal, to make it more welcoming and less like the typical sketchy place on the corner.” (A, 06:02)
- Legal Nuance: They discussed navigating Utah’s strict regulations on products like CBD, kratom, and hemp derivatives.
- “The only one in Utah that we are allowed to sell is hemp derived Delta 9...” (A, 10:29)
4. Inventory & Trends
- Sourcing Product: Product selection is driven by customer feedback, social media trends, and attending trade shows.
- “I like to look at, like on social media, just see what's trending and what looks cool...and then we go to the trade shows.” (A, 06:42)
- Quality Control: Listening to customers and responding quickly to their requests ensures relevance and quality.
- “We listen to customers. In fact, that's how we grew so, so big is because people would tell us what they want.” (C, 07:27)
- Popular Products: High puff count vapes with appealing aesthetics—avoiding the cheapest, poor-quality items.
- “They like the ones that have like high puff counts or cool lights or mostly reliability.” (A, 07:04)
5. Customer Engagement & Marketing Hurdles
- Marketing Limits: Social media is heavily restricted for tobacco-adjacent businesses. They rely on direct engagement and creative strategies.
- “The algorithms, because we're a smoke shop, they pretty much have to be friends with us and go look for us. Will never pop up on the feed.” (A, 07:42)
- “I'm banned from doing ads... I try to post a few times a week.” (A, 08:09)
- Creative Engagement: Hosting in-person scavenger hunts (“hide $20 and just like video it and like come find $20”) to keep customers engaged. (A, 08:31)
- Customer Service: Building personal relationships by fulfilling special requests and remembering customer preferences.
- “They’ll come in and ask…our employees are really good about it, just writing it down and then I just go and look for it.” (A, 09:02)
6. Industry Trends & Debates
- Product Packaging: Discussion on whether fun, colorful “childish” designs are appropriate; adult customers actually like playful designs.
- “Adults like candy flavor and adults like pretty things.” (A, 09:50)
- Regulatory Cat-and-Mouse: The government’s piecemeal bans on substances like Delta-8 have contributed to the proliferation of new compounds and ongoing workarounds.
- “So the government’s kind of causing that.” (A, 11:07)
7. Mindset and Entrepreneurial Advice
- Perseverance: Both co-founders emphasize resilience and adaptability in the face of recurring challenges.
- “You’re going to be kicked down, but you just got to think outside the box and keep going.” (A, 11:42)
- “Every time something happened, it was pushing us to where we had to go.” (C, 12:08)
- Positive Outlook: Setbacks served as key turning points leading to ultimately better outcomes.
- “We're thankful that it happened that way. Just so stick to it. And things just start happening for you and it's being positive all the time.” (C, 12:08)
8. Brand Origin Story
- Name Meaning: ‘Xvertuz’ draws from the Latin word virtus (virtue), with an ‘X’ for “extra” and a ‘Z’ added for style.
- “Virtus...then Debbie and I got creative with that word and put an X in front for extra and the Z just because.” (C, 13:44)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Stigma and Customer Experience:
"That was my goal, is to make it more welcoming and less like the typical sketchy place on the corner."
—A (06:02) -
On Customer-Driven Inventory:
"We listen to customers. In fact, that's how we grew so, so big is because people would tell us what they want."
—C (07:27) -
On Resilience:
"You’re going to be kicked down, but you just got to think outside the box and keep going."
—A (11:42) -
On Perseverance:
"Every time something happened, it was pushing us to where we had to go. And so we're thankful that it happened that way."
—C (12:08)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [00:04] — The challenge: Utah’s vape ban and business pivot
- [02:35] — Broadening offerings: Oxygen bar and coffee bar
- [03:43] — Space-themed, inclusive retail concept
- [04:39] — Product mix, focus on non-big tobacco
- [06:02] — Addressing smoke shop stigma; creating a welcoming space
- [07:27] — Customer-driven business decisions
- [07:42] — Marketing hurdles due to regulations
- [08:31] — Community-focused engagement strategies
- [09:50] — The debate around playful product labels and adult consumers
- [10:29] — Navigating Utah's tricky legal environment for hemp/Delta products
- [11:42] & [12:08] — Mindset and resilience advice for entrepreneurs
- [13:44] — The origin of the Xvertuz name
Connect with Xvertuz
- Website: xv.com (under development)
- Social Media: Facebook, TikTok, Instagram (@Xvertuz or @XvertuzVapes)
In summary:
Debbie and Dina’s story is a masterclass in entrepreneurial resilience and innovative thinking. By refusing to be defined by regulation or negative stereotypes, they've created a thriving business with a community focus and a unique, welcoming retail environment. Their advice? Stay positive, be adaptable, and always put your customers first.