How Jason Harris rebuilt Jerome Baker Designs into the world’s biggest bong company

This is part of a regular series of MJBizDaily interviews with major THC industry players. To be considered for an interview, contact editorial@mjbizdaily.com.

What’s the secret behind a successful and high-end ancillary brand in the cannabis industry?

For Jason Harris, the artist and the executive behind longstanding high-end glass art house Jerome Baker Designs, the winning formula was to build a real business first.

Only then can an authentic brand flourish.

“Longevity starts with discipline,” Harris told MJBizDaily. “The companies that survive pay their bills, build real relationships, and consistently deliver quality.”

In an recent MJBizDaily interview, Harris laid out what makes a successful accessory company in what’s become an age of copycats.

Is Jerome Baker Glass the ‘world’s biggest bong company’?

Before founding what was at one point by repute “the biggest bong company in the world,” Harris started small – as a working glass blower, rather than an entrepreneur.

He learned the art in 1991 from Bob Snodgrass, a legendary pioneer in glass art. The company’s name is simultaneous homage to both the Grateful Dead, which Harris would follow on tour, and to cannabis.

Harris built the company while navigating shifting consumer tastes,  increased competition and – after employing 70 people and recording $4 million in annual revenue – losing it all during a 2003 federal sting operation.

Not every cannabis-related operation survived the transition from prohibition to the medical era. Many more flamed out in the legalization era. Yet here’s Jerome Baker, decades later, still standing.

“I always compare Jerome Baker to a great rock band,” Harris said. “The catalog grows, the style evolves, but fans keep showing up because the core of what they love never changes.”

Launching a cannabis accessories brand

Accessories are big business in the legal cannabis industry. In California alone, retailers reported selling $800 million worth of non-cannabis items – a category that includes merchandise like clothing as well as papers, grinder and rolling trays as well as high-end hand-blown glass pieces like Jerome Baker’s.

Yet ancillary cannabis companies are finding it hard to stand out.

Products like smoking accessories share similar design processes and features. Technology has also made it easier to launch new brands. And similar use of design software, AI tools, and overseas packaging has made products more generic.

“Too many brands are starting to look alike,” Harris said. “Technology has made it easy to create logos and packaging, but easy doesn’t mean memorable.”

Similar or even near-identical knock-off products can get introduced into the market quickly. But Harris isn’t fazed when he sees a competitor copying his products’ appearances and features.

What can’t be copied are customer relationships, consistent craftsmanship and reputation.

“Brand value comes from giving people something they can’t get anywhere else,” Harris said.  “That’s design, storytelling, quality, and authenticity, not simply another product on a shelf.”

How Jerome Baker Glass stands out

For Harris, consistency is all about craftsmanship, customer experience and quality. Customers should always know what an ancillary brand stands for.

Harris’ focus is on original designs like The Twist, in which strands of glass wrap the outer edge of a long glass tube, and The New York Collection as opposed to chasing whatever the popular market trends may be.

A combination of a clear brand identity and creativity led to his success.

“Cannabis has always attracted entrepreneurs who think differently,” he said. “The strongest brands don’t chase trends, they create products that feel authentic, useful, and connected to the culture.”

“Brand value comes from giving people something they can’t get anywhere else,” he added. “That’s design, storytelling, quality, and authenticity, not simply another product on a shelf.”

That’s why he recommends relying on business histories and craftsmanship over trying to mimic other competitors.

“The best brands come from genuine experience,” he said.

“If you’re simply copying what’s popular or trying to manufacture credibility, consumers can tell. The companies that last build their identity from who they really are, not from what happens to be trendy.”

How did Jerome Baker Designs restart from scratch after a federal raid?

Harris had to rebuild the whole company after losing it to Operation Pipe Dreams, a 2003 federal crackdown that targeted glass pipe manufacturers and others.

Federal authorities seized everything connected to the business, including its inventory, assets, website and company property, effectively shutting Jerome Baker Designs downHarris was arrested along with dozens of other glass industry figures. He later reached a plea agreement and was sentenced to one year of house arrest and five years of federal probation, with no time served.

When Harris decided to resurrect the company, people remembered the firm’s strong identity.

Going forward, Harris is more concerned about the environment than law enforcement.

“We’ve created an enormous amount of unnecessary packaging and complexity because of regulations,” Harris said.

“A single product might need an outer box, seals, an inner container, inserts and even warning labels. That means more plastic, cardboard and other material can be used,” he added. “Consumers increasingly care about sustainability, and companies that make thoughtful, environmentally responsible products will have a long-term advantage.”

Building glass – and a brand – that lasts

Ironically, Harris’ methods means he is denying himself repeat customers – except in the event of an unfortunate mishap. That’s because the glassware is  designed to last for decades. It’s not as disposable and doesn’t need to be replaced as often – just  example of the decisions Harris has made that differentiates his brand.

Ancillary companies may be in an ideal position in cannabis. They work with retailers, manufacturers and interact with cultivators at trade shows  across several markets. That gives them a high-level overview of where the industry is doing well and struggling.

Planning ahead, Harris believes the biggest opportunities reside in sustainable products and preparing for broader legalization. But his core advice still hasn’t changed.

“Build a real business,” he said. “Have a solid plan, understand your numbers, and be prepared to outwork everyone else.”