Our CEO and co-founder, John Manlove, sat down with Tim and B.E. of Greenway Audio Magazine to talk about his Missouri roots, building a lean but powerful cannabis tech company, and expanding into 28 states (plus Puerto Rico).
John also shares how Apex Trading helps brands and dispensaries streamline wholesale operations, why he\u2019s passionate about staying focused on wholesale solutions, and what makes Missouri\u2019s cannabis market unique.
The conversation goes deep and covers everything from founder challenges, listening to clients, and small-team scaling, to managing the balance between innovation and staying true to your mission. Plus, John calls out some standout Missouri operators and his current music obsessions.
What’s more, the recording is broken out into easy-to-find segments, so you can quickly zoom in or revisit the content you’re after. Here’s the chapter breakout:
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00:00 Welcome & Guest Intro: John Manlove of Apex Trading
01:14 Missouri roots: From Lakebillies to the Pacific Northwest
02:20 Springfield memories & cashew chicken debates
03:52 What Apex Trading does and how it works
05:34 Missouri market growth & brand adoption
06:17 Expanding into 28 states and Puerto Rico
07:08 Customizing tech for different state markets
10:53 Missouri\u2019s collaborative cannabis culture
13:22 High-dose edibles and product flexibility
14:04 Running lean: Scaling with a small team
22:17 Staying true to your business model
23:30 Listening to clients & building a marketplace
26:56 The \u201cfounder problem\u201d & empowering your team
32:55 Why Apex focuses on wholesale
36:13 Client service as a competitive edge
39:00 Independence vs. vertical integration
41:48 Passion from seed to sale
48:50 Apex\u2019s flat-rate pricing model
49:51 Shoutouts to Missouri operators
55:53 Touring facilities & team inspiration
56:01 Where to learn more about Apex Trading
57:06 Podcasts & music John\u2019s listening to
59:03 Closing thoughts & MJ Unpacked promo<\/p>\n\n\n\n
YouTube:<\/strong>\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/TwBz6DaUZmQ<\/a> Apex Trading is helping thousands of cannabis producers and retailers across the US and beyond with inventory, order, sales management. You’ll find all the essential tools you need without the stuff you don’t. What’s more, we love integrating with all the best and necessary tools out there. You’ll find integrations with Metrc, Quickbooks, Sage, Slack, Flourish, Canix, Dutchie, onfleet, Acumatica, Hashio, Lit Alerts, and more. We have and continue to listen to cultivators, extractors, edibles manufactures, dispensaries, sales and purchasing managers, budtenders, C-level folks, and more to create a thoughtful and affordable software suite for the industry and plant. Want to learn more?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spotify:<\/strong>\u00a0https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/6kOAItGoKI0gYnShosrF0u?si=gNC-peJ8Qh2mEsw5_e73_Q<\/a>
Apple Podcasts:<\/strong>\u00a0https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/missouri-roots-national-reach-john-manlove-on-apex\/id1796716560?i=1000721460798<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n