152: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Extraction Systems for Oil Extractors | Andy Joseph of Apeks Supercritical

Background on Andy Joseph of Apeks Supercritical:

Andy Joseph is the Founder and President at Apeks Supercritical. Andy founded Apeks Supercritical in 2001 while serving as the Director of Welding and Testing Labs for Edison Welding Institute (EWI), developers of manufacturing technologies. He first learned about mechanical operations and principles during his six years in the Navy operating nuclear submarine reactors. He is a two-time Navy Achievement Medal recipient.

As an engineer and skilled fabricator with well-rounded experience in engineering and operations management, Andy is a “working CEO.” He spends hands-on time on the manufacturing plant floor alongside other engineers/fabricators and welding technicians helping them to perfect their craft. He and his team continually work to improve the processes and capabilities of Apeks Supercritical systems, such as the Diaphragm Compressor Technology which increases processing efficiency for faster extractions requiring less energy consumption.

Andy is the inventor of five patents, including the Valveless Expansion Technology featured on all Apeks CO2 extraction systems. He received his bachelor’s and master’s of science degree in Welding Engineering from The Ohio State University.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

[1:06] Andy Joseph is the President of Apeks Supercritical, which manufactures botanical oil extraction systems. Their product is utilized greatly within the cannabis industry.
[3:30] They produce the extraction system but they are not the ones that get involved with the cannabis oil extraction.
[4:27] Andy spent 6 years as a machinist in a nuclear submarine. This experience was the foundation for creating the extraction system.
[5:10] In the early days, the manufacture of the botanical oil extraction equipment was just a side-job for Andy.
[7:33] Between 2009 and 2010, the medical cannabis industry found out about their botanical oil extraction system. The demand for their product grew within this timeframe.
[12:35] Andy explains in detail how their botanical extraction system actually works.
[22:21] Apeks Supercritical produces four product models (Bambino, Transformer, Duplex, and Force) catering to the different needs of their customers.
[27:30] Putting 10 pounds of cannabis leaves on the extraction equipment can yield about 1 pound of cannabis oil. Andy explains more about the extraction process and the ROI for their customers.
[33:29] According to Andy, to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to be good at every aspect of the business.
[37:15] Around 2016, the competition grew within the industry of manufacturing botanical extraction systems. Andy admits that they were not prepared for this rapid growth of competition.
[41:55] During the tough times the company experienced a few years ago, Andy had to fire his sales staff.
[46:53] Not taking in investors was one of the key mistakes that Andy made, which caused their growth to stagnate.
[48:21] Andy talks about the first hardest thing he experienced as an entrepreneur.
[54:11] After that devastating phone call with his partner, it was a roller coaster of emotion for Andy.
[55:38] Andy offers a few words of advice to his fellow entrepreneurs.

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Fabulous 4 Questions:

📖 📚 Favorite Book(s)? Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins
🙌😎 Favorite Amazon.com purchase? Pool Chemicals
🌱💸 Favorite Tool that's GROWN your Business? Solidworks
💭💡 BIGGEST Challenge keeping your Business from GROWING? 1970

Key Point from the Interview:

“To be a successful entrepreneur, I believe you have to be really good at filling in the holes. And that makes you a generalist by nature. You have to be kinda good at every single aspect of the business.”

Resources Mentioned:

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