About ApptitudePlus Cannabis Consultants
Applicants and Licensees large and small succeed when they partner with ApptitudePlus. As full-service cannabis licensing consultants, our firm has secured licenses for more than 100 applicants across 23 states and counting. Whether a social equity candidate, a newcomer to the cannabis market, or a well-established multi-state operator, our clients benefit from combined decades of cannabis, retail, and operations experience, from the moment we engage until you open your doors and beyond. We have assisted in operationalizing over 50 businesses across 8 states.
Why ApptitudePlus?
Our success rate is unmatched
More than 98% of ApptitudePlus clients are awarded licenses, a rate above and beyond the industry standard.
We’re your quarterback from A to Z
We’re invested in your profitability. That’s why we continue to help your team long after you receive your license.
We bring real-world experience
We’re not only experts in cannabis licensing, compliance, law, and SOPs — we’re operators ourselves. That gives us real-world insight into what makes a cannabis operation successful.
Meet our A+ team
Justin Singer, CEO
Areas of expertise:
- Cannabis license applications
- Cannabis laws and regulations
- Cannabis operations and compliance
Justin is among the country’s foremost experts in cannabis licensing, regulations, and compliance. As Founding Partner of Apptitude Plus and an operator himself, he has successfully led the pursuit of cannabis licenses in highly-regulated, limited-license markets across the U.S. Justin routinely quarterbacks the application process on behalf of his clients, with a focus on creating strong local partnerships, community-oriented operations and investable corporate structures. Justin’s clients range from well-established multi-state operators to social equity candidates looking to break into the cannabis market.
Outside of Apptitude Plus, Justin is a founding partner of Feuerstein Kulick LLP, where he leads the firm’s Regulatory Compliance and Licensing practice groups. He is also an adjunct professor at Medgar Evers College – CUNY in Brooklyn, New York, where he teaches Dispensary 101 as part of MEC’s cannabis minor degree program.
Prior to co-founding Apptitude Plus, Justin practiced commercial litigation and corporate restructuring at Herrick, Feinstein LLP. He graduated cum laude from Brooklyn Law School and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sarah Stretchberry, Chief Operating Officer
Areas of expertise:
- License applications
- Regulatory affairs
- Operations management
As Chief Operating Officer of ApptitudePlus, Sarah brings a rich tenure in the traditional retail world and in multiple roles in cannabis operations to clients. Her experience includes strategic growth, state-specific regulatory affairs, retail, cultivation, and manufacturing expansion, and compliance, among many other key aspects of retail, cultivation, and manufacturing operations. She has received several accolades in the cannabis industry, including being named to amNY and Politics Cannabis Power Players List.
Before starting with Apptitude Plus, Sarah spent several years with Holistic Industries, one of the largest privately-held multistate cannabis operators (MSOs) in the U.S. Sarah served as the Director of Retail — Massachusetts, Director of Operations & Special Projects, Director of New Markets, and Vice President of Expansion. In these positions, she was responsible for overseeing every aspect of the company’s nationwide growth, from applications and integrations, to licensing and state specific regulatory affairs, to building construction and final inspection, to operations for more than 20 retail and delivery locations, along with several cultivation and manufacturing sites. Sarah leverages this in-depth, first-hand knowledge and experience to help ApptitudePlus clients secure licenses, get operational, and succeed in the long term.
Before transitioning into the cannabis space in 2017, Sarah spent close to 15 years at Whole Foods Market. There, she oversaw store operations, profitability, expense control, merchandising, and other aspects of daily retail operations management.
Sarah is the mother to two daughters, and has a passion for cannabis, growing successful businesses, social equity, and conscious leadership.
Jillian Perrillo, Policy Compliance Associate
Areas of expertise:
- Application development
- Government relations
- Regulatory compliance
Jillian Perrillo works with ApptitudePlus clients to develop competitive applications and establish and maintain compliant operations, as well as supporting proprietary pursuits.
An experienced cannabis policy and regulatory compliance professional, Jillian’s focus is the development and maintenance of adaptable and solutions-based compliance models tailored to state and operational needs. Informed by experience working both in-house in both state and national compliance roles, Jillian specializes in translating regulatory and policy requirements into compliant operational models. She does this through the development of comprehensive but approachable and practicable standard operating procedures, regulatory training, and other resources that combine industry operating experience with compliance best practices. She also brings experience from her time consulting with a variety of operators, from multi-state operators to independent companies.
Jillian’s skill set also includes experience interfacing with state regulatory and policy officials to build a productive dialogue, bringing industry stakeholders and subject matter experts together to effectuate better cannabis policy and improve industry solutions.
Jillian has worked in a variety of roles in the cannabis industry since 2017. She is passionate about continuous improvement of skills and knowledge in a complex and ever-evolving field and sharing these best practices, tools, and experiences with others.
Alex Thompson, Ph.D., Regulatory Compliance Associate
Areas of expertise:
- Regulatory compliance
- SOP development
- Quality assurance
As a Regulatory Compliance Associate at ApptitudePlus, Alex brings a wealth of experience to Apptitude Plus. With more than a decade of diverse experience, Alex is a master of his craft, proficient in everything from comprehensive cannabis business licensing to SOP development, botanical extraction, product infusion, and quality assurance.
With his expertise, Alex is not just a regulatory specialist; he is a trusted advisor and advocate for the cannabis community, ensuring compliance while championing innovation and growth. Whether reviewing PPPA-compliant packaging or implementing seed-to-sale tracking systems, Alex is committed to elevating professional standards and driving positive change within the industry.
Alex’s journey to the cannabis industry is a deeply meaningful one. While a PhD student at the University of Colorado—Boulder, in 2011, Alex found life-changing relief from a chronic health issue upon becoming a medical cannabis patient. This pivotal moment ignited a deep-seated passion for the plant, leading Alex to delve into its intricacies for his doctoral research. His study focused on the cultural shifts within Colorado’s medical cannabis industry following the passage of the adult-use Amendment 64 in 2012. He wished to shed light on the early evolving landscape of cannabis legislation and changing societal attitudes. Transitioning from academia to the industry in 2015, Alex embarked on a journey that took him from Colorado to California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, where he worked with licensed cannabis operators in various regulatory compliance and operations roles.
Brittani Sobolewski, Director of Retail Operations
Areas of expertise:
- Retail operations
- Purchasing and allocations
- Retail expansion
Brittani brings 18 years of extensive experience in retail management to the Apptitude Plus team. At Apptitude Plus, she oversees retail operations for proprietary dispensaries. She contributes to the client’s operational setup, leveraging her expertise in creating and maintaining successful cannabis retail environments. Brittani also manages wholesale relationships and purchases utilizing data analysis for strategic decisions, further underscoring her comprehensive command of the cannabis industry’s intricate operational landscape.
Before joining Apptitude Plus, Brittani was a key player at Ascend Wellness Holdings (AWH), a publicly-traded multi-state operator with stores in seven states. There, she held pivotal roles as General Manager and Purchasing and Allocation Manager. She played a vital role in shaping Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during the dispensary’s transition from medical to recreational cannabis in New Jersey, including implementing processes for compliant inventory management.
Notably, Brittani spearheaded the success of New Jersey’s top-performing medical dispensary, Greenleaf Compassion, after its acquisition by Ascend. There, she played a crucial role in preparing teams as the recreational business expanded to an impressive $4.2 million monthly.
In her capacity as a cannabis purchasing professional, Brittani demonstrated her prowess by designing allocation and purchasing systems aligned with state regulations. She fostered meaningful relationships with key vendors in both the New Jersey and Massachusetts markets, managing eight menus and steering product life cycles through meticulous data analysis, thereby establishing a competitive advantage in both regions.
Daniel Lee, Application Coordinator
Areas of expertise:
- Application writing
- Regulatory compliance
- Project management
Daniel joined Apptitude Plus in 2021 and brings half a decade of cannabis application experience to the A+ team. His primary focus is on producing application materials, managing deliverables, interfacing with clients, and navigating the various regulatory pathways each state offers to get from application to licensure. Since joining Apptitude Plus, Daniel has played a role in producing winning applications in states like New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, cities like Detroit, and jurisdictions like Washington, D.C.
Prior to joining Apptitude Plus, Daniel worked as a paralegal under celebrated cannabis consultant and application writer Troy Kaplan. From there, Daniel was quickly involved in the application process, working on both competitive and non-competitive applications in more than a dozen states. Soon his role expanded into project management, and he played a pivotal role in winning applications in New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Maryland, West Virginia, and Los Angeles.
Daniel is an honors graduate of Kean University, where he majored in Writing and minored in Computer Science. He then attended an ABA Approved Paralegal Program at Union County College, from which he graduated with honors.
Services offered by our cannabis licensing consultants
The ApptitudePlus team are the industry’s unmatched experts in application writing, regulatory compliance, community relations, and operations consulting. Learn more about what we offer, and how our cannabis licensing consultant services help you succeed.
Leave no point unscored with ApptitudePlus
Our full-service, individualized approach wins more cannabis licenses in highly-competitive, limited license markets than any other firm in the U.S. Book a no-obligation consultation to learn how we can work together.