A provision in the legislation that ended the federal government shutdown will close the loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill that allowed for hemp-derived THC and CBD products to become a $30 billion industry. This could destroy businesses like Easy Man, one of the very first non-alcoholic beers that is micro-dosed with THC and CBD, and Craftsmith, a contract beverage manufacturer that serves this growing industry. But the threat of prohibition is actually an opportunity for regulation that would supercharge the industry.

Whether you're one of the tens of millions of Americans who use hemp-derived THC-CBD products, or a business operating in the space, this timely episode gives critical perspective to this sudden change from an industry insider, including:

• the health benefits of CBD
• the market differentiation between kinds of cannabis and hemp customers
• the motivations and needs of major businesses within the industry, including distributors who control how alcohol and THC/CBD beverages get to the market
• why alcohol sales are declining and the investor demands to offset those losses
• easy-to-understand benefits of government regulation
• why innovative entrepreneurs have an opportunity to drive change now

Signaling the opposite of what we were known for increased our overall sales, but why?

Would you rather be 1 of 5 businesses in your category, or 1 of 10,000? The answer surprised Joe and revealed a way to hack deep-seated customer psychology that transformed a key segment of his start-up business and expanded our total addressable market. Not only did the change drive sales and enable the business to scale, but it reduced staff anxiety, energized the customer experience, and established a partnership with a would-be competitor.

Key Questions and Take-Aways:

• Is your market differentiator too isolating? Your unique identity, may be too unique for the market you need to grow your business.
• What good is acting inclusive if you're signaling service to only a small customer base? Do more good by being relevant to more people.
• How can solving operational issues to scale your business also mature your brand's identity as the business grows? Treat customer awareness like an inventory resource.
• What happens when you see other businesses in your space like your customers do: not as competitors but as complements? (Hint: growth in new markets.)

Candid Career Advice that Every Business Student Should Hear Right Now

College debt has grown by 43% in the last decade, but another investment metric that young people in the early stages of their careers need to consider is time. How are you spending it to get the education you need to reach your goals? With the fast-paced changes coming from the AI revolution how you get skills, whether in the classroom or through on-the-job experience can make a huge difference to your future marketability as an employee who can bring value to a business. Joe shares his perspective as an entrepreneur, as a C-suite executive in a publicly-traded company and most importantly as someone who has been hiring recent MBAs.

Key Questions and Discussion:

• What has higher ROI: skills or degrees?
• Is specialization enough if AI is coming for your job?
• What does it actually mean to follow your passion?
• What's the real value of an MBA ... to your employer?
• What's the no bullshit difference between a CEO and an entrepreneur?