What do you get when a 23-year Air Force Colonel trades her uniform for a machete and cacao seedlings? Meet Maria Carl, who went from leading global military teams to running a thriving Hawaiian chocolate farm.

Ten years ago, she and her husband bought a wild 10-acre plot on Oahu. What started as a dream home project turned into 21 Degrees Estate – an award-winning cacao farm known for world-class chocolate and an incredible sense of community.

Maria’s story is all about reinvention. She took the leadership skills she built over decades in the military and applied them to farming, sustainability, and building something truly meaningful. Her take? “You’d be surprised how transferable your skills are—and how many good ideas people have if you actually listen.”

If you’ve ever thought about making a big life change, this episode is for you.

Check out the farm at 21degreesestatehawaii.com.

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Excited to be back with you!