What makes a great leader different from a great manager? Joe confesses why one-on-ones drain him, what he learned in the Boardroom of a publicly-traded company about persistence, and how changing environments can unlock hidden potential -- especially with support from good managers.

Key Takeaways:

CEOs and entrepreneurs need to know the difference between leadership and management (and then prioritize their roles accordingly).

How recurring 1-on-1 meetings can become a waste of time—and the alternative that works better.

How changing environments helps people see -- and know -- what they couldn’t before.

Plus Joe shares real-life observations from the boardroom that have shaped his leadership style as an entrepreneur: be persistent, give tough feedback well, and trust your direct reports to get sh*t done.

Joe dives into the art (and risk) of hiring ahead of where your business is today. From bringing in talent before the role exists to structuring equity and vesting agreements, we explore how the right people can accelerate growth—or hold you back. Learn how to balance vision with reality when building your team.

5 Key Takeaways:

Hire forward, not backward: Bringing in talent for where you’re headed—not just what you can afford today—can unlock faster growth.

Roles can follow people: Sometimes the right person shapes the role, not the other way around.

Know when to find partners vs. contractors: Equity can fill critical gaps when you can’t pay market salaries.

Use vesting to de-risk equity grant: Protect both founders and hires by aligning incentives over time.

Disruption requires buy-in: A great team challenges norms but stays aligned with the CEO’s long-term vision.

The Leadership Hack to Turn Discomfort Into Collaboration

Conflict is inevitable as teams grow—but how you handle it makes all the difference. Joe describes real-life examples of why ambiguity is the root of many workplace tensions, how to spot it early, and the fastest way to resolve issues before they spiral. From surprise three-way calls that cut through the noise to creating space for empathy, you’ll hear practical strategies for quickly turning conflict into collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

Ambiguity is an early warning sign: conflict often comes from poor communication and can turn into "us" vs. "them."

Speed wins: the quicker you address an issue, the less damage it causes.

Being direct can be uncomfortable: and that tension can drive effective change.

How to unlock enterprise value, delegate effectively & adapt systems to match goals

We dive into the most persistent question every founder faces: "where should you really spend your time?" From making pizzas in the early days to building national marketing campaigns, Joe shares how he decides what drives enterprise value, how he makes delegation an effective priority, and how to balance what fuels you with what fuels the business.

5 Key Takeaways:

Plus Joe makes a confession about being the Chief Optimist.

What We Learned When No One Wanted What We Loved (and how that saved us money!)

A/B testing online for customer preferences was a tried and true strategy for Joe as he built websites and digital marketing campaigns in the automotive space, but how could he apply those lessons for CPG retail in the "real world?" He shares a wake-up moment as a founder about confidence, bias, and the importance of testing ideas before scaling. From launching a canned water experiment that looked clever on paper—but creeped people out in real life—to uncovering what customers actually want, this conversation is packed with lessons for entrepreneurs who think their “gut” is enough.

5 Key Takeaways:

Your confidence doesn’t equal customer preference: Watch, listen and learn from your customers especially in early stages of product development.

How to test in the real world to prevent expensive mistakes: simple DIY experiments can yield valuable insights.

If you're inside the bottle, you can't read the label: Good branding is important but being overly clever can backfire when customers don’t “get it.”

Data beats opinions: whether from surveys, ads, or in-person experiments you don't need a lot of data to make better decisions and you've got no excuse for not collecting data.

Tips to avoid paralysis by analysis: meet your customers where they are, test only what matters, and keep going.

Tips to Approach Diet & Fitness: Test, Track & Take Action Now

Joe gets candid about his journey from neglecting fitness while grinding to grow his business to losing 45 pounds, running marathons, and sustaining healthier habits to be a better business leader, father, and husband. The connection between entrepreneurship and personal health is often overlooked so we break down the myths of “perfect routines,” why waiting until “next week” never works, and how small changes with realistic expectations can transform both your health and your business. Plus Joe shares his own shortcomings to help others assess what’s right for their own lifestyles.

Key Take-Aways:

Accountability Creates Momentum: Challenges, races, or workout partners provide the structure and motivation to stick with new habits.

Rule of Thirds for Startups: Big Wins, Paper Cuts & When to Call a Spiritual Healer

In an Ask-Me-Anything episode Joe shares intimate stories from behind the scenes of starting and running his businesses including the surreal moment of getting a $200+ Million offer and when the only solution was to call a spiritual healer to cleanse the business.

Key Take-Aways For Entrepreneurs:

Hijacking Super Bowl Commercials. Brand vs. Performance Marketing. Social Proofs Ads vs. Demographic Targeting. 

Feeling stuck on how to start marketing on Facebook, Instagram or Google? Joe cuts through the noise to share a simple and proven, early-stage business strategy. Learn how to build buzz, drive sales, and make every dollar work harder—without falling into the common traps that drain budgets. From hijacking big brand moments to letting the algorithm find your perfect customer, this episode gives you the blueprint to build your online business.

Key Takeaways:

- Brand + Performance Marketing: Master the two-part formula for awareness and sales.

- PR is your secret weapon—and your ad content goldmine.

- Ride the wave of competitor campaigns and cultural moments (Go Brewing landing pages vs. Heineken Zero Super Bowl commercials).

- Feed the algorithm with creative variety, not guesses at demographic targeting.

- What metrics to measure so your ads pay for themselves.

Joe shares expert advice based on his experience building and selling two companies that were at the forefront of digital marketing, as well as real-world examples building a non-alcoholic beverage company that sells online.

Build Email Flows that Unlock Value, Drive Sales & Create Relationships

The most undervalued resource of your business is your ability to contact customers directly so why would you spend money to drive people to your website or store if you can't stay in touch with them? In this episode Joe explains why you shouldn't spend money on ads until you build a system to earn customers' contact information and then send emails (or text messages) that will:

Joe shares a behind-the-curtain look at the automated email flows that he developed for Go Brewing and Easy Man, but these practical tips can apply to any business even ones that are not in e-commerce.

In this episode, Joe explains what many startups fail to do before they spend their first dollar on ads. From crafting a clear value proposition to optimizing your website for the buyer's journey, you'll learn how to build a brand experience that converts. Using real examples—like the launch of Easy Man, a hemp-derived THC beverage—we explore the importance of testing, simple UX, lead capture, and focusing on one customer persona. Whether you're a first-time founder or scaling an e-commerce brand, this episode reveals the foundation you must build before launching any campaign. Get the infrastructure right—then go grow.