What happens when the life or business you've built becomes the very thing preventing you from growing? In this episode, Joe digs into the hard truth that the things (the co-workers, the business structure, the story about who you are and what you do) that got you to where you are today, may not be what gets you to where you ultimately want to go. From the factory floor to entrepreneurship, from personal bouts of injury and depression, Joe reflects on what he’s learned about radical transformation, and the courage it takes to “burn it down” and build something better, including a story about his friend Ben Mollin who inspired the creation of one of Go Brewing’s first beers.

Whether you're an entrepreneur navigating a critical growth stage, a professional feeling stuck in a career that no longer fits, or someone searching for a personal reset, this conversation will challenge the way you think about success, happiness, and starting over.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Topics Discussed: Business scaling and team building, fundraising challenges, personal reinvention, changing your environment, overcoming adversity, entrepreneurship, mental health and happiness, minimalism, ultra-running and fitness as transformation, craft beer and brand evolution.

See also Joe’s interview with Ben Mollin:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CkJJtggnWzg5jH7Dbnwrx?si=75cbc65d480a4761

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-it-down-with-ben-mollin-of-the-ben-mollin/id1547273354?i=1000535916616

An event with Ben Mollin at Go Brewing on March 7 & 8:

https://gobrewing.com/pages/burn-it-down-x-ben-mollin

The Alter-Ego Trick To Beat Performance Anxiety

Anxiety can be debilitating whether it manifests as a stutter, a bad attitude or feeling stuck. In this episode, Joe shares how he went from a kid with a stutter to a keynote speaker using a powerful mental technique: creating an alter ego. Learn the persona method Joe used to overcome his anxiety, how he taught his daughter to use it for sports performance, and why preparation and repetition are the real keys to building confidence. This episode delivers actionable techniques for turning fear into your greatest advantage.

Key Takeaways:

Key Topics: Public speaking anxiety, overcoming stuttering, alter ego technique, performance anxiety, building confidence, imposter syndrome, parenting advice for athletes, deliberate practice, entrepreneurship mindset, turning adversity into strength

How to get the trademark you want and need.

Ready to launch and name your new business? Don't file anything until you listen to this. Veteran entrepreneur Joe Chura shares the complete process for choosing a business name that won't get you sued—from Google searches and domain availability to USPTO trademark filing and protecting your brand equity.

Key Takeaways:

Whether you're launching a startup, side hustle, or scaling a brand, learn the step-by-step checklist for securing your business name legally—before you invest in logos, websites, and packaging.

Topics: how to trademark a business name, naming your business, USPTO trademark search, business name availability, domain name strategy, trademark attorney, startup legal tips

And why taking a lesser valuation might actually accelerate your growth.

Veteran entrepreneur and investor, Joe Chura, breaks down the critical questions every entrepreneur needs to answer before raising capital—and explains why even successful founders get more "nos" than you'd expect.

What you'll learn:

Real talk on valuation, dilution, time horizons, and why proving yourself matters more than your pitch deck. Whether you're bootstrapping or ready to raise, this episode reveals what investors are really thinking when they evaluate your business.

For: Startup founders, entrepreneurs seeking funding, business owners considering investment, first-time founders

Topics: Raising capital, angel investors, venture capital, convertible notes, SAFEs, startup funding, founder equity, business valuation, investor pitch

Can ChatGPT count the Rs in "strawberry"? Joe Chura tests ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Claude AI with one simple question—and the results expose a dangerous pattern in how AI tools handle mistakes and how business leaders need to validate authority while integrating new technologies into their operations for essential gains in productivity.

If AI can confidently contradict even the Dictionary, how do we make decisions when the tools we trust are simultaneously brilliant and persuasive? The strawberry test raises an uncomfortable question: If AI confidently references sources while giving wrong information, how do you know when to trust it with financial models, spreadsheet calculations, or business decisions?

Though he built and sold two businesses for over $200 million, Joe shares how he still suffered from imposter syndrome and the Fortune 500 Boardroom moment that transformed his mindset about self-doubt, the value of experience and the actions he takes to keep learning (even from his interns).

Key Takeaways:

Why New Year's Resolutions Fail & How to Actually Achieve Your Goals

Tired of abandoning your New Year's resolutions by February? Discover why traditional goal-setting doesn't work and learn a proven framework that actually sticks.

In this episode, Joe breaks down:

Learn why choosing a concrete outcome (like training for a race) beats vague intentions (like "get healthier") every time. Whether you want to lose weight, start a business, save for a dream vacation, or tackle a physical challenge, this approach transforms motivation into discipline.

Perfect for anyone who's struggled with New Year's goals, wants to build better habits in 2026, or needs a fresh perspective on personal development and goal achievement.

The CPG Strategy that Took Go Brewing from Online to Costco

Joe breaks down his strategic approach to building a CPG brand across multiple sales channels. Learn why the order matters—from your own Shopify storefront to Amazon to retail shelves—and how to build a compelling "data story" that opens doors with retailers. Discover the pros and cons of each platform, from FBA vs FBM on Amazon to native shopping on TikTok Shop and ChatGPT, and why getting product into customers' hands is its own kind of marketing.

For entrepreneurs, marketers and sales leaders seeking to build a powerful “data story,” improve repeat purchase rates, use cross-channel insights, and understand which platforms to prioritize first. 

Readiness is a myth. When most people wait, entrepreneurs just start. Is this reckless, or a competitive advantage?

Joe reflects on several pivotal moments when he wasn't ready, but still pushed forward and built the fastest growing brewery in the country. From building a product with no previous experience to developing brand perception and advertising campaigns that are about more than awareness to launching in-store with one of the most esteemed retailers in the world (hint: think about what THEIR goals are), Joe shares lessons for entrepreneurs and business leaders that will help unlock growth potential by changing your mindset to prioritize momentum. Stop waiting and start going.

THC drinks: 1 year till prohibition?

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: