What actually makes someone good at building things people love?

In this BU Live conversation, publishing veteran Marji Ross and master blender Brandon McCraney break down one of the most overlooked business skills: taste.

From bestselling books to handcrafted whiskey, the discussion explores whether intuition is something you’re born with or something you build through reps, feedback, and real-world exposure. Hosted by Josh Pies, this episode dives into how audience understanding, gut instinct, and iteration shape every successful brand.

Key Topics

✅ Can intuition be learned or trained?

✅ The role of feedback loops in business growth

✅ Creative leadership in publishing and distilling

🎙 Guests:

👉Brandon McCraney, Founder of Master Blender at Olde Raleigh Distillery https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmccraney/

👉Marji Ross, Principal at Marji Ross Consulting LLC

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marji-ross-5065913/

00:00 Introduction to BU Live and Hosts

02:59 Masters of Taste: Understanding Audience Preferences

07:48 The Feedback Loop: Learning from Audience Reactions

10:38 Gut Instincts: The Evolution of Intuition in Business

16:29 Navigating Controversy: Provocative Content in Publishing

18:17 Experimentation in Craft: The Thousand Blends Project

22:00 The Importance of Consumer Focus

23:05 Trusting Yourself: A Journey

27:52 Taking the Leap: Starting Your Own Business

30:11 Navigating Challenges During COVID-19

32:18 Recommendations: Books and Beverages

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with another entrepreneur or business leader who believes relationships still matter. Like, subscribe, and join the conversation in the comments. What’s one business relationship that changed your life?

#BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #BrandBuilding #LeadershipMindset #Startups #WhiskeyCulture #PublishingIndustry #BusinessStrategy #FounderLife #BUlive

What happens when a business leader from the beverage industry sits down to talk about entrepreneurship, loneliness, AI, hospitality, and why the best business deals still happen face-to-face?

In this episode of BU Live, Josh Pies sits down with Jen Hauke, CEO of Draftline Technologies and host of the Thirsty Business Podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation about building relationships in a world increasingly dominated by screens, automation, and artificial intelligence.

From the future of draft beer and hospitality to the collapse of human connection after the pandemic, this conversation explores why community, shared experiences, and real conversations matter more than ever.

Jen shares lessons from growing a company in a highly specialized niche, what she’s seeing across the economy, how business leaders are adapting to uncertainty, and why breaking bread with people is still one of the most powerful forms of networking.

This episode is about more than beer. It’s about the future of human interaction itself.

Key Topics

✅ Impact of AI and technology on business

✅ Importance of face-to-face interactions and relationships

✅ Insights into the beverage industry and market trends

🎙 Guests:

👉Jen Hauke, Founder of DraftLine Technologies and host of Thirsty Business Podcast https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-hauke-2281a38/

🎙️ Thirsty Business Podcast https://thirstybusinesspodcast.com

🍺 Draftline Technologies https://draftlinetech.com

00:00 Introduction to BU Live and Jen Hauke

03:04 The Thirsty Business Podcast and Family Legacy

05:52 Understanding Draftline Technologies and Its Impact

09:09 The Importance of Social Interaction Post-Pandemic

11:54 Consumer Trends in the Beverage Industry

15:00 Inversion Thinking and Problem Solving

17:59 Navigating Economic Uncertainty

21:49 Navigating Economic Challenges and Opportunities

24:47 The Impact of AI on Business Dynamics

29:44 Market Insights and Industry Trends

34:35 Building Relationships Through Meaningful Interactions

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with another entrepreneur or business leader who believes relationships still matter. Like, subscribe, and join the conversation in the comments. What’s one business relationship that changed your life?

#BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #AI #HumanConnection #Hospitality #BeerIndustry #BusinessGrowth #Networking #BUlive

What makes some people completely freeze under pressure… while others seem to perform even better when things get chaotic?

In this live episode of B*U Live, we got into a real conversation about pressure, preparation, branding, business, media, entrepreneurship, and the moments that force you to think fast in real time.

What started as a conversation about Burger King trying to reinvent its image turned into a much bigger discussion about how perception shapes everything, from business and social media to jury trials, live broadcasting, and leadership.

We talked about:

✅Why perception is reality in modern business

✅Whether brands can actually recover after losing trust

✅How social media can destroy or revive a company overnight

✅Why confidence usually comes from preparation

✅The difference between reacting emotionally vs responding intentionally

✅What real estate, trial law, and live TV teach you about handling pressure

✅How adversity often becomes preparation for future success

And somehow we also ended up debating:

McDonald’s Diet Coke, Burger King onion rings, Chick-fil-A pickle brine, marathon training, golf media, and why thinking under pressure is becoming a lost skill.

This was one of those conversations that went everywhere in the best possible way.

🎙 Guests:

👉Dan Grieb, one of Florida’s top-producing real estate professionals and endurance athlete.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-grieb-4b401431/

👉Matthew Wasserman, personal injury attorney and wine enthusiast.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-wasserman-3bb09377/

👉Whit Watson, longtime sports broadcaster and one of the voices behind The Villages media network.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitwatson/

If you enjoy honest conversations about business, leadership, mindset, entrepreneurship, and real life without the polished corporate filter, subscribe to B*U Live for more episodes.

#BULive #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #Branding #Leadership #Marketing #PersonalGrowth #Media #RealEstate #Law #SportsMedia