Hey friends, subscribers, people who wandered over here from Instagram. It happens to be finals week at Mizzou, and also MJBizCon Week for me (the Super Bowl of the cannabis industry, and the biggest professional event of my career so far, no pressure). So let’s talk about our guts!
When I was a TA in grad school, I had the unpleasant experience of grading exams, and there is one thing that stuck with me: Whenever a student marked an answer, erased it, and picked a different answer…they were almost always right the first time. 9 times out of 10, you should have gone with your gut.
We’re told to trust our instincts but it’s easier said than done when you’re under pressure and don’t feel qualified. Second guessing on a test is not a memory problem. It’s a confidence problem.
We’re all more competent than we think, but the older you get, the more you start to second-guess yourself. I do it all the time, especially because I’m constantly working in complicated industries like technology and cannabis. How do you walk into a room of software engineers with zero knowledge of coding and tell them how you’re going to execute a PR strategy that accurately communicates the work they’re doing? How do you avoid second-guessing yourself in a subjective profession where no one really has the answers?
The secret to trusting your gut is to feel prepared. The students who studied the hardest trusted their answers the most, and not because they necessarily knew the answer, but because they felt confident. Before every meeting, I do my homework. I research the hell out of the company, its competitors, the industry trends, the recent news coverage, the best techniques. That way I can walk into a room full of the smartest people in the biz, and still feel confident in my own answers. I’m not saying my answers are right, but I trust my gut enough to go with my first guess.
Trust your gut this week, whether you have a gnarly new business presentation coming up or the MCAT or a job interview or you’re taking the Digital Strategies I final at Mizzou. Study and don’t second-guess!
Enough of the soapbox. On to the news:
If you don’t read anything else in the news this week, read this:
Americans prepare for melodramatic shortages:
America Braces for Possible French Fry Shortage After Poor Potato Harvest: Not the French fries!! (Bloomberg)
Walmart Sparks Panic and Confusion in the Dish-Soap Aisle: Walmart posted signs of a “national dish soap shortage” in store aisles and people were alarmed. (Wall Street Journal)
The Tequila Shortage Could Be Almost Over: There was a tequila shortage? (Fortune)
More people are going to concerts:
Concerts Are New Arenas’ Main Attraction, Rather Than Sports: (Wall Street Journal)
Another startup scandal:
Emotional Baggage: Former Away employees describe a toxic work environment at the luggage company: That trendy suitcase everyone has been posting on IG is the result of overworked employees and controlling company policies. (The Verge)
Away warns employees not to interact with criticism of the company's workplace culture after the CEO's public apology (Business Insider)
The inevitable takedown of the female CEO: I agree with some of this op/ed but not all of it. Are female CEOs portrayed unfairly in the media? Absolutely — I read business and tech news like it’s my job (because it is) and I have seen over and over again how female CEOs are described as “aggressive” and “blunt” in a negative way while male CEOs are applauded for the same actions. But in the same spirit, female CEOs deserve the same scrutiny and investigation. A toxic workplace is a toxic workplace regardless of who is in charge. (TechCrunch)
What’s that smell? Consumerism:
Walmart is selling fire logs scented with KFC chicken seasoning. (USA Today)
Fendi is selling scented leather handbags. (Elle)
Boomers are apparently not buying real Christmas trees anymore. They’re missing out on that evergreen scent. Also, I named my tree Albert and I wouldn’t feel the same naming a fake tree Albert. (Washington Post)
This art is bananas:
This Banana Was Duct-Taped to a Wall. It Sold for $120,000. Yes, really. (GQ)
And then SOMEONE ATE THE $120K BANANA: Banana Splits: Spoiled by Its Own Success, the $120,000 Fruit Is Gone. (New York Times)
The banana that consumed the art world was then consumed itself. Such is life.
And then get this: After the banana was eaten, the gallery solved the problem by just taping another one to the wall. God, I love the art world.
Beauty tip of the week:
If you live in dry weather like Denver, do those hydrating sheet masks but don’t look in a mirror.
I convinced Chris to try those fun face masks with animal designs and the result was genuinely horrifying:
Moral of the story: You will NOT LOOK LIKE A SHARK. You will look like a combination of the Joker and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. FYI, I got permission from Chris to post this and he is a hero for it.
The good news is, the masks actually worked, so there’s that. 10/10 for moisturization, 1/10 for aesthetics. Added one point for the Snap story I got out of it.
Hop take: My craft beer pick of the week
Elevation Pilsner by Elevation Beer Co.
I don’t know guys, I’m just getting really tired of IPAs. Trying to do more of the lighter beers lately. Elevation Beer Co. makes this delightful German-style beer called the Elevation Pilsner that tastes like one of those beers you could drink all day, without knocking you out. I also like the name. Feels right when you’re up a mile high.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy your week and if you enjoyed this newsletter, feel free to get these in your inbox by subscribing below.
Cheers!
-A