Listen Ventures

We’re thrilled to announce So Curious, happening on April 8th in Chicago. Hosted by Listen, this groundbreaking, full-day event is dedicated to the social beverage movement— bringing together visionary entrepreneurs and industry leaders shaping the future of Delta-9/THC beverages, non-alcoholic alternatives, and functional drinks. Visit the ticket page to snag a ticket: lu.ma/so-curious-2025 You’ll hear from industry experts such as… Joe Chura, Co-Founder and CEO of Go Brewing Alexander Choi, Founder and CEO of Perfectly Dosed Taylor Foxman, Founder and CEO of the The Industry Collective LLC Seth Yakatan, Co-Founder and Partner of Katan Associates International Austin Sawyer, President of CounterMeasures Corp. Diana Eberlein, Chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives …and many more. Not just another conference. There is a lot of buzz about the future of social beverages— Non-Alc, Functional, Hemp Derived THC, Kratom… And a whole lot of conferences about the business of emerging beverages. but not a lot of focus on the consumer behavior driving the opportunity. As a consumer-obsessed brand firm, we decided to host an event that puts the consumer at the center of this movement. Come hear from insight experts, market intelligence and consumer brand builders winning in this space and consumers themselves… #socialbeverage #delta9 #nonalcoholic #beverages #entrepreneur #consumerobsessed #drinkweed \\ Jeff Cantalupo Rick Desai Brentos Fernandez Joelle Cosmas Ellen Wilcox Alexis Queen Johnnie Yu Nika Longo

?? We asked,?you?answered. What does the?ideal infused beverage experience?look like? Here's what others are saying... We're still collecting thoughts and would love to hear yours! Our quick 10-minute survey is all about the growing world of canna-beverages. Your input helps shape the future of this space—and we’re giving away a few $250 gift cards to participants. Already taken the survey? Share this post to spark even more conversation! Let’s reimagine the way we unwind, one sip at a time. https://lnkd.in/gh4T-mxm #consumerobsessed #consumerfeedback #infusedbeverages #cannabis #thc #delta9 #nonalc \\ Jeff Cantalupo Rick Desai Brentos Fernandez Ellen Wilcox Alexis Queen Joelle Cosmas Johnnie Yu Nika Longo

Big news: we’re growing our Investment Team at Listen! ?? We’re on the hunt for investors to join our dynamic 2-3 year associate program. Love diving into consumer investing, crushing financial analyses, and geeking out over qualitative research? You’re our kind of people. Know someone who fits the bill? Send them our way. Check out the links below for the job descriptions and all the details. **Applications close at the beginning of February. Senior Investment Associate: https://lnkd.in/gFB6jfRg Investment Associate: bit.ly/listen-assoc-25 #hiring #venturecapital #consumerinvesting #consumer #finance #investmentbanking #financialmodeling #vc #memos #jobsearch #jobopening \\ Jeff Cantalupo Rick Desai Brentos Fernandez Ellen Wilcox Joelle Cosmas Johnnie Yu Alexis Queen Nika Longo

THC is in, alcohol is out— let’s talk about it! This Dry January, consumers are exploring new ways to cut back on alcohol, and hemp-derived THC beverages are taking the spotlight. Listen Research wants to hear from YOU. We’re conducting a survey to learn more about how people are buying and enjoying?delta-9 THC beverages?—psychoactive, hemp-derived drinks that are shaking up the market and can be legally bought outside of dispensaries, often available at liquor stores or online from your favorite brands. Got 10 minutes? Complete our survey and enter to win a $250 gift card.?Know someone else who might have insights? Share the link or tag them in this post. We’re all ears.??????? https://lnkd.in/gh4T-mxm \\ Jeff Cantalupo Rick Desai Brentos Fernandez Ellen Wilcox Alexis Queen Joelle Cosmas Johnnie Yu Nika Longo Sai Kumar Tyler K. Jacob Chereskin \\ #thc #socialbeverages #delta9 #nonalc #nonalcoholic

?? Cheers to 2025! Before we dive into the new year, we're taking a moment to reflect on?how we listened?in 2024. Last year, we launched our very own Consumer Club, and the response has been incredible! Over the past 6 months, you've joined us for polls, shared your valuable feedback, and even earned a few rewards along the way. Now, it’s time to look back at?your insights?from the past year.??? Swipe through for a slideshow inspired by what?you?shared with us. Big things are coming soon! Keep an???? out for our first initiative of 2025—launching very soon. Know someone who loves sharing their opinions about all things brand and consumer? Invite them to join the Club—?link in comments! \\ Jeff Cantalupo Rick Desai Brentos Fernandez Ellen Wilcox Alexis Queen Joelle Cosmas Johnnie Yu Nika Longo

Think you know 2024's hot topics? Take our quiz! We see a lot of industry buzzwords used by brands today. Colostrum? Microplastics? Ashwagandha? How well do we, as consumers, really understand what these words mean? Our goal in Listening is to understand where these words sit in the mind of the consumer and we want your help doing that. Insert the "Don't Google It" challenge. https://lnkd.in/gASac8Vi A few ground rules to set the stage: You’ll have?7 minutes?to share your thoughts on these topics so don't overthink it, and DON’T GOOGLE IT. Don’t know something? No sweat, just try to write the words you associate it with, or the people and places where you might of heard it. Need more convincing? This is anonymous.?Unless?you want to see the results. Then there's a spot to enter your email. Regardless, all answers will be anonymized. The more the merrier. Send this ?? link in your group chats, in your Slack groups, to your parents or children. #buzzwords #consumer #research #listenmore

?? 2024 Leaders Day at Listen... Every year, we bring together the talented leadership from our brands for a day away from the hustle of running their businesses. The mission? To share the hard-earned wisdom and experiences that come with building successful brands. This year’s theme was “HEARD!” — which set the tone for a day of consumer-obsessed programming. Curated by the leaders themselves, the agenda was packed with raw conversations, insights from exited founders, trend forecasts, and practical takeaways. Together, 30 amazing leaders built a conference that was as inspiring as it was actionable. A huge thank you to The Game Room at Chicago Athletic Association and Maxwell Trading for hosting us, and to FARE and Lula Cafe for keeping us well-fed and happy. And last but certainly not least, we could not have done this without George Khalife at Norton Rose Fulbright and Aneto Okonkwo from Remarkable AI. Here’s to another incredible Leaders Day next year! \\ Jeff Cantalupo Rick Desai Brentos Fernandez Joelle Cosmas Ellen Wilcox Johnnie Yu Alexis Queen Nika Longo

?? Calling all those 60+ years old... We're seeking a small group of thought partners to share their wisdom and lend expertise as we explore consumer behavior, mindsets, and the future of aging. As a part of this group, you'll reflect on your life stories and wisdom to help us better understand the shared experiences of others within this demographic. Join the 60+ Wisdom Collective and learn more here:?https://lnkd.in/gqD2phX8 *If selected, you will receive compensation for participation. #aging #aginggracefully #longevity #futureofaging \\ Ellen Wilcox Alexis Queen Jeff Cantalupo Rick Desai Brentos Fernandez Joelle Cosmas Johnnie Yu Shawn Dennis Nika Longo

What Rick said! We are proud to have been a part Hylton’s journey. Cheers to your continued success at Distributed Ventures, Hyl!

?? Big congrats to Mark Hanson and the Black Buffalo Inc. team for being recognized by Goldman Sachs as one of the Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs at the 2024 Builders and Innovators Summit. #chargeahead