NFL Safety & UFC Fighter on Leadership & the Hemp Fight | Micah Hyde & Clifford Starks | Episode 100

Send us Fan Mail For the 100th episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, two former pro athletes sit down with no script and no agenda. Micah Hyde spent 12 seasons as an NFL safety with the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills before founding Hyde’s Hail Mary, a hemp beverage brand. Clifford “Big Cat” Starks is a former UFC and Bellator fighter, a USA MMA Hall of Famer and Nate Fochtman’s co-host on The Leaders’ Arena. This is an intentional crossover between the two shows. Micah traces his discipline back to the University of Iowa, where sprints started behind the line and every detail mattered. He explains why he hesitated to put THC in a can and why staying quiet would have made him a hypocrite. He also talks about learning the business by asking the same questions his customers ask. Clifford brings the fighter’s view of leadership, from being a reluctant leader to his advice for hard moments: say thank you and walk to it. The conversation also takes on the federal hemp ban set to take effect December 11. Micah walks through the domino effect on founders. Nate shares what North Carolina bars and bottle shops are facing and his own story of hemp beverages as the bridge to sobriety. All three explain what anyone can do in under 10 minutes to be heard. Chapters 00:00 Two former pros in one room 02:46 Meet Micah Hyde 03:35 From small-town Ohio to the NFL 06:08 Iowa and the discipline behind the line 08:05 A Sun Devil wrestler on the Iowa culture 09:00 Micah’s message to recruits’ parents 10:43 “Good”: Mom’s answer to hard 11:46 What hard things give you 13:29 The December 11 hemp ban 15:37 Putting THC in a can as a former NFL player 17:57 Asking the same questions as customers 19:11 The domino effect of the ban 20:07 The hemp fight is a Main Street fight 23:03 “Just give us some guidelines” 24:21 Follow the money trail 25:25 How anyone can help 28:37 Clifford on caring for others 29:33 Bootstrapped founders and real stories 31:07 Leading a business vs. leading a locker room 33:04 The reluctant leader 36:20 Micah’s one lesson: be yourself 39:19 Two months to throw haymakers 39:46 The five-minute challenge Take action: HempBeverageAlliance.org/action-center Read the story: ReadyToDrink.Substack.com More episodes: ReadyToDrinkPodcast.com Watch and listen. Micah Hyde, former NFL safety and founder of Hyde’s Hail Mary, joins Clifford Starks and myself on the 100th episode of the Ready To Drink Podcast, a crossover with The Leaders’ Arena Podcast. There is no script, no agenda and no prep on either show. Find them on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts or at ReadyToDrinkPodcast.com.  Follow Micah at @micah_hyde and the brand at @hydeshailmary The FreeMind Group Owner-operator market development and PR, built on the street for the last 18 years. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Presented by The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com