Tangible satisfaction - In service industries like consulting and banking, hundreds of hours of work hides in data rooms and spreadsheets. But the moment I pick up a can of RISE nitro cold brew coffee, I can touch, feel, see and taste everything that went into it: sourcing ingredients, designing labels, managing production, onboarding distributors and pitching retailers — all right there in a 7-ounce can. In CPG, the products themselves commemorate all the effort it takes to get them to shelf.

Metaphorical dough - From Bai’s $1.7 billion sale to RXBAR’s $600 million exit, food offers the potential to strike it rich. While money isn’t the motivation, it’s sure a welcome side effect.

Better than a B.A. - In a BevNET interview, Tom First, a co-founder of Nantucket Nectars, describes the industry as “the ultimate liberal arts education.” From finance to sales to manufacturing, contemplate all the interwoven yet distinct competencies required. Food and beverage encourages flexible thinking and presents endless learning opportunities.

Meaning discovered - Cold brew isn’t curing cancer. Instead, I take a step back and consider the three million plus servings of coffee RISE will deliver this year. For every keg tapped and every can popped, a connection forms to someone I’ll never meet in the flesh and yet will encounter via product proxy. There’s something beautiful in that — a little piece of you, shared and spread through the world. While coffee might not cure cancer, it helps keep the doctors awake.

Pure competition - The food industry is capitalism and competition in its finest form. Nimble startups taking on established titans. Leaders of hot new categories vying for attention, then pitting their creativity, sales ability and pricing strategies against one another for zero-sum consumer dollars. While some may fear the intensity of the market, it makes for an exciting day.

True community - This year, I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the leaders of the food industry. Everyone has been approachable, generous and encouraging. Moreover, other brands and founders willingly share contacts, tips and, best of all, free samples.

Always evolving - Consumer preferences are shifting towards healthier, all-natural brands. E-commerce is stealing sales from established retailers. Innovative brands like Ripple and Impossible Foods are bringing cutting edge food tech to the masses. These and other macro changes make it a dynamic and exciting time to be in food and beverage.

Relatable - The other day, I saw a post from a well known VC touting their investment in a company “democratizing Ethereum’s Casper proof of stake consensus algorithm.” Food, while victim to buzzy trends like gluten-free, hasn’t succumbed to buzzy jargon. With relatively similar, logical business models, outsiders can easily engage. Whether at the bar or around the dinner table, people find cold brew infinitely more intriguing than EBITDA multiple trends.