E172: How Cannabis Beverages are Disrupting the Alcohol Industry w/Sasha Pieterse
How I Invest with David Weisburd
How I Invest with David Weisburd is a podcast that interviews the world's leading institutional investors. Previous guests include The Ford Foundation, Northwestern University Endowment, CalPERS, Stepstone, and other top limited partners.
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E172: How Cannabis Beverages are Disrupting the Alcohol Industry w/Sasha Pieterse

E172 • Jun 9, 2025 • 43 mins

Sasha Pieterse might be best known for her acting career — but behind the scenes, she’s been building a beverage empire. In this episode, we dive deep into how Sasha's personal health journey led her to launch Hippie Water, a hemp-derived THC beverage brand that’s now in 140+ stores across 9 states. We talk about what it takes to transition from Hollywood to the CPG world, why Gen Z is drinking less alcohol, and how Sasha is redefining what it means to be a “celebrity founder.” This conversation goes beyond cannabis — it’s about leadership, authenticity, and building brands with staying power.

Highlights:

  • Why Sasha stopped drinking alcohol — and how cannabis changed her life
  • The inspiration behind Hippie Water and how it fills a social gap
  • How she scaled to 140 stores in under 9 months
  • The science vs. stigma behind cannabis and hemp-derived THC
  • Gen Z’s changing relationship with alcohol
  • What it’s really like to fundraise as a first-time, celebrity CEO
  • Why Sasha believes your team is your real moat
  • How she balances acting, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and hosting her podcast Women in the Nude

-- Guest Bio: Sasha Pieterse is an actress, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Hippie Water, a hemp-derived THC beverage brand. She rose to fame on the hit TV show Pretty Little Liars and now splits her time between entertainment and building her consumer goods startup. She’s also the host of the Women in the Nude podcast, where she tackles taboo topics in women’s health, business, and identity. With 21 million followers across platforms, Sasha brings a unique voice to the cannabis space — combining influence with authenticity and mission-driven leadership.

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-- Stay Connected: Twitter: David Weisburd: @dweisburd

LinkedIn: David Weisburd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd/ Sasha Pieterse-Sheaffer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashapieterse/

Links Hippie Water: https://www.hippiewater.com/

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