The US could lose its greatest export:

 Big data. [The Hustle]( Thur, Dec 7 Brought to you by [Crowd Cow]( they’ve got the beef. New trade regulations could cost the US “big data” industry $400B Countries all across the globe are working on a series of new trade agreements that could cause the US to lose hold of its most dominant export: big data. This new global trend of “data localism” affects how companies share and store their data around the world -- and it threatens to cost the US close to [$400B]( annual exports. “Data localism, you say?” As of now, there aren’t any major international rules regulating the sale or transfer of data across borders. For the most part, American companies have enjoyed a “free flow” when it comes to selling data and data services abroad. But in an effort to weed out foreign competitors (mainly the US) in favor of home-grown industries, countries like China, Russia, and Brazil have established rules that require companies to store data on servers inside their borders. And this has really freaked tech giants out The big players in data processing -- Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and IBM -- are not pleased with this “data localism,” and have pushed to legislatively combat it. Social media companies, who operate on the ethos of a borderless world but also profit handsomely from data exports, have also been vocally opposed to foreign countries establishing their own private data troves. Now, the government is trying to take action The Trump administration is seeking to “modernize” 1994’s North American Trade Agreement ([NAFTA]( in an effort to prevent foreign markets from [requiring that data]( to be processed and stored within their borders. Put simply, they argue that without the free-flow of data, a trademark of US innovation and commerce could be severely stifled. Data is the new oil  Depeche Mode is selling more concert tickets than some of today’s hottest pop stars Nearly 40 years after its formation, the ‘80s electronic band from the UK is experiencing an insane comeback: in the first 9 months of 2017, they’ve sold 1.27m tickets. That’s more than the group has ever sold in a single year -- and more than the likes of Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, or Drake. Dad’s back, babyyy Depeche’s success is a sign of “The Great Dad-Rock Resurgence” -- a curious trend of has-been bands making a huge economic splash by tapping into the oft-forgotten 35+ demographic. Case in point: the highest-grossing festival of 2016 wasn’t Coachella or Bonnaroo, but [Desert Trip]( -- a $160m geezer-fest starring The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, and The Who. It raked in $160m. Midway through 2017, 4 of the 5 highest-grossing concert artists were bands formed prior to 1990: Guns N’ Roses, U2, Metallica, and, of course, [Depeche Mode](. Dancin’ with the boys A decade ago, Depeche Mode struggled to fill seats at small venues; this October, they [sold out]( the 17.5k-seat Hollywood Bowl 4 nights in a row, averaging $3m gross per show. Even more impressive when you consider the band’s never released a #1 hit, has fairly unimpressive streaming figures, and lags behind other major concert artists in album sales. It’s good, old-fashioned, in-person fun -- just how dad likes it. [Just Can’t Get Enough](  The eternal optimism of being a tech founder This year, VC fund, First Round capital surveyed 869 founders for their annual [“State of Startups” report]( One of the chief takeaways? Most entrepreneurs seem to wear rose-colored glasses when it comes to thinking about the well-being of their companies -- but reality doesn’t always match perception. Perception: 50% of founders think they’ll be profitable in 1-2 years Reality: ⅔ are optimizing for growth, not profitability 25% of founders admit they’ve made the mistake of letting their burn rate get “too high” while growing their business. Yet, “curbing burn rate” is only a moderate priority for 55% of respondents. Perception: Sensitivity training and more women VCs will solve workplace harassment Reality: Only 17% currently have formal plans in place to promote diversity and inclusion And, nearly 60% said their board was all male. That said, admitting there’s a problem is the first step. We’ll see if next year’s stats look any different… Perception: 41.8% of respondents are confident they have a “decent shot” of becoming a billion dollar company Reality: There is a “0.00006% chance” of this actually happening Guess they never read [this damning First Round article]( or CBInsights’ slightly more favorable [ballpark of about 1%](. We don’t mean to dump on the founder mentality Starting a company isn’t for the faint of heart, and it takes a certain level of “blind ambition” to weather the storm of startup life. Instead, consider this more of a PSA not to let indomitable optimism keep you from course-correcting when you see an iceberg. [“Preeetty sure we can squeeze by…”](  PF Chang’s to open in China as an “American bistro” That’s a bold move, Chang. The Asian sit-down casual chain will [open its first Chinese location]( in Shanghai early next year, and if Chinese diners want a culturally accurate dining experience, they can GET OUT. Instead, Chang’s is sticking to their dubiously authentic menu of lettuce wraps and “Chang’s Chicken,” capitalizing on the “American bistro” concept they say tested well with Chinese consumers. "If you want a classic Japanese sushi experience, you're not going to come to us," CEO Michael Osanloo told Business Insider. "But if you want some amazing rolls… we rock at that." The cockroach of sit-down casual While the chain restaurant industry has seen 6 back-to-back quarters of declines, PF Chang’s seems to be miraculously immune to the “[sit-down casual massacre]( In fact, they’ve been on the upswing for the past 2 years, outperforming competitors’ sales by 75.6% for Q1 of 2017. Now, they’re hoping their momentum can slingshot them into the hearts of international eaters in countries like China, Bolivia, and Pakistan in 2018. The track record for American chains in their “homelands” isn’t great Taco Bell has [tried (and failed)]( to take off in Mexico multiple times since 1992. The first south-of-the-border Bells shut down less than 2 years after opening, and even after TB embraced their American roots, diners roasted the menu with 1-star reviews, like: "[They are not tacos, they are trash]( [Let’s see how it works out for ‘em](   things you should... 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[TEE ME PLEASE →]( This edition of The Hustle was brought to you by Buy meat that doesn’t suck Good beef is harder to find than a vegetarian at a Texas BBQ. 84% of beef sold by grocery stores is produced through “industrial processes” -- we’ll spare you the details, but know it’s not dinner conversation. Disappointed with the state of meat, [Crowd Cow]( is out to change the beef game. They want you to dish about the steaks on the table just like your annoying Californian friend talks about wine. How? You, your friends, some strangers, and a 4-legged burger factory Crowd Cow connects beef-lovers like you with independent ranchers of fine bovine so you can -- wait for it -- [crowdfund a cow](. Hop online, claim a share of a cow, and select the cuts you want. Once the whole cow is sold, your picks are delivered right to your door. And in the age of Costco, we all know what buying in bulk means: deals. So, Crowd Cow is selling amazing steaks that [start at just $7](. From grass-fed to grain-fed, mignon to marrow bones -- Crowd Cow’s got the goods. Hoof it over to [their website]( and channel your inner carnivore.  Someone forward you our stuff? Give them credit when you sign up with this link:  0 [SHARE THE HUSTLE]( REFERRALS Lindsey Quinn MANAGING EDITOR Zack Crockett WRITER Wes Schlagenhauf WRITER Sam "Cheesecake Factory 4 lyfe" Parr EDITORIAL EAVESDROPPER Barb B. Queue GRILL SERGEANT [SUBSCRIBE]( [JOBS]( [ADVERTISE]( [EVENTS]( You opted in by signing up, attending an event, or through divine intervention. [771 CLEMENTINA STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103, UNITED STATES]( • [415.506.7210](tel:+1-415-506-7210) Never wanna hear from us again? Break our hearts and [unsubscribe](