What happens when a simple idea to make people happy turns into a successful business?

In Episode 25 of Moore Than Politics, State Senator Michael Moore sits down with Briana "Bri" Azier, founder and owner of Bri's Sweet Treats in Worcester, to talk about the unexpected journey that turned homemade treats created during the pandemic into a growing local business.

Bri didn't start as a chocolatier. In fact, she says she didn't even have a particular passion for making candy. What she did have was a passion for giving back, creating happiness, and making a difference in her community. What began with Bri and her six-year-old son making treats for friends, family, and neighbors eventually became Bri's Sweet Treats.

The conversation goes far beyond chocolate. Bri talks candidly about what it really takes to become an entrepreneur: starting before you have everything figured out, learning from failure, building a network, finding mentors, taking advantage of business-development programs, and understanding why relationships matter.

She also explains why entrepreneurs shouldn't try to do everything alone—and why walking into a networking event simply handing out business cards isn't enough. Her approach helped take her from a new entrepreneur attending Worcester-area networking events to being named the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year in 2023.

Bri also discusses the role her husband and son play in the family business, her work mentoring young people, her experience as a minority woman business owner, and her vision of eventually creating a much larger Bri's Sweet Treats destination in Central Massachusetts.

It's a conversation about candy—but even more, it's about entrepreneurship, community, perseverance, relationships, and having the courage to simply start.

In Episode 24 of Moore Than Politics, State Senator Michael Moore sits down with Brian Doyle, Executive Director of the Center for Applied Behavioral Instruction (CABI), and Melissa Belsito, Director of Student Services, to discuss the highly specialized educational services CABI provides for students on the autism spectrum with significant behavioral and learning needs.

Founded in 2014, CABI was created in response to a growing need for intensive educational programs for children whose needs could not always be met in a traditional public-school environment. The school uses the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and provides highly individualized instruction, including one-to-one and two-to-one student-to-staff ratios, along with special education teachers, behavior analysts, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.

The conversation explores how behavior can often be a form of communication, and how CABI uses data, reinforcement, and individualized plans to help students develop safer behaviors, stronger communication skills, greater independence, and improved academic performance.

Senator Moore and his guests also discuss the importance of preparing students for life beyond the classroom. CABI's transition programs help students develop vocational, social, and independent-living skills while building partnerships with local employers and community organizations.

The episode also takes an honest look at the cost and staffing challenges involved in providing this level of specialized care, including the shortage of special education teachers and the difficulty of recruiting and retaining staff for demanding but deeply meaningful work.

At the heart of the conversation is one goal: helping every student reach the greatest level of independence and opportunity possible—whether that means returning to a traditional school environment, entering the workforce, continuing their education, or successfully transitioning into adult services.

This is more than politics. It’s about giving every child the support, skills, and opportunities they need to build their own future.

In Episode 23 of Moore Than Politics, State Senator Michael Moore sits down with Dave Minasian of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Local 336, for a wide-ranging conversation about the skilled trades, organized labor, and the future of the construction workforce in Massachusetts.

With more than 30,000 members represented across the Northeast, the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters plays a major role in training the next generation of skilled workers while advocating for wages, benefits, retirement security, and safe working conditions.

Senator Moore and Minasian discuss why unions still matter to working families, the growing problem of wage theft and illegal contracting practices, and the challenges facing workers as housing, healthcare, education, and everyday living expenses continue to rise. They also take a closer look at careers in the skilled trades and the opportunities available through union apprenticeship programs. Menasian explains why employers aren't necessarily looking for someone who already knows how to swing a hammer—they're looking for people with the attitude, work ethic, and desire to learn. The skills can be taught.

The conversation also explores the remarkable training happening at the Carpenters' facility in Millbury—from commercial construction and welding to rigging, blueprint technology and even underwater welding. Plus, they tackle some of the bigger issues affecting Massachusetts construction today, including the housing shortage, tariffs and material costs, energy policy, major infrastructure projects, and the increasing demand for skilled workers.

For young people considering what comes after high school—or adults thinking about a career change—this episode offers a revealing look at an often-overlooked path to a middle-class career with training, healthcare and retirement benefits, without necessarily following the traditional four-year college route.

Moore Than Politics goes beyond the headlines for conversations about the issues affecting Massachusetts residents, their families, and their communities.