Episodes

When legacy brands start looking like startups, should entrepreneurs be worried? The hosts discuss. They also highlight several new and notable products, including chakra-specific shots and a cap-activated bottled cocktail. We also meet with Alan Kennedy, the master blender for rye-forward whiskey brand Redemption, who discusses the brand’s emphasis on premiumization of experience across its portfolio.

Serial entrepreneur Richard Laver chronicles his path from a 12-year-old child who survived a plane crash that killed 136 people, to being homeless at age 27, to the birth of his daughter and how she inspired the development of successful plant-based nutrition brand Kate Farms. He also discussed the launch of Lucky F*ck, his upstart “anti-brand” line of energy drinks, and how it's following in the footsteps of Liquid Death.

The hosts discussed the rise of high-profile creator-led brands and their transcendence beyond celebrity ties. They also reflect on a PSL season that started way too soon and the strategy behind functional brands that market both energizing and calming products. We also feature the latest installment of The Goat Pen, our regular series with Carlton Fowler, the co-founder and managing partner of early-stage investment firm Goat Rodeo Capital.

Shadi Bakour, the co-founder and CEO of PATH, a bottled water brand that uses refillable aluminum containers, spoke about how he convinced retailers and investors that there was an unmet need for the brand, the game changing impact of relationships with San Francisco Airport retailers and Natural Products Expo West, the value of licensing deals with Barbie and TMNT, and PATH’s $30 million Series A funding round.

Is it groundbreaking or headed for infamy? The hosts sample several new products made with controversial (or, perhaps, objectionable) ingredients and flavors and assess the mainstream potential for each. This episode also features an interview with Alex Conyngham, the co-founder of Slane Irish Whiskey, who discussed the duality of building a modern brand that’s rooted in tradition.

Sketch comedian. Ghostbuster. Vodka entrepreneur. It’s all in a life’s work for Dan Aykroyd. The co-founder of iconic spirit brand Crystal Head Vodka, Aykroyd spoke about the company’s adherence to business fundamentals and premium positioning, what makes him an effective salesman and the limited impact of his celebrity on the brand’s success. He also explained what postal work has to do with the ownership team’s harmonious relationship and answered an infamous question with a “little g.”

They talk the talk, but does Gen Z walk the walk? The hosts discuss the generation’s complicated relationship with food and whether their values actually impact purchasing decisions. This episode also features an interview with Jorge Antonio Salles, the third-generation master distiller for iconic tequila brand El Tequileño.