Liquor to Lips: Why Execution Beats Passion in the World of Craft Spirits

In this episode, we sit down with Co-founder and Partner at99 Proof Partners, to discuss the transition from the corporate world to the high-stakes craftsmanship of the spirits industry. Mike breaks down the romance of starting a distillery and why many founders struggle to divorce their passion from the hard reality of profitability. We explore the draconian state of spirits technology, where clipboards still rule, and the massive opportunities for tech-minded entrepreneurs to solve logistics and data lags. Mike also shares his holistic capital philosophy and why a mildly successful regional brand can often be more rewarding than chasing a billion-dollar George Clooney exit.

Join us as we discuss:

• [1:24] Why pivoting from corporate to spirits isn’t as simple as entrepreneurs may think

• [8:30] What the success trajectory looks like for a passionate distiller

• [14:19] The drastic difference in strategic timelines between the spirit and software spaces

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