The Liquid Entrepreneur

  In this episode of The Liquid Entrepreneur , Monte sits down with Kweillin “KG” Gordon, Co-Founder & CEO of Greenwood Whiskey, to unpack the entrepreneurial journey that led from basement conversations to a nationally distributed spirits brand.  Before Greenwood, there was movement — from Pennsylvania to Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas — chasing opportunity and searching for pur...

In this episode of The Liquid Entrepreneur , we sit down with Chris Montana , Founder of Du Nord Social Spirits , to unpack the real story behind the brand. Chris shares his entrepreneurial journey—from personal setbacks and systemic challenges to rebuilding with purpose, resilience, and conviction. This is an honest conversation about leadership under pressure, betting on yourself when the odds a...

On this episode of The Liquid Entrepreneur, we sit down with Mara Smith — former attorney, corporate strategist, and now the inspiring founder of Inspiro Tequila. After stepping away from the workforce to raise her kids, Mara reentered the game with bold ambition: to create a clean, additive-free tequila brand that reflects and respects the thoughtful female consumer. With no prior experience in s...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Abisola Abidemi, the visionary founder of Abisola Whiskey! In this episode, we dive into her entrepreneurial journey, from developing a passion for whiskey in college to creating a brand that challenges industry norms. Abisola shares the highs and lows of starting her own whiskey brand, the lessons she’s learned, and the innovations that have shaped Abiso...

Join us in this inspiring episode of The Liquid Entrepreneur as we dive into the remarkable journey of Troy Pepito, the CEO and Founder of Genuine Spirit Company. From Navy Chief Petty Officer to a dynamic leader in the adult beverage industry, Troy’s story is a testament to passion, resilience, and innovation. Discover how a home brewing hobby in his garage evolved into a thriving business that n...

Welcome to Episode 16 of The Liquid Entrepreneur Podcast: "Fashioning Flavor: TK Burtin-Johnson's Signature Style with Red Hazel." Join us as we dive into the captivating journey of TK Burtin-Johnson, the red fedora-wearing co-founder of Red Hazel Whiskey. From her beginnings as a model to her role in crafting one of the most unique whiskey brands in the industry, TK's story is...

Join us on The Liquid Entrepreneur as we uncork the fascinating journey of Emily Darchuk, the innovative founder of Wheyward Spirit. In this episode, we dive into Emily's transformation from a food scientist navigating the natural food and dairy industry to a trailblazing entrepreneur on a mission to turn whey waste into premium spirits. Discover the origin of Wheyward Spirit and Emily's...

Episode 14: Hoop Dreams to Barrel Streams: Alan Henderson's Liquid Legacy Join us in this exhilarating episode as we dive into the extraordinary journey of Alan Henderson, a towering figure both on and off the basketball court. From dominating the NBA scene to crafting a legacy in the spirits industry, Henderson's story is nothing short of a slam dunk. A Life Beyond Hoops - Discover how...

In Episode 13 of "The Liquid Entrepreneur," we uncork the extraordinary tale of AMIT SINGH & MARCIN MALYSZKO, the dynamic duo behind Mission Craft Cocktails, in an episode titled "Crafting Bonds: The Unlikely Friendship Fueling Entrepreneurial Success." Amit and Marcin's serendipitous encounter at a charity event during the pandemic unfolded into more than they could h...

 In this episode of The Liquid Entrepreneur YouTube Podcast, we delve deep into the inspiring journey of Quentin Vennie, a Baltimore native, mental health advocate, and co-founder of The Equitea Company. Titled “Steeped in Resilience: Quentin Vennie's Entrepreneurial Transformation with Equitea,” this episode uncovers the remarkable story of how Quentin, faced with mental health challenges, f...

In this edition, we dive deep into the captivating journey of Donta Henson, a Baltimore native and the visionary co-founder of Los Hermanos Tequila. Join us as we trace Donta's remarkable path from his days as a dispersing clerk in the Navy, handling finances with precision, to his unexpected shift towards pursuing a career in healthcare. But life had a different plan for him, one that would...

In this episode of "The Liquid Entrepreneur" Podcast, we delve into the inspiring life journey of Karl Franz Williams, a New York native with rich Caribbean roots, who turned his passion for mixology and heritage into a flavorful venture. From his early days in Corporate America to becoming a celebrated restaurateur and cocktail mixologist, Karl's path was one of determination and c...

In this episode of The Liquid Entrepreneur, join us as we dive into the fascinating story of Layla-Joy Williams, a remarkable entrepreneur who forged a new path in the world of beverages. Titled "Fashioning a New Path: Layla-Joy Williams' Rise as a Beverage Entrepreneur," we explore Layla-Joy's extraordinary journey from her early days as a New York native and former model, wor...

 In this episode of "Betting on Bourbon: The Penny's Journey into Entrepreneurship with The IX," we delve into the inspiring story of James and Brittany Penny, a dynamic husband and wife duo from Louisville, KY. Fueled by their shared passion for bourbon and a desire for independence, they courageously shifted their careers to embark on an audacious adventure: launching their own bo...

In this episode of "Defying Expectations: Leslie Owensby's Entrepreneurial Adventure," we dive into the incredible life journey of Leslie Owensby, the visionary behind Defy Wine, a game-changing vegan canned wine that took the UK by storm. Born into a military family, Leslie experienced a childhood filled with constant moves around Texas. Little did he know that these early experien...

In this captivating episode, "Cheers to Collaboration," we sit down with Ila Byrne and Rodolfo Aldana, the brilliant minds and co-founders of Parch, the sensational non-alcoholic canned cocktail that's taking the beverage industry by storm.  Once colleagues at a prominent alcohol company, Ila and Rodolfo's lives took a dramatic turn when Rodolfo faced a health scare that forced...

Law dreams and entrepreneurial ambitions; how one woman's vision became a reality.  She’s no ordinary woman, Taylor Redd is force to be reckoned with.  Fueled by legacy, Taylor would go on to launch Redd Rose Vodka, aptly named after her ultra determined grandmother, Rose Redd…a go-getting firecracker in jeans!  Follow Taylors journey of discovery, adaptation and launch. Watch the video of th...

In this episode we get the distinct privilege to sit down with Nicole Anderson, the joyfully contagious spirit behind HER Wine.   An inspiration to women and men alike, her focus and determination through learning an entirely foreign business to overcoming a traumatic cancer scare, to truly positioning herself to be empowered to live her best life.  This powerhouse of a boss has a story you don’t...

HOW A VIRAL MOMENT BIRTHED A BRAND, don’t think it can happen?  Well, Paul Owusu thinks otherwise.  In this episode, Paul, Co-founder of Phreshly, talks about his love of making cocktails, and that infamous Twitter moment that laid the foundation for what would become his venture into the bev-alc space.  Phreshly is a premium cocktail-in-a-can and is giving other canned adult beverages a run for i...

NO MAN IS AN ISLAND but to have the inspiration and support of family can move mountains, or islands in this case.  In this episode we speak with Kevin John, Co-founder & CEO of IslandJon Vodka.  We discuss a wide range of topics starting from his early love for music and the surprising career path it led him down, to managing a brand through the Pandemic and the associated toils.  Most import...

How one man’s side hustle swept him form his 9-to-5 to become a liquor brand entrepreneur. Looking for a little motivation in determining if it’s time for you to jump all in and commit to your side hustle?  In this candid interview, Monté Burrow speaks with Kevin Larkai who shares his journey from a career in Finance to launching Blackleaf Organic Vodka, a multi-award winning and the first French...