Park Street Insider Podcast
Park Street Companies
The Park Street Insider Podcast is a spirit industry-focused podcast dedicated to bringing you closer to the key brands, topics, and trends driving the drinks business. We host the spirits category's most influential leaders and entrepreneurs to uncover the business strategies, stories, and brand-building tips behind some of the biggest brands in the industry. Whether you're interested in Agave spirits, whiskey, read-to-drink, low & no, or any other category, our hosts will bring you closer to the heart of what's happening in each.
In each episode, hosts Emmett Strack, and Andres Correa speak to spirits industry thought leaders to discuss the moves that shaped their careers, how they built some of the brands we all know and love, and some of the tools they can’t live without. They'll also zero in on the hottest subjects taking hold of beverage alcohol, keeping listeners up to date on the trends shaping spirits.
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Top 10 Park Street Insider Podcast Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Park Street Insider Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Park Street Insider Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Park Street Insider Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Essential Talks— Preparing Your Finances For Year End
Park Street Insider Podcast
11/14/23 • 7 min
If you're new to running a business, getting your books in order for year-end can seem like a sizable hurdle. But with the right organizational tools and know-how brand owners can cut down on the stress of this process. Maria Pearman, a CPA specializing in beverage alcohol, joins the Park Street Insider Podcast to shed some valuable insights and strategies that will help streamline the process of year-end accounting.
- Accounting Housekeeping - Pearman covers key aspects of staying organized with accounting; advising on the importance of ensuring that retained earnings align with prior years and reviewing open transactions before submitting to a tax preparer.
- Tax Strategy - Pearman urges companies to plan for tax distributions to partners to cover potential tax burdens.
- 1099s & W2s - She also emphasizes the importance of early preparation and communication with payroll providers to navigate complexities such as fringe benefits for S corporations.
In this episode you'll hear from:
Maria Pearman, Principal, GHJ
Mentioned in this episode:
GHJ
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What's Trending— Impact Investing & Brand Development
Park Street Insider Podcast
07/20/23 • 49 min
We're thrilled to release our Impact Investment seminar recorded at Bar Convent Brooklyn 2023. On the Park Street University stage, Emily Pennington sat down with some of the leading impact investors for a high-level discussion about what they're doing to make a positive social impact while boosting their bottom lines in the spirits industry.
In this episode you'll hear from:
Jomaree Pinkard, CEO & Managing Director, Pronghorn
Kamuti Kiteme, Managing Director - Inclusive Investment Programs, Distill Ventures
Maria Pearman, Principal, GHJ
Andrew Merinoff, CEO, Chinola & DisPact Ventures
Katie Dunn, Partner, Power to Pitch
You'll hear critical insights from impact investors about:
The intersection of impact investments and mentorship
- While some investors issue checks and track their investments from the sidelines, our contributors make a case for a hands-on approach to investing that builds sustainable long-term partnerships.
Balancing ROI and altruism
- Impact investors from Distill Ventures and Pronghorn will always seek out talented individuals from underrepresented groups that are pushing boundaries and being innovative, but it's essential that they see the proof points of a strong business as well. They'll explain how they balance influencing positive social ecosystems while measuring KPIs for return on investment in a business.
Red flags for investment pitches
- With decades of experience in this space between them, our panelists have seen the difference between brands that secure funding and those that don't. Our panelists make the case for a hyper-focused approach to pitching investors that leaves no room for ambiguity about your goals and trajectory.
Mentioned in this episode:
Pronghorn
Distill Ventures
GHJ
Dispact Ventures
Chinola
Power To Pitch
2023 Craft Spirits Data Project - Distillers Survey
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What's Trending— The Potential of Low & No Alcohol
Park Street Insider Podcast
11/13/24 • 48 min
Low & No is one of beverage-alcohol's spotlight categories in 2024. Many projections indicate that the segment will continue to expand its influence in terms of shelf presence, case volumes, and overall consumer awareness. But while the category's forecast is bright, low & no represents only a marginal share of total beverage alcohol.
In this episode, Emmett Strack sits down with industry veterans and low-and-no leaders to unpack the category's rise and trajectory in 2024 and beyond. The group will consider how the category became relevant, what the rise of low-and-no says about the modern consumer, and what major suppliers are doing to align with this trend.
Featured Guests:
- Spiros Malandrakis, Global Head of Research - Alcoholic Drinks, Euromonitor International
- Camille Vidal, Founder, La Maison Wellness
- Raphael Vollmar, CEO & CO Founder, Rheinland Distillers GmbH
Mentioned in this episode:
Euromonitor International
La Maison Wellness
Rheinland Distillers GmbH
Diageo
Seedlip
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Essential Talks— The Real Cost of Spirits Production
Park Street Insider Podcast
09/14/23 • 13 min
Many of the Park Street podcast guests extoll the importance of vision to the brand-building process. But before a vision can materialize, an understanding needs to form around the actual cost of goods that will be incurred during the production process. With this Essential Talk from Paul Monahan of Matchbook Distilling, a contract distillery based in Long Island, we're taking a granular look at the financial implications and timelines for producing a spirit.
To give founders an effective template for costing out production Paul covers:
- Production unit economics - Paul delivers a comprehensive breakdown of the timeline it takes to produce both 300 and 600-gallon runs of a given spirit. He highlights the associated costs and issues the total expenses that you can expect for spirits production.
- Glass economics - After the spirit is produced, it's time to put it in a bottle. Paul combs through the associated costs of securing glass and runs through the supply chain expenses that coincide with this process.
- Data analysis - Taking an active approach to understanding the data behind the cost of goods is the only way founders can get the full picture of how much they actually want to spend before making commitments. Paul uses label pricing and finished cocktail breakdown to explore this principle.
In this episode you'll hear from:
Paul Monahan, COO, Matchbook Distilling
Mentioned in this episode:
Matchbook Distilling
2023 Craft Spirits Data Project - Distillers Survey
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What's Trending—Andrew Merinoff on What Impact Investors Are Looking For
Park Street Insider Podcast
09/26/22 • 52 min
Impact investing is an investment strategy that is built on the intention to generate positive social or environmental impact through business investments. On this episode of the Park Street Insider podcast, Andrew Merinoff, the founder of DisPact Ventures and Co-founder and Chairman of Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur, sits down with Emily Pennington to discuss the intersection of impact investing and brand development.
He'll take listeners through his investment strategy and help them understand the decision-making process behind how he allocates funds. He also covers the values his company operates under and the types of change he hopes to inspire in the wider bev-alc market.
Merinoff will also get specific about the models brands should adopt to succeed in the long term. He offers his perspective on the importance of building the right team, what he wants to hear from brands when sizing up a potential investment and how brand owners should approach an exit strategy.
Listeners will also hear how his experience in the impact investment sector helped inform the brand development strategies he adopted when founding Chinola. He'll dive into his motivations for starting the brand, how his team brought the brand to market, and the models he thinks brands.
Episode Breakdown:
Merinoff's background - 3:36
Merinoff's principles of team building - 11:05
Investment strategy at DisPact Ventures - 13:55
Merinoff on industry disruption - 23:09
Brand exit strategy - 34:24
The founding of Chinola - 36:50
Route to market strategy - 41:51
Key Quote:
"I think there are certain brands that need to chase top-line revenue, but most brands don't need to do that. They need to find their path for organic growth because companies will not buy you if there is no route to eventual profitability. If you can't leave a piece for acquisition that allows them immediate growth, you're going to fall short of that target."
In this episode you'll hear from:
Andrew Merinoff
Founder, DisPact Ventures
Co-founder and Chairman of Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur
Mentioned in this episode:
- DisPact Ventures: https://www.dispactventures.com/
- Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur: https://chinola.com/
This episode was recorded in September of 2022 as part of the Park Street Insider Podcast's "What's Trending" series.
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Essential Talks—Campari America's Andrea Sengara on the Power of E-Commerce
Park Street Insider Podcast
09/08/22 • 13 min
With as much as 50% of retail sales—both on and off-premise—influenced by the experience consumers have online, e-commerce marketing serves as a viable brand-building opportunity. In the latest edition of Park Street University's Essential Talks series, Andrea Sengara, Head of Marketing at Campari America, shares her best tips for brands to harness the power of e-commerce.
Sengara delivers a comprehensive overview of the key pillars to building out a robust e-commerce marketing strategy. She shares her insights on choosing a digital platform that works best for your company, the best ways to improve your digital performance and how to drive online conversions. She also covers strategies for creating a compelling digital shelf that will drive engagement. Sengara encourages brands to avoid dead ends in their digital ecosystem by making it as easy as possible for consumers to make purchases online.
Key Quote:
"Recognize that e-commerce platforms and partners, yes they're a sales channel, but they're also a brand-building channel that critically influence purchase in that moment as well as outside that in the offline world as well."
Sengara's talk was recorded at Bar Convent Brooklyn in August of 2021.
In this episode you'll hear from:
Andrea Sengara, Head of Marketing at Campari America
Mentioned in this episode:
- Campari Group: https://www.camparigroup.com/en
- Instacart: https://www.instacart.com/
Watch the full video on Park Street University's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=282RW25qEY8&t=11s
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What It Takes— Ten To One Rum's Marc Farrell
Park Street Insider Podcast
05/16/23 • 41 min
For years rum has been forecasted to be the next spirit category to undergo a major renaissance, and only in the last few years did that seem like it could be true thanks to a handful of innovative premium rum producers.
Marc Farrell, the founder, and CEO of Ten To One Rum, is among those producers seeking to elevate the category. When he founded Ten To One Rum in 2019 he leaned into his Caribbean heritage and the rich tradition of the spirit to create a premium and authentic brand identity that could propel that category into an exciting future.
On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Emily Pennington sits down with Farrell to trace his journey from a coffee executive to a leader in rum’s revival.
In this episode, he breaks down the status quo of the category and shares his approach to helping shift consumer perception. He also explains why rum is a category that should be seen as synonymous with craft.
Listeners will also get a sense of how Farrell's unique backstory made him a capable founder and hear about some of the key traits that have made him a successful entrepreneur.
Episode Breakdown:
0:00 - Introduction
5:15 - Farrell's key skillsets for entrepreneurs'
7:20 - Before Ten To One Rum
13:40 - Why start a rum brand?
16:10 - Challenges facing the rum category
22:05 - Milestones when brand building
25:28 - How Farrell learned about the industry as an outsider
29:40 - Ten To One's footprint today
32:10 - The shifting perceptions of rum
38:10 - Celebrity partnership with Ciara
Key Quote:
"As a founder, I think it's important that you don't ask people to do anything that you're not willing to do yourself. I was the first salesperson: going to accounts, doing tastings, telling the story, and closing that sale. Having those first couple cases land and seeing them on that back bar was a major, major milestone."
In this episode you'll hear from:
Marc Farrell, Founder & CEO, Ten To One Rum
Mentioned in this episode:
Ten To One Rum
Bar Convent Brooklyn 2023
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What It Takes— Tequila Komos Founder Richard Betts
Park Street Insider Podcast
01/17/23 • 44 min
On the Park Street Insider Podcast, we often explore the underlying ethos that guide a brand concept to concrete success. For Richard Betts, the founder and CEO of Casa Komos Brands Group, the brands he's developed throughout his career—including Betts & School, Astral Tequila, Sombra Mezcal, and Tequila Komos among others—have always lived at the intersection of enthusiasm and opportunity.
On this episode, the Park Street Insider Podcast's Emily Pennington is joined by Betts to dive into his entrepreneurial journey. Betts got his start in restaurants, eventually becoming a wine director in Aspen and then certified as a Master Sommelier in 2003. He then went on to found both Betts and Scholl Wine and Scarpetta Wine before getting into the world of spirits where he helped develop Sombra Mezcal. Betts now runs Casa Komos Brands Group handling Tequila Komos and Superbird, plus a couple of impending brands he shares in this interview.
Having worked closely in both wine and spirits, Betts breaks down the primary differences and overlaps between operating brands in these two spheres. You'll also hear about Bett's values as a leader, outlining how to build healthy and effective company cultures.
Episode Breakdown:
0:12 - Introduction to agave spirits in the U.S. market
6:05 - Richard Betts Background
11:00 - Founding his first wine brand
15:50 - Sombra Mezcal
19:50 - Partnership with Davos Brands
21:20 - Difference between wine and spirits industries
25:00 - Founding Casa Komos Brands Group
30:11 - Route to market for CKBG brands
32:07 - Tequila Komos partnership with E&J Gallo
33:35 - Betts' values as a leader:
37:12 - Health and wellness for entrepreneurs:
39:30 -Tips for aspiring entrepreneurs:
Key Quote:
"We make things that we love and that we think have a chance of being loved by others. So we live at the intersection of enthusiasm and opportunity. And I think when you show up with that sincerity you'll also show up with a willingness to work hard."
In this episode you'll hear from:
Richard Betts, CEO, and Founder, Casa Komos Brands Group
Mentioned in this episode:
Casa Komos Brands Group
Tequila Komos
Davos Brands: What It Takes— Davos Brands Co-Founders Andrew Chrisomalis and Guillaume Cuvelier
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Essential Talks— U.S. Market Entry 101 With Chris Ladas
Park Street Insider Podcast
01/30/23 • 10 min
Introducing a beverage-alcohol brand to the U.S. market requires a nuanced understanding of the regulatory landscape. Each state in the U.S. regulates beverage alcohol in its own unique way and each major city in the U.S. has its own drinks culture. While your brand might have a high-quality product that's well differentiated, you won't make it very far without doing your homework.
In a market that's as highly regulated and competitive as the U.S., having a targeted approach to market entry will make all the difference to your brand. On this episode of the Park Street Insider podcast, we're featuring a presentation from industry veteran Chris Ladas, Founder of XAL consulting, who presents an overview of the U.S. market.
Ladas takes a look at the different regions within the U.S. and gives listeners a sense of how nuanced each specific market can be when trying to make sales. He'll explain why sales channels that are vital to success in certain states might not be worthwhile in others. He also offers key considerations in both on and off-premise environments.
Episode Breakdown:
2:15 - Different regions in the U.S.
3:32 - Three-Tier System 4:16 - Considerations for major markets
8:35 - Marketing considerations
Key Quote:
"When you're looking at the rundown of the retail landscape, it truly varies in every landscape. And to consider the U.S. as a single market would be a big mistake."
In this episode you'll hear from:
Chris Ladas, Founder and Chief Consulting Officer, XAL Consulting
Mentioned in this episode:
The Keys to Selling Beverage Alcohol in Many Different Markets
XAL Consulting
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What It Takes— BuzzBallz CEO & Founder Merrilee Kick
Park Street Insider Podcast
01/15/24 • 37 min
In the early days of laying the groundwork for her brand, Buzzballz, Merrilee Kick received a call from a distributor who informed her that, despite having a contract in place, they would be canceling their order, asserting that ready-to-drink products were a "fad." In 2024 it's almost impossible to imagine that her now iconic brand was ever in such a position, but Kick's beverage-alcohol journey was non-linear and faced adversities known to many early-stage entrepreneurs.
Kick joins Emmett Strack and the Park Street Insider Podcast to share her journey of building Buzzballz into one of the largest ready-to-drink suppliers in the world, operating across all 50 states and 27 countries.
Key topics mentioned:
Top-Down Alignment:
- One constant between brands that break away from the pack to become a beverage-alcohol category leader is a top-down alignment of goals, intentions, and brand ethos. When Merrilee Kick set out to create an iconic package, she built a team, and infrastructure that worked in unison to achieve this.
Patience as a Virtue:
- Buzzballz did not become a category leader overnight. Kick explains why entrepreneurs should be ready to self-sacrifice and be patient while the brand builds on each milestone. She also hints at why brand-builders usually need more capital than they think to get it done.
In this episode you'll hear from:
Merrilee Kick, CEO & Founder, Buzzballz / Southern Champion LLC
Mentioned in this episode:
Buzzballz
The Beverage Alcohol Manual (BAM)
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FAQ
How many episodes does Park Street Insider Podcast have?
Park Street Insider Podcast currently has 73 episodes available.
What topics does Park Street Insider Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Brand Building, Alcohol, Entrepreneurship, Podcasts, Business, M&A, Trends, Cocktail and Spirits.
What is the most popular episode on Park Street Insider Podcast?
The episode title 'Essential Talks—Campari America's Andrea Sengara on the Power of E-Commerce' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Park Street Insider Podcast?
The average episode length on Park Street Insider Podcast is 36 minutes.
How often are episodes of Park Street Insider Podcast released?
Episodes of Park Street Insider Podcast are typically released every 16 days, 20 hours.
When was the first episode of Park Street Insider Podcast?
The first episode of Park Street Insider Podcast was released on Jun 23, 2020.
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