Amy’s guest today is Adam Hiner! Adam is the co-founder of Boochcraft, an alcoholic kombucha company based in San Diego, California, that is creating REAL impact in the world!

Although Adam has had a food and beverage background, prior to Boochcraft he had never launched a B to C consumer retail brand — or built an entire brewery for that matter! And a new category in the beverage market is no small feat!

In this interview, Adam talks about the inner-knowing that he had that launched Boochcraft, what it is like to pioneer a brand new beverage category in California, and how he tested and validated the concept before he launched. He also talks about his threshold of tolerance for risk and what takes courage for him. Amy and Adam also dive into the grit and determination that it takes to commit to your product and values and not compromise on your commitment to your customers. Many brands compromise their values when it becomes cheaper to source certain ingredients or materials — but Boochcraft has remained true to their values since they launched which has led to some incredible results you’ll have to tune in to hear!

Key Takeaways

[:50] About today’s guest!

[2:28] Amy welcomes Adam to the podcast.

[2:58] Adam speaks about what led him and his partners to launch Boochcraft.

[4:05] Adam shares a time he acted on 20 seconds of insane courage in his business and how it changed his trajectory.

[5:19] How did Adam and his partners in Boochcraft come together?

[6:41] Why did all three co-founders have so much faith in launching their company?

[8:52] What was their first step in starting the business?

[10:19] What happened when they started talking to retailers? And what some of the feedback that they first got?

[13:10] Adam shares an incredibly pivotal step in their business around their commitment to quality for their customers.

[17:45] Adam speaks about the parts of his business that require courage.

[19:42] Adam shares their process for making crucial decisions around their business.

[24:20] How does Adam feel his threshold of tolerance for risk is? And does he feel it has grown, like a muscle, over time?

[25:23] Has Adam’s high tolerance for risk ever betrayed him? And how did he bounce back?

[26:42] How Adam deciphers between the gut feelings that will lead to good decisions vs. bad decisions.

[28:37] Adam’s advice to entrepreneurs who are fearful of failure.

[29:28] How have intuition and inner guidance played a role in Adam’s life? And have these practices been something he has had to work on and evolve or do they come more naturally for him?

[30:32] Adam shares how he works his intuition and inner guidance practices into his busy life schedule.

[31:18] Adam provides some invaluable tips for others looking to build a brand in the food and beverage industry! He also touches on how they built such a loyal fanbase around their brand.

[33:01] Adam speaks about their process for interacting with their customers and receiving customer feedback.

[34:32] If Adam had to pick one thing that he felt really launched Boochcraft forward as a brand, what would it be?

[38:10] Adam’s tips for entrepreneurs who want to build a strong brand of their own.

[40:40] How do Adam and his team make sure that their values are communicated to their customer base?

[43:36] Adam shares the one thing he would change if he could go back to when he first started his business.

[45:10] Amy thanks Adam for joining the podcast.

[45:29] Where to get your hands on Boochcraft!

[46:37] What is Adam’s favorite flavor of Boochcraft?

Key Highlights:

How Boochcraft helped pioneer a new beverage category
How Adam KNEW a retailer like Wholefoods would buy their product
Adam shares a great story around their commitment to brand values
How “Sociocracy” has transformed their team
The steps to creating a strong brand and a loyal tribe

Mentioned in this Episode:

Boochcraft

Sociocracy

Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler

Connect with my Guest!

Adam Hiner’s LinkedIn

Adam’s Instagram: @Adam.Hiner

Hey listeners! Do you want to get your story out into the world in a really big way?

Visit AmySelbach.com/BrandStory to access my free, one-hour brand story planner! In under an hour, you can have a beautifully crafted brand story to use everywhere! Your brand story should be on your website, your packaging, and at the beginning of any presentation you give. A brand story is crucial for pitches to the media, brand deals, podcasts, and investor decks. Not only that, this formula can be used for brand case studies, testimonials, and ad copy.

Follow-up with Me!

If you want to get more resources on marketing, branding, content strategy and building a business, you can follow me over on Instagram @AmySelbach or at AmySelbach.com!

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