Welcome, thirsty listener. This is episode 3 of the Business of Drinks podcast. In this episode, we are joined once again by Hamlet Hound founder, Christy Frank, to talk all about money. Money is a topic often seen as taboo, yet it is fundamental when going about establishing a drinks business in today’s market. The good news is, starting-up might not be as expensive as you might think. In this episode we cover a whole host of topics, so if you are interested in knowing more about how to scale your business, understanding direct to consumer sales, establishing your markups and profit margins, working with a distributor and why you might want to do that…then listen up, because this pod is filled with liquid gold! 

Show concept:

This season, we’re following a canned cocktail line called Hamlet Hound, from launch to growth. Along the way, we’ll interview key experts and ask them how a startup can go from idea to national distribution.

But back to the money. We’ve found that people (and brands) don't like to talk about how they become profitable, so we’re pulling the band-aid off and delving into actual dollars and cents which you will discover in this episode!

You’ll get the real scoop on what works, and what doesn’t. We’ll also be looking at funding models, from venture capital and drinks incubators to bootstrapping your way to success.

Want to know how to build a successful alcohol brand? Tune in as we investigate!

About Christy Frank, guest:

Christy Frank is the Founder of Hamlet Hound, a line of canned cocktails. She has over 20 years of experience in business and the drinks world. She worked for many years as a brand manager at Moet Hennessy, overseeing both spirits and wine brands. She has founded two retail wine shops, including Copake Wine Works in Copake, New York, which she opened in 2015 with her husband Yannai Frank. Her original retail shop, Frankly Wines in New York City — which she launched in 2007 and sold 10 years later. Frank has also worked as a marketing officer at Wine Australia, among other roles. 

Learn more about Hamlet Hound:

https://hamlet-hound.com/

https://www.instagram.com/hamlet_hound/

About Erica Duecy, host:

Erica Duecy is co-founder of Business of Drinks, a podcast and content consultancy, and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails. 

To learn more about Erica Duecy:

https://www.instagram.com/ericaduecy/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-duecy-4a35844/

https://twitter.com/ericaduecy

About Felicity Carter, host:

Felicity Carter is a well-known journalist and editor based in Europe. She is co-founder of Business of Drinks, the Editorial Director of ARENI Global in London, International Editor of Star Wine List in Sweden, and a contributing editor to The New Wine Review. Formerly, she was founding Executive Editor for The Drop, and Editor-in-Chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, a trade magazine she built into a global must-read, with subscribers in 38 countries. She has consulted to the Dutch government and to Liv-ex, and been the keynote speaker at the wine industry’s biggest conferences and events, from New York and Sydney to Hong Kong. 

To learn more about Felicity Carter:

https://twitter.com/felicitycarter

https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicity-carter-a5754380/

https://www.instagram.com/carter.felicity/

https://www.facebook.com/felicity.carter.104/

Cheers!