We are excited to have Jackie Summers here today. Jackie is the founder of Jack From Brooklyn and Sorel Liqueur. His amazing liqueur is award-winning, and he has had multiple offers to acquire the company -- a company that he started by making the Sorel in his kitchen with a 400-year-old Caribbean recipe and organic grain alcohol. Jackie has an amazing story, from how his business was inspired after a very serious cancer scare to his mission of spreading awareness.

Jackie is an author and speaker who raises awareness about systemic oppression and the entire axis of privilege and domination. He educates people about being actively anti-racist and looks inward at his own possible misogyny. His mission is to help people be aware of the importance of inclusion and how it only makes society, a business, or a world a better place. This conversation is filled with colorful stories and historical facts that not everyone may be aware of.

Show Notes:

• [02:21] Jackie's Dad played piano for Louis Armstrong.
• [02:35] In 2010, Jackie had a cancer scare. The doctor found a golf ball-sized tumor and said that Jackie had a 95% chance of dying.
• [03:04] This gave Jackie the opportunity to ask himself how he would want to spend his last day on Earth.
• [03:54] He thought long and hard and knew that he wanted to day drink. He wanted to monetize his day drinking, and he took a recipe from his kitchen and created Sorel liqueur.
• [05:14] In 2012, he was the only black person in America licensed to make liquor.
• [08:56] As Jackie tried to educate people about being actively anti-racist he had to ask himself about his own internal misogyny.
• [10:06] Jackie became self-aware and started asking what else doesn't he know. He asked how he can make himself more aware and spread the awareness.
• [10:47] He's a writer and a teacher and speaks publicly about systemic oppression and the entire axis of privilege and domination.
• [12:35] Jackie shares the stubbed toe theory. Let's make sure the vulnerable part is protected. Society needs to protect its most vulnerable members.
• [14:48] Food is political by default. There is an entire food revolution going on in Poland that you can only make sense of if you know their history.
• [16:24] A slave taught Jack Daniels how to make whiskey. The cocktail culture has origins with people of color.
• [17:15] Dive bars also began with people of color.
• [18:03] Speaking engagements are at the front of Jackie's business. It's his job to contribute to the ongoing saga in a meaningful way.
• [19:59] Jackie launched Sorel in 2012. He didn't spend a dime on marketing, but it was a huge success.
• [20:45] The liqueur is a 400-year-old Caribbean recipe with hibiscus, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and organic grain alcohol.
• [23:14] Jackie wanted to continue to be part of his brand, so he turned down acquisition offers.
• [27:15] Jackie shares about how Rwanda is growing because of women entrepreneurs. With women in charge, things are better for everyone.
• [29:44] Jackie speaks at a lot of cocktail conventions. He sits on an education council.
• [30:48] Shine a light through a prism and you get a rainbow.
• [31:27] A week after this episode was recorded he spoke at Wine on Wheels.
• [34:09] We are all impacted by all the rest of us.
• [40:48] It's important to remember that others aren't different than you.
• [44:07] Consider making things better for your employees and your patrons. Varied viewpoints will help your product be accepted by more people.

Links and Resources:

• Jack From Brooklyn
• @TheLiquortarian on Twitter
• Jack From Brooklyn on Instagram
• Jack From Brooklyn on LinkedIn
• The Good Men Project Jackie Summers
• Wine on Wheels

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