What happens after a founder exits a company… and realizes the next big opportunity is even bigger?

In this episode, Mario sits down with James Weiss, former bartender turned entrepreneur, inventor, and startup founder, to unpack the journey from building a 7-figure cocktail business to inventing the world’s first self-cooling can.

From living in his in-laws’ spare bedroom while bootstrapping a startup to pitching Coca-Cola, Carlsberg, and global beverage giants… this conversation dives deep into entrepreneurship, resilience, IP protection, innovation, and the brutal realities of scaling companies.

Sometimes your biggest business failure becomes the foundation for your most important invention.

About James Weiss:

James Weiss is a Welsh entrepreneur, inventor, and founder of Delta Innovations. After building and exiting a successful cocktail delivery business, he shifted into product innovation and created a patented self-cooling beverage can designed to chill drinks in under 90 seconds.His work has attracted attention from some of the world’s biggest beverage brands, including Coca-Cola, Carlsberg, and major global can manufacturers.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Journey

02:12 From Bartender to Entrepreneur

06:52 Scaling the Cocktail Business

11:41 Navigating Investment Challenges

14:34 The Decision to Exit

18:11 Lessons Learned and New Ventures

22:22 Innovating in Beverage Packaging

37:34 Future of the Product and Market Potential