The Alexi Cashen Podcast

James Miles is the Chairman, Managing Director, and Co-founder of Liv-ex, the leading marketplace and data source for secondary sales of fine wine. Liv-ex has a membership that spans across 560 wine companies from 43 countries. Members can trade confidently and anonymously with other wine businesses worldwide.

James attended Harris Manchester College in the UK, and in 1991 he started his career with Jardine Fleming Investment Management in Hong Kong (which later became Banque Paribas and then BNP Paribas). He is also the Director of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

Do you struggle with juggling logistics, buying, and selling in the wine industry? Are you a wine brand looking for a worldwide marketplace to connect with consumers?

Engaging with consumers through the three-tier system can be complicated. It can be difficult for many brands and individuals to analyze, visualize, and trust that you’re working with tried and trusted merchants. That’s why James Miles curated the Liv-ex platform that created a comprehensive database of brands and their products to reach and engage consumers through wine. In fact, they are the world’s largest open-sourced database of wine information. Want to learn more?

Listen to this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast as Alexi sits down with James Miles, Chairman, Managing Director, and Co-founder of Liv-ex. Hear his narration of launching an online stock exchange for wine. James talks about solving consumer problems in real-time, how to unclog the supply chain issues of shipping overseas, and how a platform can connect and educate consumers on brand behavior.

Sarah Shadonix is the Founder and CEO of Scout & Cellar, a Clean-Crafted™, woman-founded and led winery that has created a higher standard for how wine is made by creating a more authentic, sustainable, and delicious approach to the wine-making process. After several years of practicing commercial litigation, Sarah decided to pursue her passion for wine instead. In 2014, she earned her Advanced Certificate from the Wines & Spirit Education Trust and became a Certified Specialist of Wine. Armed with both passion and extensive knowledge, Sarah began working in the wine industry in California, curating wine offerings for online retailers, honing the skills to help contribute to the success of Scout & Cellar.

Creating an authentic wine brand starts in the vineyard. So, how can you craft exceptional wines for a satisfying customer experience? 

Sarah Shadonix is pioneering a community of like-minded wine enthusiasts dedicated to crafting wines without the use of pesticides, artificial ingredients, or added sugar. From grape to bottle, Sarah is committed to delivering a Clean-Crafted™ wine focused on sustainability. Today, Sarah shares how you can deliver environmentally-friendly wines for the consumer. 

In this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, Alexi sits down with Sarah Shadonix, Founder and CEO of Scout & Cellar, to discuss delivering a quality product through authenticity and transparency. Sarah shares the story behind launching an e-commerce wine brand, how to successfully deliver a consultant-based model, and the importance of making the consumer journey unique and engaging.

Bryan Monteleone is the Co-founder of Drinkubator, a company that lives at the collision of beverages and technology and leverages digital strategy for spirits, RTDs, wine, and non-alcoholic brands to help them make better business decisions based on live data and analytics.

Bryan oversees business development and relationship management and brings his ability and experience in developing, building, and selling technology solutions to Drinkubator and its roster of clients. As a passionate tech geek, startup junkie, and serial entrepreneur, Bryan bridges an eye for emerging technology and online tactics together with his background in the craft alcohol business to help Drinkubator brand partners grow their footprint in the ever-growing and uber-competitive beverage industry.

How can your brand stay relevant in today’s competitive digital market? Is it possible to tap into data to make better decisions and invest in a market where your beverage brand will succeed?

The spirits digital market can be difficult to navigate. So, how can you find your niche and unlock your digital potential? Bryan Monteleone is a trailblazer in the digital industry and helps build successful spirits brands.  

By being digitally forward and paying attention to the data and analytics of where your customers are, you can accelerate your brand growth and drive sales. The industry is competitive, so it can be a game-changer if your brand focuses on reaching customers through monetizing available data. 

In this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, join Alexi as she sits down with Bryan Monteleone, Co-founder of Drinkubator, to discuss navigating and overcoming digital marketing challenges for a spirits brand. Bryan talks about meeting brand needs in a digital space, the importance of flexible marketing strategies, and the endless possibilities of content delivery for spirits brands.

Anna Lundstrom and her husband founded Folksy Hard Kombucha, a better-for-you alcoholic beverage that’s more thoughtful and more enjoyable. At Folksy, they are committed to pure ingredients and honest practices that put people and the planet first. Their better-for-you alcoholic drink is made from a light combination of organic fruit juices and natural botanicals, and it’s low in sugar and brewed to a breezy 5% — so you can feel good today and tomorrow, too!

Do you want to make an alcoholic beverage with more natural ingredients and lower sugar? How can you launch towards your north star while remaining true to your values and beliefs?

Anna Lundstrom of Folksy Hard Kombucha created a refreshing, sweet alcoholic drink without the weight of processed ingredients and added sugar. She believes consumers can have clean ingredients and natural botanicals with zero compromises. Anna stayed true to her principles and aligned herself with partnerships that encouraged growth opportunities. Today, Anna is here to share the birth of her product and how you can remain true to your vision.

In this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, Alexi sits down with Anna Lundstrom, Co-founder of Folksy Hard Kombucha, to discuss creating an alcoholic beverage without compromising on ingredients. Anna talks about crafting a selection of kombucha using organic ingredients, the importance of aligning your brand with your core values, and letting the customer define how your brand speaks.

Carlos de Jesus is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Amorim Cork, the largest cork producer in the world. He played rugby at the national level before cutting his teeth at Breakstone & Ruth LLP, a leading New York-based investor and shareholder relations firm where he worked in media and investor relations and corporate communications. 

Originally hailing from Portugal, his natural curiosity and interest in environmental sustainability led him back there 16 years ago to contribute to the global defense of cork forests and the species that rely on their existence.

Wine-making has been around for thousands of years — and cork seals bottles effectively. Cork may be an environmentally friendlier option than single-use plastic, but not without many challenges. How can a brand continue fostering change and innovative technologies?

Modernizing the cork industry and educating consumers on the environmental impacts is crucial as cork brands face a sustainability problem. Carlos de Jesus pours his passion into helping winemakers focus on growth while cultivating a better ecosystem through cork stoppers. More importantly, cork is harvested without felling trees. By carefully stripping it, the tree can balance the ecosystem by continuing to grow until the next harvest.

On this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, join Alexi Cashen as she talks with Carlos de Jesus, Director of Marketing and Communications at Amorim, about producing cork and the fundamentals of cork forests. Carlos discusses the positive impact cork has on the environment, the balance between nature and technology, and what is threatening the sustainability of the cork industry.

Alexi Cashen is the Co-founder and CEO of Elenteny Imports, a multifaceted logistics company dedicated to growing its partners’ businesses in the wine, beer, and spirits industry. She is also the Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of St. Hildie's Spiked Tincture Tonics, boozy craft tonics made with natural ingredients and botanical tinctures. 

Alexi is fondly called the “Chief Executive Optimist” — spreading the gospel of empathetic customer service, sales panache, and meticulous operations. She scours ideas and drives home solutions, strategy, and above all else, positivity! Alexi is also the host of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, where she talks with inspirational people in the wine, beer, and spirits space.

Ever wondered how — and why — brands scale and thrive in the wine and alcohol beverage industry? Where can you find the tools for success of brands that engage in the same struggles?

This week, Alexi Cashen highlights brand e-commerce, retail models, and entrepreneurial struggles and solutions in the wine and beverage industry. From flavors and ingredients, mentorships and inspiring women’s roles, and importing and distribution, this episode has it all. Dig into this collection of inspiring stories and industry aspects.

In this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, Rise25 Co-founder John Corcoran sits down with host Alexi Cashen to talk about Alexi’s most memorable past episodes and encouraging conversations. Alexi shares how brands pivoted during challenging times to produce growth, ways women are refashioning the industry, and how the alcohol beverage industry is embracing diversity and inclusion.

Gina Fugina is a passionate female Spanish wine importer and the Owner of Able Beverage LLC, a Maine-based Spanish wine import company. Able Beverage imports high-quality biodynamic, vegan, and certified organic Spanish wines to more than 15 states, including Maine, California, New York, Colorado, and New Jersey.

Gina is also the owner of her sip for a cure brand, pALS CAVA. She was inspired by a friend’s fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and runs the company by the motto, “Sip For A Cure.” Gina’s passion for the wine business and experience came from her time working with Steve Miles as the Operations Manager for Steve Miles Selections.

Have you ever wondered about the role of a wine importer? The role of an importer is associated with buying and selling wine, but how does an independent importer select a bottle? What are these factors, and what role do they play in wine selection?

An importer deals with more than just suppliers. They establish relationships with wineries, need to understand logistics and compliance, and know how to prepare a delectable portfolio of wines. Gina Fugina started her own brand based on a passion and love for Spanish wines, and she has become an industry pioneer — in sparkling wine and giving back. Inspired by a personal friend and mentor, she shows how a wine-loving community can make a difference.

On this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, hear from Gina Fugina, Owner of Able Beverage and pALS Cava, as she details creating a unique experience from imported wine from Spain. Gina talks about her journey into the alcohol beverage industry, lessons she’s learned in the process of scaling her brand, and the inspiration behind her “Sip For A Cure” motto.

Helen Johannesen is the Owner and Founder of Helen’s Wines, a naturally-driven and organically farmed wine shop. She is also the Director of Operations and the Beverage Director at Jon & Vinny’s restaurant and all associated restaurants, including Animal, Son of a Gun, and Petit Trois. She is passionate about food and wine and was titled Best New Sommelier by Food & Wine in 2016.

Helen graduated from the University of Wisconsin and began her career in the food industry working at L’Etoile, where she gained valuable experience in the fine dining and farm-to-table sector. After moving to Los Angeles, Helen worked as a manager at Craft before taking a position with Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo and eventually became their partner at Jon & Vinny’s.

How do new brands connect and educate consumers? What does it mean to stay humble in the rapidly growing ecosystem of the wine industry, and how can you remain authentic?

For Helen Johannesen, connecting and establishing a personal relationship between her consumers and the brand they love begins with a conversation. Helen has had a colorful career in the food and beverage industry — and her experience as a leader has inspired and shaped the foundation of her wine shop, Helen’s. By remaining authentic and firm to her roots, she has successfully scaled her brand and positively impacted the lives of her consumers. 

Listen to this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast to hear from Helen Johannesen, Owner and Founder of Helen’s and Partner at Jon & Vinny’s. Alexi and Helen discuss keeping true to your roots, increasing revenue, and staying humble in a diverse industry. Helen talks about the importance of educating the consumer, setting brand expectations for authenticity, and being persistent in your personal growth. Stay tuned!

Donna Katz is the Founder and CEO of G’s Hard Ginger Beer, a ready-to-drink dry hard ginger beer brand made with 100% real ingredients. She is focused on bringing natural, cleaner, and transparent ingredients to the alcohol beverage space. Donna is an Australian native and moved to Napa Valley, California, in 2013. She began dry-farming a small block of grapevines organically by hand and making restrained-style wines in 2014. Donna started fermenting ginger for her own digestive health when she was struck with the idea to create a brand of clean and functional alcoholic ginger beers. 

How can you create a business model centered around consumer and distribution relationships? What does it take to craft quality beverages with natural ingredients? 

Donna Katz saw a gap in the market for cleaner alcohol options that were fresh-tasting and not overly sweetened with added sugar. She was inspired to create her beverage while fermenting ginger for her own gut health. After sourcing natural and local ingredients, Donna decided to produce an agriculturally sourced brand. She believes in her brew and puts in the time to establish connections with her consumers and distributors to showcase the value of her canned ginger beer. 

On this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, hear from Donna Katz, Founder and CEO of G’s Hard Ginger Beer, as she details her process of crafting a clean, organic beverage brand. Alexi and Donna talk about the importance of transparency on nutritional beverage labels, how in-person networking scaled Donna’s brand, and an exemplary business model to connect with consumers and distributors.

Marisa Wilairat is the Alcohol Compliance Manager at Elenteny Imports, a multi-faceted logistics company dedicated to growing its partners’ businesses in the wine, beer, and spirits industry. The Elenteny team handles all the details of compliance, logistics, and delivery for their clients so their team can focus on sourcing and selling exceptional wines, beers, and spirits.

Before joining Elenteny Imports, Marisa was an Associate Attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. As a member of the honorary scholastic society, The Order of the Coif, Marisa graduated magna cum laude with a Doctor of Law (J.D.) degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

Are you seeking a better opportunity in the alcohol compliance industry? If so, this episode is for you. 

Elenteny Imports devotes itself to helping importers navigate the waters of distribution, logistics, and compliance — and they’re looking for dedicated and eager team members. According to Marisa Wilairat, her role at Elenteny Imports is rewarding and fulfilling. Every day, she enjoys the opportunity to solve a new puzzle of the compliance chain.

On this episode of The Alexi Cashen Podcast, Alexi Cashen sits down with Marisa Wilairat, Alcohol Compliance Manager at Elenteny Imports, to discuss the opportunities available to join an array of accomplished professionals. Marisa talks about why she enjoys working in the alcohol compliance industry, the requirements for their open career opportunities, and the outstanding benefits of working at Elenteny Imports — including a killer holiday party!