Top Shelf Integrity

Kathleen DiBenedetto is the Senior Director of Seed Brands, and she is joined by Atsushi “Charlie” Takeuchi whose expertise is the whisky Highball. Today, they explore how the Beam family and Suntory family contribute to who Beam Suntory is as an organization, and how they differentiate themselves from the landscape of so many brands by honoring legacy. Learn how Beam Suntory inspires passion and a commitment to innovation through their strong founder spirit and family business model!

Today on Top Shelf Integrity:

• Inspiring passion & teamwork through the family business model
• How Beam Suntory sets itself apart by honoring their strong founders’ spirits
• Beam Suntory’s commitment to adding value & growing for good vs. growing for profit
• How to take your business to the next level through innovation

Follow Beam Suntory:

• Website: beamsuntory.com
• Instagram: @beamsuntory

Proof You Can:

• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_ 
• LinkedIn: Rachel Harris

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

Ken Ruff is the Vice President of National Accounts of On-Premise at Beam Suntory, and Kathleen DiBenedetto is the Senior Director of Seed Brands. Today, Ken and Kathleen share how times have changed in each of their 30 years at Beam Suntory, along with the values and culture that have kept them excited and loving their careers year after year. They each share their knowledge of the sales and marketing industry, including the most important elements for success and how they mentor their employees.

Today on Top Shelf Integrity:

• The culture & values of Beam Suntory that have kept Ken & Kathleen there for 30 years
• How Beam Suntory brings their brands' legacies forward, showing the heart of each company
• Authenticity and truth as core values of Beam Suntory
• The most important elements of success in marketing & sales today
• The future of the alcoholic beverage industry
• Advice for employees for growing in their career

Follow Beam Suntory:

• Website: beamsuntory.com
• Instagram: @beamsuntory

Proof You Can:

• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_ 
• LinkedIn: Rachel Harris

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

Rachel Harris is the Vice President of On-Premise at Beam Suntory, and John Horn is the Customer Vice President for Hotel and Regional Accounts of On-Premise. In today’s conversation, Rachel and John unpack what it means to be a great leader and how leadership styles have evolved at Beam Suntory. They talk about cultivating an environment where your team feels safe to voice their opinions, and how trust, vulnerability, and diversity play a role in building an exceptional team.

Today on Top Shelf Integrity:

• How Rachel & John developed into their leadership roles and styles
• Building teams that are diverse in thought & experience
• Why vulnerability is a powerful tool in leadership 
• Empowering your team by asking questions
• Building a team from scratch - creating a team culture & individual trust
• The evolution of leadership style within Beam Suntory

Follow Beam Suntory:

• Website: beamsuntory.com
• Instagram: @beamsuntory

Proof You Can:

• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_ 
• LinkedIn: Rachel Harris

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

Dan Cohen is the Senior PR Director and Head of Social Media at Beam Suntory, and Christina Kollereb is the Senior Marketing Manager for National Accounts On-Premise. In today’s episode, Dan and Christina discuss why implementing Cocktails-To-Go during the pandemic was a lifeline for the service industry, and unpack the challenges and creativity that went into developing this new system. 

Today on Top Shelf Integrity:

• How Cocktails-To-Go supports bars & restaurants 
• The luxury and convenience of Cocktails-To-Go for consumers
• The social media presence of this initiative 
• Two biggest obstacles with implementing this new system
• The future of Cocktails-To-Go and On The Rocks
• Future cocktail trends as bars are opening

Follow Beam Suntory:

• Website: beamsuntory.com
• Instagram: @beamsuntory

Proof You Can:

• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_ 
• LinkedIn: Rachel Harris

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

Dan Cohen is the Senior PR Director and Head of Social Media at Beam Suntory. Dan is joined by Atsushi "Charlie" Takeuchi, whose expertise is the whisky Highball. Before coming to Chicago in 2016 to maximize the growth of Highball in the U.S., Charlie spent 18 years in Japan working for Suntory, and was part of the team who developed the Highball machine. Today, Charlie shares how Highball gained its popularity, and why the creation of the Highball machine was a game-changer for the beverage market.

Today on Top Shelf Integrity:

• Whisky Highball as part of Japanese culture
• Charlie’s transition from Japan to the U.S. with the Suntory Highball machine
• How Suntory came up with the concept of a Highball machine
• The evolution and future of Highball
• What makes a quality, refreshing Highball & the room for innovation with crafting one
• The differences between a Japanese Highball and a Highball in the states

Follow Beam Suntory:

• Website: beamsuntory.com
• Instagram: @beamsuntory
• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_

Proof You Can:

• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_ 
• LinkedIn: Rachel Harris

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

John Horn is the Customer Vice President for Hotel and Regional Accounts of On-Premise at Beam Suntory, and Ken Ruff is the Vice President of National Accounts. Today, John and Ken share insight into their departments and how On-Premise at Beam Suntory creates long-lasting value for their customers. Standing out in the beverage industry can be tricky with the wide range of options, so John and Ken are here to explore what it means to have a customer-centric, forward-thinking approach to best serve your customers and consumers.

Today on Top Shelf Integrity:

• The pros of Beam Suntory’s customer-centric approach
• Building long-term relationships with customers vs. focusing on short-term wins
• Having a diverse team of talent that also reflects your customers and consumers
• Creating an environment that empowers employees to be leaders
• Servicing customers and utilizing insights for continuous growth 

Follow Beam Suntory:

• Instagram: @beamsuntory 
• Website: beamsuntory.com

Proof You Can:

• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_ 
• LinkedIn: Rachel Harris

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

Rachel Harris is the Vice President of On-Premise USA at Beam Suntory, and she is joined by Kathleen DiBenedetto, the Senior Director of Seed Brands. Today, Rachel and Kathleen unpack how Beam Suntory approached the pandemic and activities they did throughout the year to support their trade partners and community. Learn how they put into action their saying, “come as a friend, leave as a family” and why the focus of Beam Suntory is always on the value of the individual. You’ll also hear stories from past generations, like how Jim Beam overcame adversity and took care of his employees during prohibition.

Today on Top Shelf Integrity:

• What sets Beam Suntory apart in their leadership style
• Programs that were created to support trade partners during the pandemic, like Shift-Meals-To-Go
• Core values of Beam Suntory: the emphasis that people are family
• Ways Beam Suntory focuses on their customers' success & invests in their people
• Virtual trainings and tastings around crafting cocktails
• Sharing stories from past generations and learning from mistakes 

Follow Beam Suntory:

• Instagram: @beamsuntory 
• Website: beamsuntory.com

Proof You Can:

• Follow Rachel: @rachelsharris_ 
• LinkedIn: Rachel Harris

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions

They’re the best sales team in the business...the spirits business that is, and they’re going to show you how they do it. Top Shelf Integrity gives you an inside look at how the Beam Suntory On-Premise sales team maintains their best-in-class standards of excellence through a combination of service and responsibility... and a hearty shot of integrity.

This podcast is by the industry for the industry.

Through conversations with leaders at Beam Suntory, you’ll learn what it is that makes the On-Premise sales team the “go-to” sales team in the alcohol industry through tactical business and sales advice grounded in the team’s collective decades of experience. 

Business is changing by the second and the only way to stay ahead of the curve is to have a killer team by your side. With Top Shelf Integrity, you’ve got yours.