Movers and Shakers with April Wachtel (April Wachtel)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Movers and Shakers with April Wachtel
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| 04 Feb 2020 | Paul Gabie from The Proof Collective on the forces shaping the beverage industry in Asia Pacific, the "Hendrick’s moment" as a sign of market maturity, and cross-pollination as an accelerant | 01:10:25 | |
Today’s guest is Paul Gabie. Paul is an investor, former lawyer, and co-founder and CEO of The Proof Collective, a portfolio of companies dedicated to spreading fine drinking around the globe. If you’re in the cocktail world and you don’t know their name, you definitely know their work. Their companies include:
In the podcast today we discuss
Paul was such a wonderful guest, and I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. If you do enjoy the interview, please share the podcast- and we would really appreciate if you can leave us a review in apple podcasts- it really does help.
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| 16 Jan 2022 | John deBary from Proteau and RWCF on building a career in F&B and how overnight success is rarely "overnight" | 00:51:07 | |
Today’s guest is John deBary, the creator of Proteau, a line of zero-proof botanical drinks, a co-founder of Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, author of Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Making Objectively Delicious Cocktails, Food52’s first Resident Drink Expert, and a freelance journalist with bylines in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Thrillist, the Food Network, Punch, and more. In the podcast today we discuss:
I think you can tell that I’m a massive fan of John’s and am so impressed by everything he does for the drinks and hospitality community. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it, and without further ado, here’s my interview with John deBary. Find John Find Proteau @drinkproteau Invest in Proteau on Republic Find RWCF @rwcfusa Find Movers and Shakers: @moverssshakers Find April: Find Cheeky Enter code MOVERSANDSHAKERS at checkout for 10% off your first order @cheekycocktails | |||
| 15 Oct 2019 | Robert Simonson from the New York Times on the role of instinct in creative work, the evolution of the celebrity bartender, and the book someone should write on hospitality | 01:05:43 | |
Robert Simonson writes about bars, bartenders, cocktails, spirits and travel for The New York Times. His work has also appeared in Imbibe, Food & Wine, Saveur, Bon Appetit, Punch and many other publications. His books include “The Old-Fashioned” “A Proper Drink”, and “3-Ingredient Cocktails,” and his newest book, “The Martini Cocktail,” was released earlier this fall. His writings have been nominated for a total of eleven Spirited Awards; and two IACP Awards. He is the recipient of the 2019 Spirited Award for Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer, and he is the co-author, with Martin Doudoroff, of two apps, “Modern Classics of the Cocktail Renaissance” and “The Martini Cocktail,” In the podcast today we discuss:
Robert was such a thoughtful and entertaining guest, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Find Robert online at Or on Instagram at @robertosimonson Find Robert’s latest book, “The Martini Cocktail,” at fine booksellers everywhere, or on Amazon
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| 06 Sep 2017 | Episode 11 - Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero of Speed Rack | 00:47:38 | |
My guests on today's show are Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero, the badass founders of Speed Rack. If you don't know it, Speed Rack is an international cocktail competition featuring female bartender, it benefits charities that combat breast cancer, it's heading into its seventh season, and has raised over $600,000 to-date to fight breast cancer. Pretty amazing stuff! These ladies are a force to be reckoned with! | |||
| 29 Oct 2019 | Nick Papanicolaou from Pernod Ricard on why large companies struggle with innovation, relationship building with investors, the importance of timing in growing your business, and so much more | 01:01:01 | |
Nick Papanicolaou is a former investment banker and MBA graduate turned entrepreneur, who launched his own spirits brand which eventually brought him to Pernod Ricard. He led the M&A and Strategy team for the USA and helped build the New Brand Ventures unit as Head of Business Development. He was also CFO of New Brand Ventures and CFO of Smooth Ambler Spirits. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Del Maguey Mezcal, Smooth Ambler Spirits and Our Vodka as well as on the Investment Committee for a venture capital fund. In the podcast today we discuss:
Nick was such a generous and insightful guest, and I hope you get as much value from this conversation as I did. Without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Nick Papanicolaou | |||
| 03 May 2017 | Episode 2 - Tobin Elis | 00:46:24 | |
Today my guest is Tobin Ellis, the owner of Bar Magic of Las Vegas. Bar Magic is an award-winning hospitality design and consulting firm. You may have seen Tobin on ABC, NBC, USA, E!, A&E, Food Network, Travel Channel, Spike, HBO, and much more. In today's episode we discuss good design, Tobin's background in flair, his love of the Mai Tai cocktail -- and so much more. | |||
| 06 Dec 2017 | Episode 15 - Jim Meehan | 01:01:16 | |
I'm so pleased to have Jim Meehan on this episode of Movers & Shakers. He's best known as the proprietor of PDT, a speakeasy-style bar in New York City. He's also the author of the "PDT Cocktail Book" and "Meehan's Bartender Manual," released in October, 2017. On this episode we discuss his career trajectory, the global expansion of cocktail culture, and curation in the cocktail world and beyond. I hope you enjoy the show! | |||
| 09 Aug 2017 | Episode 9 - Lauren Mote of Bittered Sling | 01:17:50 | |
Today on the show we have the inimitable Lauren Mote. She's an icon in the world of Canadian bartending. In the episode, we discuss how she originally fell in love with food and beverage, her work in Vancouver at The Refinery, Uva Wine & Cocktail Bar, and The Four Seasons, her company Bittered Sling, and most recently her work with Diageo World Class. | |||
| 12 Nov 2019 | Jeffrey Morgenthaler from Clyde Common and Pepe Le Moko on why the craft cocktail movement is due for change, why everyone should strive to contribute, and why bartenders should stay behind the bar | 01:03:34 | |
Jeffrey Morgenthaler is an award-winning bartender working since 1996 in everything from neighborhood taverns and college nightclubs to fine restaurants and upscale lounges. Jeffrey has been writing about bartending and mixology for years at his website, jeffreymorgenthaler.com- which is still one of the most respected blogs in the cocktail world. He is a regular columnist at Playboy.com, and his recipes and wisdom have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Wine Enthusiast and Wired, among many others. He is the best-selling author of “The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique,” and Drinking Distilled. As always, Jeffrey tells it like it is, and we cover a range of topics including:
...And so much more. | |||
| 26 Feb 2018 | Movers and Shakers is Back [plus instagram giveaway!] | 00:04:17 | |
Hey y'all- So sorry for the long absence, and a belated happy new year! Here's a quick update to let you know what's in store for Movers and Shakers in 2018, plus an opportunity to participate in Swig + Swallow's instagram giveaway with @apartment_bartender. More interviews coming soon with Billy from Soto Sake, Aidan and Andrew from Fora Foods, and Austin Allan from Tio Gazpacho. | |||
| 17 Mar 2020 | Chris Lowder and Micaela Piccolo on life in Shanghai under quarantine | 01:11:07 | |
In today's special episode of Movers and Shakers, I speak to friends in industry icons, Chris Lowder and Micaela Piccolo about life in Shanghai during Coronavirus. They share what they're doing to stay positive and productive under quarantine, what you should expect if your market is not yet adapted for the virus, and what bars and restaurants are doing across China to persevere. Please note, this was also the first video interview for Movers and Shakers. The video is available here. --- Follow Chris and Micaela's updates on Instagram @getlowdernow @micaelapiccolo --- Connect with April on LinkedIn --- Shoot us questions, comments, or requests for specific content at hello@moverssshakers.com
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| 21 Jan 2020 | Mariena Mercer Boarini from the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on the power of yes, balancing creativity and business in a high volume setting, and being a mother in the bar world | 00:44:41 | |
Today’s guest is Mariena Mercer Boarini. Mariena is a second generation Las Vegan and a ten year veteran of the industry. Excelling in alchemy, and with a focus on experiential cocktails, Mariena oversees cocktail creation for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Mariena has been featured on The Food Network, Esquire Magazine, Saveur Magazine, Tastemade, and various other media outlets. She has been named “Top Bartender in Las Vegas” and one of the “Top 10 Female Bartenders in the World.” In the episode today we discuss:
…and so much more. It was such a pleasure having Mariena on the podcast and hope you enjoy the conversation. Find Mariena: Mariena.Boarini@cosmopolitanlasvegas.com Find the Cosmopolitan: Find Movers and Shakers: Find April: | |||
| 26 Oct 2022 | Elayne Duff from the Beverage Brand Ambassador Academy | 00:35:44 | |
Today’s interview is with Elayne Duff from the Beverage Brand Ambassador Academy. Elayne Duff is a 20-year veteran of the spirits industry. She was Diageo U.S.A.’s first head mixologist and luxury spirits ambassador, has appeared on the T.V. show Bar Rescue numerous times as a beverage expert, and was a Global Manager of experiential events and education at Ab-InBev. More recently Elayne founded “Duff on the Rocks,” an on and off-trade brand strategy consultancy, launched a YouTube show “Celebrating the Brand Ambassador” and created the “Beverage B.A. Academy,” the first online training academy for Brand Ambassadors. In the podcast today we discuss:
Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Elayne Duff!
Find The Beverage Brand Ambassador Academy: https://beveragebaacademy.teachable.com Find Elayne: On Instagram @duffontherocks On Facebook @Elayneduff On LinkedIn @ Elayne Duff
Find Movers and Shakers:
Find April:
Find Cheeky Enter code MOVERSANDSHAKERS at checkout for 10% off your first order | |||
| 21 Mar 2019 | Episode 19- Elliott Clark from Apartment Bartender on building a brand, getting started on your own passion project, diversifying among social media channels, and the importance of consistency | 00:49:03 | |
Elliott Clark is the founder and creative director of Apartment Bartender. Apartment Bartender is a private digital content agency that specializes in the drink and lifestyle category. Elliott is also the co-founder of Earn Your Booze, a drink and fitness event company geared towards helping industry professionals to find balance between wellness and imbibing.
In Today's Episode you'll learn: 1) How Elliott got into photography and social media, and how he knew to leave his job and focus on AB full time 2) Elliott's perspective on timing, and the importance of choosing a name for your brand or business 3) What Elliott would do differently, if he were to do it all over again 4) The dangers of comparison, and the importance of consistency 5) Incorporating authenticity and vulnerability into your personal or professional brand 6) How to think about diversification among social media channels 7) The importance of pursuing your passion and meaning, and surrounding yourself with mentors and advisors | |||
| 19 Oct 2022 | Allison Evanow from Square One Organic Spirits | 00:47:58 | |
Today’s interview is with Allison Evanow from Square One Organic Spirits. Allison is the Founder and CEO of Square One Organic Spirits and Cocktails. She is a pioneer in the organic spirits space, starting Square One as the U.S.’s first all organic spirits company and one of the first women to start her own spirits brand. Square One crafts a line of USDA Organic vodkas and botanical spirits and now also has two new products lines – organic cocktail mixers and convenient ready to drink sparkling vodka cocktails. In the podcast today we discuss:
It was amazing speaking to Allison after hearing about her work for so long- Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Allison Evanow Find Square One www.squareoneorganicspirits.com On instagram @squareoneorganicspirits On facebook @squareoneorganicspirits Find Movers and Shakers: Find April: Find Cheeky Enter code MOVERSANDSHAKERS at checkout for 10% off your first order | |||
| 07 Oct 2021 | Allen Katz from the New York Distilling Company on the contemporary cocktail renaissance and what it takes to break through as a spirits brand | 00:54:27 | |
Today’s guest is Allen Katz, Co Founder of the New York Distilling Company. Allen is one of the nation’s leading experts on distilled spirits and cocktails, Director of the Spirits Education & Mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits of New York and is at the forefront of industry training in New York and around the country. He is renowned for his public and professional seminars on topics of America’s food and cocktail heritage and was previously the host of The Cocktail Hour for Martha Stewart on SiriusXM. I interviewed Allen in February of 2020, just a couple of weeks before Covid landed in New York City. As we all know, the past year and a half have been strange to say the least, but I’ve missed making the pod and am hoping to be back on more of a regular schedule. The beauty of having brilliant guests, is their advice often stands the test of time, and that is certainly the case with Allen’s. In the podcast today we discuss:
I can’t tell you how much I loved this conversation with Allen, and I think you’ll agree, he is a gifted storyteller as well as a fascinating and thoughtful business person. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Allen Katz Find Allen on most social media @nydistilleryman Find New York Distilling Company @nydistilling Find Movers and Shakers: On Instagram as @moverssshakers Find April: | |||
| 07 Jan 2020 | Hillary Hughes from Foster Garvey on entity formation, raising capital, and preparing for acquisition | 00:56:55 | |
Today’s interview is with Hillary Hughes from Foster Garvey. Hillary is a business, food, beverage and CPG, sports & entertainment, fashion & apparel and technology attorney. She represents sports & entertainment talent, entrepreneurs, start-up businesses and established brands as well as angel, venture capital and private equity investors. She's the Chair of the firm’s Sports, Arts & Entertainment practice and coleads the Food & Beverage practice. Given what we know about our audience, I think this episode could hold the most bang for your buck of any of our episodes, as Hillary gives great insights about a range of legal matters that took me years to understand as a first time entrepreneur. We discuss a range of legal topics including
I absolutely loved this conversation with Hillary, and hope you do too. As always, if you did enjoy the interview please like, subscribe, and share the podcast and give us a review in apple podcasts. It really does help. Find Hillary on LinkedIn Find Foster Garvey at | |||
| 03 Mar 2020 | Jen Batchelor from Kin Euphorics on the brand founding story, the evolution of wellness in hospitality, and the pros and cons of creating a new category | 00:38:40 | |
Today’s guest is Jen Batchelor. Jen is the co-founder and CEO of Kin Euphorics, an alternative beverage company intent on revolutionizing the future of social drinking. Launched in December of 2018, Kin has sold over 1 million servings of their three products- High Rhode, Dream Light, and Kin Spritz. Raised in Saudia Arabia, Jen built a decade long career in strategic innovation at the intersection of tech, wellness, and hospitality, and now brings her unique perspective to her work with Kin. Find Jen On Instagram as @jenofkin Find Kin Euphorics On Instagram as @kineuphorics Find Movers and Shakers: On Instagram as @moverssshakers Find April: | |||
| 28 May 2019 | Simon Ford from Ford's Gin on new products, moving from the non-profit sector to founding his own company, brand building, and mistakes made along the way | 00:58:54 | |
Simon Ford is a legend in the cocktail and spirits worlds and is a co-founder and president of the Ford's Gin Company, formally the 86 Company. While he started his career working in wine, he's probably best known for his time in spirits marketing, working with some of the world's largest brands launching Plymouth Gin in over ten countries, directing on-premise strategy for Absolute Vodka in the U.S., and creating and executing programs for a myriad of brands including Jameson, Chivas Regal, and The Glenlivet. In 2012, Simon co-founded the 86 Company, an award winning spirits company including Ford's Gin, Caña Brava Rum, Tequila Cabeza, and Aylesbury Duck Vodka.
In Today's Episode we discuss: 1) New products in the pipeline 2) How Simon went from working in the nonprofit sector to founding The 86 Company 3) Brand-building as a Brand Ambassador 4) Mistakes made along the way 5) And so much more!
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| 29 Jun 2022 | Jackie Summers from Sorel on how cancer lead him into the drinks business and Sorel’s exponential growth after years of perseverance | 00:40:12 | |
Today's guest is Jackie Summers- a James Beard Finalist AND judge; a seasoned public speaker, and the creator of the award-winning Sorel Liqueur. His accolades are FAR too many to list, but to give you a small sampling, he’s been named one of the world’s “100 Most Influential Bar Industry Figures” by Drinks International Magazine (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), one of The 50 Most Influential People In Brooklyn Food by Brooklyn Magazine, The 2019 Award winner for “Best Food Essay” by the Association of Food Journalists and on and on. In the podcast today we discuss:
I’m probably not supposed to choose favorites, but this is one of my favorite interviews of all time, and I so appreciate Jackie’s willingness to speak about some topics that are often glossed over in these types of interviews. I hope you love this interview as much as I loved recording it Wthout further ado, please enjoy my conversation with Jackie Summers. Find Jackie: Find Sorel: Find Movers and Shakers: Find April: Find Cheeky
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| 16 Sep 2020 | Eugene Khabensky from Diageo on what level of detail you should present when pitching to investors, and which part of the pitch process is incredibly important, yet often overlooked. | 00:33:12 | |
Today’s guest is Eugene Khabensky, Director of Business Development and Ventures at Diageo. Eugene specializes in finance, strategy, commercial insights, and business development, so I was excited to pick his brain on how he evaluates businesses for potential investment. In his tenure at Diageo, he has worked on many exciting projects and acquisitions including Diageo’s acquisition of Casamigos Tequila. In his current role, Eugene oversees the Diageo relationship with the Distill Ventures program in North America where he brings a comprehensive cross functional view to unlocking brand acceleration and building successful plans for growth. In this interview, Eugene gives some great insights on what Diageo is looking for in potential investments, what level of detail you should present depending on the stage of your business, and which part of the pitch process is incredibly important, yet often overlooked. I’m appreciative for Eugene’s time, and hope this interview helps founders prepare for the competition in November. Without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with Eugene Khabensky. Find Eugene on LinkedIn Find Distill Ventures Find Movers and Shakers: On Instagram as @moverssshakers Find April: | |||
| 20 Dec 2017 | Episode 16 - Noah Rothbaum | 01:18:30 | |
We are super excited to welcome Noah Rothbaum on this episode of Movers & Shakers. Noah is the drink and food editor of the Half Full section at the Daily Beast. He's the author of "The Art of American Whiskey" and "The Business of Spirits." And he hosts the podcast, "Life Behind Bars" with the esteemed Dave Wondrich. Today we discuss the evolution of drinking culture in New York and beyond, life as a journalist in food & beverage, and so much more. I hope you enjoy the show. | |||
| 10 Dec 2019 | Effie Panagopoulos from Kleos Mastiha on naming and trademarking your brand, raising capital, and turning off the internal gremlins | 01:13:20 | |
Effie Panagopoulos is a 15 year veteran of the alcoholic beverage industry, and is founder of Kleos, the super premium Mastiha spirit. Effie earned her stripes as a bartender and brand ambassador in Boston, later working for major spirits suppliers like Bacardi and Remy Cointreau, most notably as the US National Brand Ambassador for Metaxa, and as the first dedicated marketing manager for Disaronno in the US. In the podcast today we discuss:
Although we didn’t get to discuss it in the interview, I also wanted to mention that I witnessed Effie totally crush- and win- the Enthuse Foundation Pitch competition last month in New York City. If you’re interested in seeing a flawless pitch performance, check out the video here. As always, if you enjoyed the interview please like, subscribe, and share the podcast and give us a review in apple podcasts. It really does help. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Effie Panagopoulos. Find Kleos: www.drinkkleos.com IG: @drinkkleos FB: https://www.facebook.com/drinkkleos/ Find Effie: IG: @greekspiritmuse | |||
| 05 Jun 2019 | Kerry Preston from Growtality on reverse engineering your dreams, getting started on your next chapter, and building your own personal board of directors | 00:42:45 | |
Kerry Preston is an executive coach and founder of Growtality, where she works with clients to optimize individual and organizational performance, growth, and vitality through research based methodologies. Kerry's worked with luxury brands, individuals, and businesses to help them reach their full potential. She spent over ten years with Unilever, eventually taking her expertise to run workshops and coaching for Credit Suisse, I.B.M., Equifax, NARS, La Paris, Moet Hennessy USA, Johnson and Johnson and SANAFI. She's a highly sought after business expert, the co-author of three books including; "You Did What?", "You Said What?", and "Enhancing Your Executive Edge: How to develop the skills to lead and succeed". Kerry and I met earlier this spring when she presented at an Enthuse Foundation pitch night in New York City, and I asked her to come on the podcast to share some of her amazing insights with our audience. In this episode we discuss:
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| 02 Jul 2019 | Ming-Tai Huh from Toast on hospitality as a differentiator in technology, Toast features, and how technology can bring your restaurant to the next level | 00:47:26 | |
I'm so excited to present my interview today with Ming-Tai Huh, Head of Partnerships at Toast, & Proprietor at Puritan & Company As many of us know, restauranteurs are struggling with rising labor costs, and are adapting their businesses to accommodate for the increase in off-premise restaurant sales. In conditions like these, operators are constantly looking for solutions to cut costs and increase revenue. Toast is a company strategically poised to make real change in the industry. It is a technology platform that combines restaurant POS, front of house, back of house and guest-facing technology with a diverse marketplace of third-party applications, helping restaurants streamline operations, increase revenue and deliver amazing guest experiences. Recently Toast raised $250 million in a Series E round, which brings their valuation to $2.7 billion. David Yuan at TCV, the growth equity firm that co-led Toast latest round financing says, "At TCV, we invest in companies that have the potential to reshape entire industries, by providing restaurants of all sizes with access to innovative technology to the leveling playing field and leading industry transition to the cloud." As you can imagine, I was super eager to know more about what Toast is up, and Ming-Tai was gracious enough to sit down and have a chat. In the podcast today we discuss: Find Ming on Twitter | |||
| 16 Jul 2019 | Giuseppe Gallo from Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto on his journey to launching Italicus, the history of the Rosolio category, challenges and crucibles of launching a premium beverage brand as a start up, and why big companies struggle with innovation. | 00:56:21 | |
I'm so excited to present my interview today with Giuseppe Gallo. Giuseppe is a twenty year veteran of the beverage and hospitality industries, and founder of ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto, a liquor that is reestablishing a forgotten Aperitivo category. Prior to Italicus, Giuseppe was best known as a global brand ambassador for MARTINI & ROSSI and was recognized as Best International Brand Ambassador at Tales of the Cocktail in 2014. In the podcast today we discuss: Follow Giuseppe on Twitter. Follow Italicus on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. | |||
| 13 Aug 2019 | Claire Warner from Aecorn Aperitifs on the importance of knowing yourself, risk in the startup world, and coaching and mentorship | 01:00:09 | |
I’m so excited to present today’s interview with Claire Warner. Claire has worked in the drinks industry for over 20 years, starting her career as a bartender and moving into brand advocacy and education, and later liquid development and innovation.
Honestly I can’t tell you how much I loved this conversation with Claire, and I hope you get as much value from it as I did. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Claire Warner. | |||
| 26 Jul 2022 | David Gluckman, Author of "That S*it Will Never Sell," and the creator of Baileys on building brands that sell | 00:44:45 | |
Today's episode is an interivew with the man, the myth, the legend, David Gluckman. David is the Author of the book “That S*it Will Never Sell,” and is the creator of Baileys (the number one selling liqueur in history, which has sold billions of bottles across 160 countries. David is also the mind behind Ciroc Vodka, Tanqueray 10 and dozens of other beverage brands. In the podcast today we discuss:
David is truly a living legend in the world of beverage alcohol, and he shared a wealth of knowledge in today’s conversation. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy my conversation with David Gluckman.
Find David
Find That S*it Will Never Sell Find Movers and Shakers: @moverssshakers
Find April:
Find Cheeky Enter code MOVERSANDSHAKERS at checkout for 10% off your first order @cheekycocktails
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| 24 Dec 2019 | Happy Holidays | 00:02:33 | |
On this Christmas Eve, instead of a regular show, I wanted to do something a little different, and share a few things I'm personally grateful for from this year. | |||
| 26 Nov 2019 | Shilen Patel from Distill Ventures on what DV is looking for in potential investments, the future of the non-alch movement, and challenges facing food & beverage entrepreneurs | 01:05:49 | |
Shilen Patel is co-founder and non-alch lead for Distill Ventures, the world’s first accelerator for the spirits industry. Shilen started in drinks by leading a team at Guinness that turned around over 20 years of brand decline. He then started his own business and has helped dozens of founders realize their potential. He loves asking provocative questions, helping develop brilliant propositions and compelling strategies and coaching high performing teams to deliver great results. In the podcast today we discuss-
...And so much more. Find Distill Ventures | |||
| 20 Sep 2017 | Episode 12 - Thi Lam of Keepers Coffee Soda | 01:03:51 | |
What's up Movers & Shakers, it's your host April Wachtel. And today on the show I have Thi Lam, the co-founder of Keepers Coffee Soda, a citrus coffee soda based out of Brooklyn, New York. On this show, we discuss everything about the evolution of the product, the brand, and the company. From being a crazy accident in an office space, to bottling on a rooftop, getting a co-packer, and getting into Whole Foods. | |||
| 29 Jun 2017 | Episode 6 - Ann Tuennerman from Tales of the Cocktail | 00:41:33 | |
I am so excited to have Ann Tuennerman, founder of Tales of the Cocktail, on this episode of Movers and Shakers. If you don't know Ann or if you don't know Tales of the Cocktail, you absolutely should! Tales is one of the world's must must-attend cocktail festival. It's held every year in New Orleans. Since its inception 15 years ago, it's attracted more than 150,000 drink experts as well as cocktail enthusiasts. It also injected more than $100million into the local New Orleans economy. | |||
| 17 Sep 2019 | Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr. Lyan, on rethinking sustainability, creativity and growth, and challenging the status quo | 01:02:38 | |
I am so excited to present my interview today with Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka, Mr Lyan. Ryan is an Internationally renowned bartender, businessman, and author, and he and his establishments have won heaps of awards- from International Bartender of the year to World’s Best Bar, to Best Bar Team, to World’s Best Bar Menu, and so much more. Currently his venues include Lyaness, Cub and Super Lyan (re-located from London to Amsterdam), and he's launching another venue, Silver Lyan, In Washington D.C this winter. In the podcast today we discuss
A quick note to our listeners- the audio is a little shaky for the first minute, but please stay with us, because Ryan is brilliant, gracious, and you'll kick yourself if you don’t. Find Mr Lyan Follow Ryan on Instagram Follow Ryan’s businesses on Instagram
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| 03 Sep 2019 | Ben Branson from Seedlip on Seedlip's evolution from a kitchen project to global brand, culture creation, wellness as hygiene, and advice to aspiring entrepreneurs | 00:50:29 | |
I’m so excited to present my interview today with Ben Branson. Ben is the Founder of Seedlip and Æcorn Aperitifs, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs, intent on changing how the world drinks. With offices in the Chilterns, Los Angeles and Sydney, Seedlip is now available in over 25x cities including New York, Barcelona, Shanghai & Singapore and served in many of the world’s most awarded bars, restaurants and hotels. In the podcast today we discuss
Ben is not only an incredible founder, but he is humble and generous as well, and I hope you love this interview as much as I do. | |||
| 31 Jan 2023 | Dushan Zaric from Employees Only and Macao Trading Company | 01:05:24 | |
Hey hey Movers and Shakers, it's your host April Wachtel, and I’m pleased to present to you a most unusual episode of Movers and Shakers. If you’re a regular listener and are familiar with our standard format- this isn’t that. In today’s episode I interviewed an old friend and the cocktail mastermind behind world-famous New York bars Employees Only and Macao Trading Co- Dushan Zaric. Dushan is widely recognized as an industry leader and a pioneer in craft bartending; his innovative work behind the bar has revolutionized the art of the cocktail. Dushan and I hadn’t spoken in about a decade and what started as the pre-interview ended up being the actual interview. For anyone who knows Dushan, it will not surprise you that he broke the format of my podcast, and we love him for it. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Dushan Zaric. In the podcast today we discuss:
And so much more. It was amazing catching up with Dushan after so many years. Please enjoy my interview with Dushan Zaric.
4 am Chicken Soup show on Youtube
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Find Cheeky Enter code MOVERSANDSHAKERS at checkout for 10% off your first order | |||
| 22 Jun 2022 | Philip Duff from Liquid Solutions on why large companies struggle with innovation (and make “bonkers” acquisitions) | 00:50:56 | |
Today’s guest is Philip Duff- a renowned expert on distilled spirits and a beverage consultant to drinks companies everywhere. He bartended around the world for decades and founded Holland’s first bar to enter the World’s 50 Best Bars. Philip owns the lauded Old Duff Genever brand, served as the first Director of Education for Tales of the Cocktail, and regularly appears on TV & in publications like Esquire, Reuters, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and more. In the podcast today we discuss:
I think you’ll agree, Phil is both an informed and entertaining guest, and it was a great pleasure having him on the pod. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Philip Duff Find Philip:
Find Movers and Shakers:
Find April: Find Cheeky
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| 26 Aug 2020 | April Wachtel from Cheeky (and host of the Movers and Shakers podcast) on the Cheeky founding story, evolving as an entrepreneur, and building culture as a startup | 00:44:45 | |
Movers and Shakers is back! In today's episode, I explain our absence, introduce my company Cheeky Cocktails, and my colleague Aaron Moses steps in as host. We discuss some of my background in the beverage and hospitality industry, how I became an entrepreneur, how I think about team and culture building, and much more. A special thanks to Cheeky Aaron for doing a great job hosting! As always, if you have questions, comments, or feedback, it's always greatly appreciated, and please feel free to reach out anywhere below.
Find Cheeky: @cheekycocktails across social media
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| 01 Oct 2019 | Charlie O'Donnell from Brooklyn Bridge Ventures on misconceptions about angel investment versus VC, reasons to avoid raising money from friends and family, and who should pitch him for investment | 01:03:46 | |
Charlie O’Donnell has been an active member of the NY startup community for over 15 years, with a reputation of being the most accessible early stage investor in New York. His fund, Brooklyn Bridge Ventures has made over 60 investments since it was founded, often leading or co-leading investments in a wide variety of startups including The Wing, Petal, Clubhouse, Hungryroot, and Ample Hills Creamery, among others. In today's podcast we discuss:
If you’ve listened to previous episodes, you’ll notice there’s a recurring theme around what it takes to bring an idea into the world. I think many of the principles are universal- you have a great idea, you see a need, you find your audience, and so on. However, what I think is not very clear to the average person is how money affects the business you build, how quickly you get started and grow, the culture of your company, and so forth. If you listened to the last episode with Ryan Chethiyawardana, he says at the end that money is NOT the barrier to launching your idea, and I couldn’t agree more. So, in today’s episode, we do a deep dive into financing, and look at some of the questions startup founders may have as they’re trying to launch and grow their businesses. Social handles Find Brooklyn Bridge Ventures Follow Charlie At @ceonyc on Twitter and Instagram Read his blog “This is Going to be Big” | |||
| 12 Jul 2017 | Episode 7 - Nick Devane of Foodworks | 00:56:44 | |
What's up Movers and Shakers, it's your host April Wachtel. My guest today is Nick Devane, the super-savvy CEO of Foodworks, a fast-growing food incubator that's based in Brooklyn, and expanding nationally. Today on the show we discuss Foodworks' trajectory, from Grazer to Homemade to Foodworks, the principles of raising venture capital, and Foodworks' longterm vision. Without further ado, here's the show. | |||
| 08 Nov 2017 | Episode 14 - Movers and Shakers at The Activation Army | 01:45:24 | |
Today i’m incredibly pleased to present to you our first episode recorded in front of a live audience. We recorded this show in October, in front of the Activation Army, a 200 person team working across the US on spirit brands you probably know- Smirnoff, Ketel One, Crown Royal and Captain Morgan, to name a few. We recorded the episode panel style -- Tobin Ellis made his return to the podcast, and my friends and esteemed colleagues Anthony Caporale, Natalie Jacob, and Jason Litrell sat on the panel as well. Please bear with us, as the acoustics and many mics in the room made recording a bit challenging, but trust me, the panelist insights and the questions from the audience make it a worthwhile listen. I’m super excited to present this to you -- I really hope you enjoy it." | |||
| 04 Oct 2017 | Episode 13 - Top Of Mind- Organization for Freelancers | 00:17:55 | |
Today's show is the second episode of Top of Mind, the freestanding solo-series within "Movers and Shakers." The episode is short and sweet, and focuses on the essential organizational tools needed to be a productive and effective freelancer, remote employee, or entrepreneur. | |||
| 26 Jul 2017 | Episode 8 - Steve Schneider from Employees Only & The Strangers Club | 00:57:26 | |
I am thrilled to welcome the infamous Steve Schneider to this episode of "Movers & Shakers." Steve is known throughout the community from Employees Only and then he went to open Employees Only in Singapore. Most recently he opened The Strangers Club in Panama. Today on the podcast we are talking about his roots in bartending, how to succeed in bartending competitions, mentorship, opening his own bar, and so much more! | |||
| 13 Jun 2017 | Episode 5 - Tony Abou-Ganim | 00:45:00 | |
Today my guest is the one and only Tony Abou-Ganim, also known as "The Modern Mixologist." Tony is a legend in our community -- he’s written books, launched iconic cocktail menus across the country, won 3 Iron Chef competitions, is a National Ambassador for the US Bartenders Guild and so much more. On the show today we talk about how he got started bartending, pairing food and cocktails, and bringing craft cocktails to stadiums. | |||
| 19 Apr 2017 | Episode 0 - A Preview of Things to Come | 00:04:19 | |
Get to meet April Wachtel in this preview of the new podcast "Movers and Shakers" | |||
| 01 Jun 2017 | Episode 4 - Lindsey Johnson | 00:50:19 | |
My guest today is Lindsey Johnson, founder of Lush Life Productions, best known for conceiving and producing Portland Cocktail Week, Camp Runamok, Cane Camp, and now Bar Institute. Today we talk about her passion for community building, her past in the punk scene, and how she keeps organized, energized, and inspired. | |||
| 13 Jun 2022 | Stephanie Jordan from Avallen on building a planet-positive spirits brand | 00:36:17 | |
Today's guest is Stephanie Jordan, the CEO and co-founder of Avallen Calvados, and multilingual wine & spirits professional with over 15 years in the global drinks business. Stephanie is a former Global Brand Ambassador for Tanqueray Gin, and founder of the luxury marketing consultancy Drinking Out Loud. She and her business partner Tim Etherington Judge founded Avallen in 2019 with the mission to be the world’s most planet-positive spirits brand, and is a certified B corp sold in ten markets around the world. In the podcast today we discuss:
This interview has been years in the making, and I was so thrilled to have Stephanie on the podcast. Without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with Stephanie Jordan. Find Stephanie on instagram @drinkingoutloud Find Avallen on instagram, twitter and facebook @avallenspirits and on their site www.avallenspirits.com Find Movers and Shakers: @moverssshakers Find April: Find Cheeky Enter code MOVERSANDSHAKERS at checkout for 10% off your first order @cheekycocktails | |||
| 18 May 2017 | Top Of Mind | 00:20:21 | |
Today we’re launching the first episode of “Top of Mind” a series of stand alone podcasts you’ll hear on Movers and Shakers. These will be solo episodes- I will have no guests, and we’ll cover everything from innovation to food + tech to notable events in food and beverage - basically “stuff we find interesting” | |||
| 11 Jun 2019 | Ryan Magarian from Ryan Magarian Concepts and Hospitality on the evolution of his career, mentorship/relationship building in hospitality, and advice for enterpreneurs starting out | 00:54:28 | |
I'm so excited to present my interview today with Ryan Magarian. Ryan is president of Ryan Magarian Concepts and Hospitality, he is co-founder of Oven and Shaker, and co-founder of Aviation American Gin, which was recently purchased by the actor Ryan Reynolds. For over two decades Ryan's unique chef like approach to mixed drinks, along with the development of several innovative professional bar cultures locally, nationally, and internationally, has gained him recognition as one of america's top craft bartenders. In the podcast today, we discuss the evolution of his career in food and beverage, mentorship/relationship building in hospitality, and advice for entrepreneurs starting out. Without further adieu, I'm so excited to share my conversation with Ryan. In this episode we discuss:
...And much more! Find Ryan on Instagram | |||
| 18 Feb 2020 | Hugh Thomas from Ugly Drinks on the Ugly founding story, what makes a truly sticky consumer brand, and how he defines success as a founder | 01:01:01 | |
Today's guest is Hugh Thomas. Hugh is the CEO and co-founder of Ugly Drinks, a flavored sparkling water brand founded in the U.K. Hugh and his co-founder, Joe met while working for Vita Coco coconut water before deciding to start their own business, disrupting the soft drinks industry. In the podcast today, we discuss:
Hugh was such a wonderful guest and I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. If you do enjoy the interview, please share the podcast and we'd really appreciate if you can leave us a review in Apple podcasts. It really does help. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Hugh Thomas. Find Ugly Drinks Find Hugh Find April: | |||
| 18 Aug 2022 | Lance Winters and Dave Smith from St. George Spirits | 00:50:40 | |
Today's interview is with Lance Winters and Dave Smith from St. George Spirits. Lance is the Master Distiller and Dave is the Head Distiller for St. George Spirits, one of the pioneer craft distilleries in the United States. Founded by Jorg Rupf in 1982, St. George originally distilled eau de vie, then birthed and sold the Hangar One brand, and expanded their portfolio across categories to include base spirits like Gin, Vodka, and Whiskey, as well as liqueurs and more esoteric offerings like Absinthe and Shochu. In the podcast today we discuss:
Lance and Dave are icons in the spirits industry, and it was such a pleasure having them on the pod. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Lance Winters and Dave Smith. Find St George
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| 23 Aug 2017 | Episode 10 - Alex Kratena of P(OUR) | 00:48:07 | |
I am pleased to welcome Alex Kratena to this episode of "Movers and Shakers." He is best known for his work as the former head bartender at the Artesian in London, and most recently for his work as the founder of P(OUR), a not-for-profit that is based in London but has global influence already in and around the bar community. On the show today we discuss creativity, cultivating fear in your life, and so much more. You can learn more about Alex at www.alexkratena.com | |||
| 18 Jun 2019 | Steve Luttman from Tortoise & Volt Marketing & Ventures on founding Leblon Cachaça, how Cannabis will affect the alcoholic beverage industry, and what brands have to do to persevere in today's world | 01:05:55 | |
Steve Luttman started his career at Unilever, working in Europe, the United States, and Brazil on various brands including Lipton Iced Tea, Ben & Jerry’s, Bertolli, and Ragu Pasta Sauce. In 2003, he joined Diageo & Moët Hennessy’s Schieffelin & Somerset as Senior VP Marketing. In 2005, he created and launched Leblon Cachaça, the leading superpremium Cachaça in the United States. Leblon is now found in over 40 countries, and was acquired by Bacardi Ltd in 2015. Steve is now the Managing Director of Tortoise & Volt Marketing & Ventures, a boutique creative marketing and innovation agency based in New York City. In the podcast today we discuss
…...And what brands have to do to persevere in today’s world Follow Steve on Instagram Learn more about the host of Movers and Shakers, April Wachtel | |||
| 22 Nov 2017 | Holiday Check-In | 00:00:47 | |
It's been an amazing year so far, having such wonderful guests on. And it's finally holiday season and we're super hard at work putting together our next show. So until then, if you've got questions or comments for the show, or potential guests, email host April Wachtel at hello@moverssshakers.com. | |||
| 02 Aug 2022 | Andrew Merinoff from DisPact Ventures and Chinola on the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make and his advice for entrepreneurs raising capital in the current investing climate. | 00:41:11 | |
Today's episode is an interview with Andrew Merinoff. Andrew is the founder of DisPact Ventures, an investment fund focused on emerging retail, food & beverage and technology brands, and is also the co-founder of Chinola Passionfruit Liqueur. Andrew’s experience spans multiple sectors and industries, including F&B, Wine & Spirits, Hospitality, Investing, and Marketing. Most recently, Andrew worked to develop intuitive spirit branding for Proximo Spirits, where he focused on brand development for the company’s current portfolio.
In the podcast today we discuss:
I think you’ll agree Andrew shared some incredible advice in today’s interview, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Without further ado, please enjoy my interview with Andrew Merinoff.
Find Andrew
Find Chinola
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Find Cheeky Enter code MOVERSANDSHAKERS at checkout for 10% off your first order
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| 16 Mar 2020 | Special Announcement regarding Coronavirus | 00:01:11 | |
Dearest listeners, In light of the impact Coronavirus is having on our industry, we will be adding coverage, interviews, and professional development opportunities to our regular programming, intended to help our community get through these next few months. Please stay tuned for tomorrow's interview with Chris Lowder, the General Manager of Proof & Company in China, on how bars and restaurants have been coping during the quarantine. Also, if you have more time on your hands than usual, and are looking for ways to build your professional online presence I created a video tutorial on building your personal brand through LinkedIn, creating a website, buying a url, and setting up a professional email account. Please shoot us a note at hello@moverssshakers.com with any questions, comments, or requests for specific content, and stay safe out there. | |||
| 28 Feb 2018 | Episode 18 - Billy Melnyk from Soto Sake | 01:07:49 | |
I'm so thrilled to have Billy Melnyk on the show with me today. Billy and I go way back- from when he was Director of Influential Accounts at Bacardi, and I was the New York based Brand Ambassador for the rum portfolio. Billy is now the Founder and CEO of Soto Sake a super premium junmai daiginjo sake. Billy's experience spans music and nightlife and marketing and the spirits industry. He is a super savant, so I really hope you listen all the way through- there are tons of gems scattered throughout the conversation and he's a great storyteller as well. Without further ado, please enjoy this interview with Billy Melnyk. | |||
| 23 Apr 2017 | Episode 1 - Chris Lowder | 00:54:33 | |
I am thrilled to welcome Chris Lowder to Movers and Shakers. Lowder has been nominated for countless awards, including NYC 30 under 30 by Zagat, New York Rising Star Bartender by StarChefs, and one of Americas Best New Mixologists by Food & Wine. Lowder is fluent in Mandarin and Japanese, and most recently launched and ran the multiple cocktail programs at the Four Seasons in Seoul, South Korea. In this interview we discuss his background in language translation, his passion for food and beverage, and his unique approach to education. | |||