The Bossticks - How To Build A $100 Million Dollar Business With Ashland Hard Seltzer Founder, Josh Landan

Episode Date: April 7, 2020

#259: On this episode we sit down with Josh Landan. Josh is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Saint Archer Brewing Company. In 2015 Josh sold the business to MillerCoors for roughly 100 Million dollars. Now, Josh is back in the saddle with a new venture called Ashland Hard Seltzer. In this episode we discuss what it takes to build a brand, how our significant other can help us or hinder us, and how to stay in a healthy relationship while working together.  To learn more about Ashland Hard Seltzer click HERE To connect with Josh Landan click HERE To connect with Lauryn Evarts click HERE To connect with Michael Bosstick click HERE Read More on The Skinny Confidential HERE For Detailed Show Notes visit TSCPODCAST.COM To Call the Him & Her Hotline call: 1-833-SKINNYS (754-6697) This episode is brought to you by FOUR SIGMATIC We have been drinking this company's mushroom-infused elixirs and coffees for over a year now. When we need a break from coffee but still need that extra morning jolt and focus the Mushroom Coffee with Lion's Mane and Chaga is the way to go. Lauryn also drinks the Mushroom Matcha which is a green tea designed as a coffee alternative for those of you who want to cut back on caffeine without losing focus and cognitive boosts. This stuff doesn't actually taste like mushrooms, it's delicious. All of these blends have a ton of nutrients and amino acids to give you balanced energy without the jitters. To try FOUR SIGMATIC products go to foursigmatic.com/skinny and use promo code SKINNY for 15% off all products. WOO MORE PLAY is the all natural and organic coconut love oil that is changing the way we have sex. With only 4 all natural ingredients WOO is the perfect personal lubricant to spice up your sex life. That's just the pre-party.  All Him & Her Listeners will receive 20% off your entire order plus free shipping when when visiting www.woomoreplay.com & using promo code HIMANDHER at checkout. Produced by Dear Media

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When you come out and you want to do your own businesses, 99% of it is when you're sitting in front of folks and asking them for money to basically create your vision, they're believing in you. Not the idea. No one knows anything about beer. You guys don't know anything about hard seltzer, right? You don't know. You're saying, do I think Josh is the guy who can actually do this?

Because you don't know. You're just believing in me. It is Tuesday. Welcome back to the skinny confidential him and her show coming at you from quarantine. Today, you have me, Lauren Everett's and my husband across from me. We've been across from each other for a long time these last few weeks. Yeah, I'm losing my mind. Yesterday I was massaging Boone's leg for like five minutes straight and looked down and realized it was his

penis. Well, you know what? We're jumping right in. I'm so quarantined. I'm so, my head spinning. I forgot even to introduce myself. Guys, Michael Bostic. I am the CEO of the Deer Media Podcast Network. Boon P is our Chihuahua to get a little more context there. So, apparently my wife's rubbing our dog's dick and we're in a quarantine. You know what? Things are happening, guys. We are at home. It's kind of nice in a way to just be with Zaza at home and hang out with Michael and let him have his paternity leave because he thinks that's what this is. She's doing a lot of tummy time, drinking a lot of milk. There's a lot of milk with babies, like so much milk. It's so nice to be home with you and the baby every day, Lauren, every single

day. It's so nice to watch you do Zoom meetings every five seconds, Michael. It's my favorite thing ever. Can I just be this? Can I just say that in the beginning, it was fun. Everyone's like, ooh, Zoom, new thing. Like, this is a great. Like, you know, we're all like, oh, look, there's Jenny. There's Jim. Like, you know, we're all like, you know, on the Zoom. And it was fun for a while. but I'm done with it now. I'm done with Zoom. I put a background up because I'm like, listen, I don't need people to look at me.

We're done. Can we go back to phone calls? We get it. I try to do a team happy hour and my team's probably going to listen to this and some of them are going to like this and we're not. But I try to do like a team happy hour where we sat, because I read a Wall Street Journal article where like,

hey, these companies are doing team happy hours and all getting their drink at choice and staring at each other on the screen. And so I did it with the team. And we're all sitting there and we're drinking in about 30 minutes into it. I just, I was like, guys, I'm sorry. this is a little bit depressing. This is not nearly the same as us all being together at a bar,

at a venue, having fun, or even in person. We were just basically drinking alone, staring into a screen. Even though we were all there doing the same thing, we're all in our places just drinking alone. What were you drinking? I was drinking Ashland, which we're going to get it to.

Ashland Hard Seltzer. That is fitting. I really was drinking it. I have a picture to prove it. But yeah, I mean, who's with me on the Zoom thing? Are we done with Zoom? Are we going to keep doing it? I'm not doing Zoom.

I'm just doing calls. You know, I'm just saying, I'm sorry, guys, like my brown mustache. I've got no manicure. My roots are grown out down to my ears. I need a double tint. I need a spray tan. I mean, my fingers literally look like penises because there's no nail polish on them.

Things are bleak. We're just all watching each other deteriorate week after week after week on Zoom. I try to like keep it together and like get dressed every day and like, you know, comb the hair back or anything. But we're just slowly deteriorating. We're slowly letting ourselves go. It's really, really weird because. my husband's like actually seeing what I really look like. Who are you?

Who is that? It's unrecognizable. But you guys, if you're looking for some fun content from me, I am really hitting it hard at TikTok. It's at Lauren Bostic, Lauren with the Y. And yeah, last night I put up some of my favorite glossier products. I also did one on Five Finds at Target. There's some Amazon content on there.

So head over there and follow me. I'm going to try to do this one where you scare the fuck out of your husband. I've been trying to catch my house. Is that what you guys have been doing? Yeah. You have been scaring the fuck out of me every time I turn around. Really uncomfortable positions. You know, I want to throw something out there before we get into the interview.

Lauren and I are thinking, you know, we're on quarantine. We set up a home studio. We're back to our roots. When this all happened, I was like, back to basics, back to home recording. That's how it all began. Don't have this fancy studio anymore. Here we go. But I was thinking, would you guys like, and maybe write into Lauren's Instagram,

mine's not as active, would you guys like if we did maybe a couple mini episodes, it's maybe five to 15 minutes a day, random days, just pop out on specific subjects like, you know, motivation, what we're reading, what we're doing, what we're thinking, mindsets of just quick things that we can pop into 10 to 15 minutes, doesn't have to be official episodes, but just to give you a little bit more out of this show while we're all on quarantine.

Solo episodes, if you like them, let us know. Also, I think what we're thinking about opening up the hotline again and taking listener questions, because I'm sure, like, you know, it's been a while since we did that. And for new listeners, you don't, you know, We may not know that this show started as a Q&A from the audience back, doing a throwback the first original 25 episodes.

And so we're also thinking like, hey, let's go back to roots again. Let's open it up to listeners again. Let's open it up, ask some questions, get some answers. So also thinking about doing that. If you guys are interested, let us know. Also, I've been paying a lot of attention to the skinny confidential Facebook group. I'm like a silent stalker in there. I'll like like stuff sometimes or comment,

but I like to leave it for a community for you guys to sort of talk to each other. and I've seen that you guys are also really interested in more solo episodes. So we're paying attention. We're listening. We're always listening to your feedback. So yeah, if you guys are interested in that, like Michael said, leave it on my latest Instagram at the Skinny Confidential and maybe we'll feature your idea. You think we're going to be able to get through with that.

Usually we have a third person in the room to, you know, kind of get in the middle of us and make sure we don't beat each other up. Maybe. I don't know after this quarantine though. I mean, if you do one more Zoom call, I'm going to just like. No, I think we're done. I mean, we're still going to do Zooms, but I've been rebelling. I just been doing the one tap call in, you know, and people like, oh, why can I see you on the screen?

I'm like, listen, we're done with that. You've seen me. It's over. I'm probably still going to have to do a few. Let's introduce Josh. Okay, guys, we have Josh Landon on the podcast today. Josh is an amazing entrepreneur, very interesting character. We met him a couple months back and were very taken by his story.

Originally, coming from the surf skate culture, just to give you guys a little context, he fell in love with creating surf skate videos. And from there, realized there was some white space to come into the craft brewing industry. industry, yes, craft brewing, and create a beer brand for the surf skate community, which was really, it really caught our attention when we first heard the story because it was so niche and so smart and we love anybody that understands brand and branding. And Josh definitely does. So he created St. Archer. Many of you guys may know it, may have drinking it, may love it. And from there, he built that brand out. Had a huge exit and sold the business for about $100 million,

which is an amazing entrepreneurial story. And from there, he now, you know, he was looking for something, what was the next thing to do? And he landed on hard seltzer, Ashland. It's an amazing brand. Lauren and I personally invest in it at Dear Media also invest in it. We're proud to partner with the brand. It's rare that we actually invest personally into things so heavily. But we did because we really believe in Josh's story. The Seltzer brand, it's great. And, you know, I think it's a product that everyone can enjoy. And I personally am a huge fan. And the reason I wanted to invest myself, like separate from anything, was because I obviously need to lose like 25 pounds after pregnancy. But I still want to have a cocktail because, let's be honest, I didn't have one for nine

months besides a glass of wine here or there. So for me, like, it's so nice to have the seltzer that I can drink. It's 5% alcohol. It's amazing over ice. But it's also amazing in like a Campari soda or an apparel spritz or a margarita. So it's really multifaceted. And I'm super excited to be a part of it and share it with you guys. And there's no sugar and no carbs, right? So everyone can enjoy it. I don't have to worry about that beer gut. With that, let's welcome Josh of Ashland, Hard Seltzer to the skinny confidential him and her podcast. This is the skinny confidential, him and her. I'm in the tangerine right now, but you know, we jumped right into this, Lauren.

You came in hot. Okay, we're here with our friend Josh. Josh, the founder of Ashland, founder of many things, let's take it back a little bit. Before we get into this deep, deep taste test, because I mean, by the time we get into it, we're going to be so sloshed up that we're not going to know where we do have a lot of cans here. There's a shitload of cans on the table. Yep. But for the audience, let's get it, let's get a quick background and then, you know,

we're going to dive into some questions, but you know, you, your story, where you're from, how you came up with this brand. Your childhood. Give us the deeds. Yeah. I was born, raised in Ventura, if you're not familiar, just about 30 minutes south of Santa Barbara, like a sleepy coastal surf town, blue collar town. And I just, I guess, I started making surf films.

And when I realized I'm not going to be a pro surfer and which you realize very quickly, I fell in love with surf films when I was like, you know, 17, 18 years old. and specifically Taylor Steele. And I started watching his films and picked up a video camera and one thing led to another. And I wound up filming for him and traveling and filming surfing. And I made my first film when I was 20. And yeah, I was a film. I mean, I still am with all these brands, all the films for all the brands I've done.

But yeah, I was a filmmaker and kind of grew up. I was an only child. You know, a lot of the times I think you realize that you're an entrepreneur. who are a lot of people will say, well, how, what happened? Like, how did you get there? What did you do? Or what did you, you know? And for me, I think a lot of it traces back to just being an only child and not, you know,

a lot of people will say, oh, you're an only child. So you're spoiled or you're this or that. And for me, it was my, both my parents worked. And so I was alone, you know, often, you know, every time I got home from school and got myself to sports and got, you know, so I was kind of self-sufficient and was fine, kind of relying on myself, you know, going into filmmaking, which is very entrepreneurial, it's really not that big of a jump. You know, everybody says you went from making films to creating St. Archer. I don't get it. We're going to talk about in a second because I think that's a jump and

then we probably should have done a better job of letting people know that that was your previous, that's what you did. But so when you, when you were getting into service, was anybody, was there even any money in the space at the time? Like, no, I mean, there still isn't. I think making surf films, I was just so in love with it and love with being a surf filmmaker and what that meant traveling around and you're with the best surfers in the world and getting to see all these places that most people never get to see and make a film and do something creative. So I want to jump into St. Archer in a minute, but I kind of want to talk to young people because there's a lot of young people getting out of school listening to this show and they think, okay, I don't know what I want to do right now. I'm an entrepreneur and I want to do something, but I don't know what it is. And so they just wait and wait and wait and wait and they're trying to think. And what I always try to point out on this show is, you know, what we're doing here, obviously with your media, this was not a linear path.

It wasn't like I was a kid and I thought, hey, one day, Lauren and I are going to do this show and then it's going to lead to this network and we're going to do all these other things. Like it was just, that wasn't the path. It was like trying a bunch of different shit, seeing what I like, and I didn't like. And then it led to this. And it sounds like with you, like you didn't, when you were a kid, you probably didn't imagine, hey, I'm going to start this immensely successful beer line and go and exit. Like that probably wasn't part of the blueprint. Let me talk about that a little bit. No, I mean, I've only really wanted to do three things in my life, which is kind of interesting.

I wanted to be a sportscaster. Okay. And then I wanted to be a filmmaker. And then I wanted to own my own my own businesses. So I haven't had like these wide range of all these crazy ideas and like I didn't want to do a t-shirt business when I was 11. I just know the things I really like to do and just have followed that. It was never like chasing money. Never. Still not.

You're also really good at bringing people together and you're very personable. Well, thank you. Do you think that that's sort of helped propel your career forward? Yeah, I think it's 95% of it. Yeah. Can you speak on that? Because some people think you have to go to college and... Well, because listen, here's the thing.

We met briefly and in that one interaction, I was like, okay, this guy, one, he gets it. Two, he understands it. And I think this is so important. Like, you understand visually, like, what a brand is, which we could talk about. And I think it's so important. Like, young people are, like, they're so. So they're trying to figure out the technical side so much. Like, what do I need to study?

What do I need to do? And I'm like, study the people side first. Like, that's it. Yeah. I mean, I think I've spoken to a couple college courses and at some of the universities here in Southern California. And really, having not gone to college, so I was an awful student. I mean, I hated school.

Same. I liked the social aspect of school. And I liked that I found my wife, my freshman year of high school. But other than that, high school really, I love playing sports, playing water polo. But for me, it's like when I'm talking to the kids at school, when you come out and you want to do your own businesses, 99% of it is when you're sitting in front of folks and asking them for money to basically create your vision, they're believing in you. Not the idea. No one knows anything about beer. You guys don't know anything about hard

seltzer, right? So you don't know. You're saying, do I think Josh is the guy who can actually do this because you don't know. You're just believing in me. Don't they always say to bet on the jockey? Exactly. You're the jockey. It's real, though. Like when I did St. Archer, my wife and I, we were, you know, both of us are from Ventura. My daughter was three. My oldest son was six months old. I was making films. Like, I was directing music videos for Warner Bros. I was doing it. Like, we were doing it. And I came home. I had the idea for St. Archer a month earlier, came home and said, I'm quitting everything.

And we're moving to San Diego and I'm going to build a craft brewery. And I'm going to do. What was the spark that made you like, say this is the idea? Yeah, I was in, I was on a surf trip in Puerto Rico. And a tequila brand approached Taylor Knox about him investing in the business. And I said, I don't know, tequila. I'm not really sure. But, you know, and if you don't want to do the energy drinks or soda, like I understand that,

too, you don't drink them. But if you wanted to do beer, I don't. Everybody drinks beer. And if you wanted to do a craft beer, even better, because we actually drink it. And then I thought, craft beer, like, why has no one ever done a craft beer from our culture? Our culture meaning like surf, skate culture. Yeah. Like, why, you know, like Pacifico, Bud, Coors, Papps, all these brands have tried to influence our culture forever.

Which that culture doesn't get enough credit for branding. We were talking to Sean Neff about this. I mean, skateboarding is the single most influential. I don't care what anybody says. I agree with you. as skateboarding is... Fashion, everything. It's the pinnacle.

Yeah, I agree. And I think that's what, and it's the hardest thing to crack. It's impossible, right? And so there's never been a brand like from us, though. And because of all the films that I had done, I was able to get surfers and skaters and like I kind of knew everybody. And I thought,

why has there never been a beer from us? You know, we've birthed every other kind of brand, clothing and shoes and shades and everything, right? But never alcohol. And that's the one thing everybody's drinking. And so the only problem was is I wasn't a brewer. And I didn't.

That's a hurdle. Yeah, that's a small hurdle. And I didn't know anybody in the beer business. Not one human. I didn't know anything about anything. Ventura, all my friends work construction and their blue collar jobs and they drink cores and bud light. You know, that's what I grew up around.

And so, you know, going home and telling my wife, we're moving. And she said, I'll find us a place to live. which is insane. That's when you know though. I mean that's like I mean you know like I think and I say this a lot and I it doesn't get enough credit but really a lot of entrepreneurs dreams die with their spouse. One thousand percent. Whoa.

No it's true. Talk about that. Male or female. Let's go in let's dissect that for a second. Tell me about that. Yeah I mean think about it. Janine could have said you're nuts. I'm not doing that.

I'm not going to do I'm not going to support our daughter's three years old our son is six months old. You want to move us from the town the only town we've ever known and you want to move to San Diego and you're going to do a brewery and you're not a brewer and you don't know anybody in the beer business and you've never raised one dollar of capital you don't even know what a capital raise is we're not going anywhere she didn't say that she said I'll find us a place to live never once asked me what if it doesn't work out that's what's crazy is she's the one like it just so happens I found the one person in my life who's never questioned anything I've ever done movies all these businesses she's the one person who said well what if never and that's

like I could say that's a lot of people ask how have you why have you been so successful and a lot of it is because I found her well I think I mean I think both of us as men are fortunate we're both fortunate enough to say that and I and I would I always tell people like especially my friends when they start getting a relationship, man and women. If you don't have a partner that's supporting you like that. People was like, oh, I love how you support Lauren. I'm like, of course. Like that's my, that's my, not my business partner.

That's my partner in life. For sure. If you're not supporting your significant other, like, what are you doing? What are you doing? Yeah. Why even in the relationship? But I think you're so right. If you don't have that, it's, it's over.

It's going to kill everything. Like, if you have somebody, every day you're working on your dream and you're going home and somebody's saying, hey, you shouldn't be doing this or I don't believe in this or it's done. Not only does it kill your dream. It probably kills your marriage. you resent them and then you, you know, you and it's, and it's a fine line, though, where you're, you shouldn't do it just because you don't want to, because then the other person will resent you.

Janine and I just happened to be in that space where we were both ready to do it. And, you know, it's a scare. I didn't know what a capital raise was. I had no idea what any of it was. Of all things that I, I love everything about business, but if there's one thing I could say that I hate the most, it's do it's the capital raise. Me too. It's, for some reason I've, you know, but I think that's what goes back to personality. And, really like soccer people were looking at me when I raised that first three million dollars going let me get this straight you're moving to san diego you have a wife and two little kids you've left your careers you have no money i got 25 grand this dude's entire life is on the line you know like

when people present business plans to me and they go well i'm still it's like my side hustle you're like fuck off yeah so yeah there's no there is no such thing as a side hustle no there is never been a successful side hustle. Never. I mean, it's okay to do things. Wait, hold on. I'm actually going to disagree with you guys. I feel like there is a side hustle if you're working a job, like if you're bartending or you're waiting tables, but you're saying there's not such thing as a side hustle if you're putting all your passion in one place and then you want to run another business in another place, right? What I'm saying is like getting a business started can't be the side hustle. Got it. Like the side hustle needs to be you bartending at night. Yeah, the side hustle is what your day job is. Exactly.

I think people get that confused. For sure. Because they go, okay, well, I'm going to be a bartender. That's my main thing. And my side thing is going to be this business. Like, no, you got to do the bartending thing as your side thing to support the main thing. And I think a lot of, and it's scary. You know, like a lot of people don't, you know, for some reason in business, I've never had that fear mechanism.

And some people don't have it in their personal life, like my friends who are big wave surfers or they don't have that fear mechanism. It's just not there. And like, but I have it in my personal. life. There's plenty of things that can give me anxiety or there's plenty of things that, right, but in business for some reason, I don't have that. Hold up. You know what I love in quarantine? Coffee. Specifically ground mushroom coffee with Lions Main. I don't ask for much. I just ask for benefits with my coffee. You know what I mean? So this coffee is legit. Basically, Four Sigmaatic is a

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check out. That's four-sigmatic, F-O-U-R-S-I-G-M-A-T-I-C dot com slash Skinny to receive 15% off your entire order. All right. Let's get back into the show. Well, I think probably you and Lauren are all similar in that regard. And that's what I always tell people. I said, you know, being an entrepreneur is not necessarily for everybody and that's okay. Like, you know, there's people that work in organizations, big organizations you've sold to that have, you know, they're the number two or number three in those businesses. They make a shitload of money. You know, they're making millions of dollars, hundreds of them. And it's fine. And they're happy and it's good. And they don't have to carry the weight in the pressure and, like, have the fear

of a failed business. And I think if you, if you, if you're somebody that has that fear going in, maybe it's not the right thing. And that's okay. Like, totally okay. All of these ventures that I'm part of, you're part of like, you need to work with them. And they help you build the business. But if you have that thing, like, you're scared every time you need to make a decision. Like, you shouldn't be in the driver's seat. Because you have, the biggest reason is not because of yourself, but because you are responsible for other people's lives and well-being. completely. And if you're sitting there scared for yourself all the time and not, you're not going

to worry about them and it's going to put a lot of people in dangerous way. When I, when we talk about, you know, talking to kids or kids that are in college, really what I say to them is this is your time to figure out who you are. This isn't your time to figure out, you know, need to learn how to do a capital raise or gain intellectual property through your return, whatever it is. You should be here figuring out, am I an entrepreneur? Am I a business owner? Big difference, right?

What's the difference? Well, a business owner, like my best friend, own a salon for 30 years. That's a business owner. I've started six businesses in the last three years. That's an entrepreneur, right? Not better or worse, just way different life. And then are you an employee? Also, nothing wrong with that.

It's better to find out who you are. Like, are you really that person? Because 99% of the entrepreneur life sucks. Or are you providing a service, right? Yeah, it's like, it's not fun. Like on, it's nice to read the magazines, but the magazines don't, don't tell you the emotional roller coasters that you go through every single day. They also don't tell you that you can't, like, there's nobody to complain up to.

Right. You're by yourself. You're, it's a lonely. It's a, it was a, one of our biggest investors in St. Archer told me, you're signing up for a lonely life. And I never understood that until I was like a year in. And it, it is. because you don't, I mean, you really don't have anybody who can, like, one for one,

relate with what you're thinking and doing on a regular basis. What are some of those roller coasters specifically? Like, what are some struggles that you can pinpoint and look back on and be like, whoa, that was hard? I think you can, for me, you know, when businesses are up and there's just so many, there's so many dynamic personalities that you're dealing with. And you have to learn how to deal with people that are all completely. different. But a lot of times for me, like it's it's not all excitement, right? It's not,

it's not all exciting. So there's that downtime where you're just waiting. And then it's in those moments for me where when I'm when I go back to neutral, that's when like my brain doesn't want to stop. But that's when you can get into anxiety things. And it just depends on what kind of like how you're how you operate and for me the worst place to be it's getting better now but the worst place to be is neutral hence the six businesses yeah you got to just constantly be going yeah and if I stop which isn't healthy right if you if I stop then I start I have there's always an obsessive thought no matter what it is so when it's business the business overtakes those obsessive thoughts if that makes sense I get obsessive thoughts too I know what you're saying like

you can't get off of it. You can't get off it. Yeah. And so like when when the business is kind of going and doing it, you, that part of you never changes. Yeah. Then you're obsessed over this and your personal life or this or this or this. And it can make you anxiety and depressed and it's crazy. But it sounds like what you've done and what I try to do is take the obsessive thoughts and make it something positive. And productive. And productive. For sure. Great word. Well, that's what I think about, you know, like one way for young people to figure out if they're an entrepreneur or not is like you know what I always say people and this is dumbing it down I was like there's no clocking out like I don't clock it's not like I go home and I'm like I'm clocked out

and there's not have to think about anymore and so I think and I think and I wouldn't want to clock out which is the fucked up thing it's a sick thing right I'm like it's like Lauren like I go home and we're to stop talking about about business I'm like you like I'll be talking about it then I'm we're like having sex and talking about business yeah which is which is invigorating yeah but the problem is so like you know drinking ashland when I talk to young people and I'm like listen if your ideas that you're going to clock in for eight hours you're going to put in a good day's work and you go home and go hang with sounds nice yeah but it's if that's that's like your idea of a of a perfect life like you shouldn't go into entrepreneurship because no

there is not a moment of time where I get to be like where I just get to clock out right I'm just like it's constant problems and issues and stuff all the time and not if it's with the business or with someone in the business or a partner or a personnel whatever it is there's always something yeah it's hard I have a serious question yes do you know the benefits of pineapple I do not oh you have a pineapple seltzer and you don't know that. Like real health benefits other than digestive.

Taylor, do you know the benefits? I believe drinking pineapple juice makes your jizz tastes delicious. So why did you choose tangerine? Well, I don't know. Yeah, he's all, I don't know. Wrong choice, buddy.

Wrong choice. Orange is like a very, I don't know why, it's vibrant. It's vibrant. It turns me on. Okay. It's like so vibrant

that it's like the color. It's one of the only colors that I'm like drawn. to. That's good. Okay. So speaking of the can, the branding is so good. Thank you. And I am obsessed with branding. So just for my own selfish self, yes. Can you talk to us about how you conceptualize the brand? Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, like with St. Archer, when there's, it's usually when there's brands in a cat, you know it's fun to enter a category when it seems like all of the brands are kind of asleep at the wheel. Sean Neff said that too. Right? Yeah, Sean. There's a San Diego

go boy for you. Yeah. You know, I think if you can look, it's like when I did St. Archer, everybody was calling their beers devil's baby. And I went, devil's baby. That doesn't make me want to drink one. Right. Like, I don't, that doesn't inspire me at all. And that doesn't speak to me at all. And the brand is what speaks to you and the flavor of whatever it is should be secondary. Right? Because they're going to pick it up and look at it. And then what do you do from there? And so it's really like with with all these other brands in the hard seltzer category, it just felt like There was nothing that was like clean and simple and stayed away from the black and white colors. And so and really it was probably the most challenging brand that I've created because with the breweries, the brands are very masculine.

Harland and St. Archer are very masculine. He's designed for the demographic of that sort of state. But this is like designed for everybody. That's hard. Like you want girls to think it's cute and guys not to feel lame. drinking it. And that's not an easy place to be. So like, can you have a guy pick up a blue, a blackberry lemma and go, this is rad and want to throw it on their gram and have his chick

do the same thing. That's not easy to do. I never thought about that. You know, now that you're talking through, that makes a lot of sense because you're, you're so right. Like, I, you know, we always talk about like, don't do everything for everybody. But like, in this case, you know, this category, you have to. Well, and if you have the ability to like, you know, it's really, with Ashlyn, it's an interesting, it's so, it's crazy because everyone, I mean, there's a lot of people who told me, you got to put it in a slim can. And my response was always, if everyone else is doing one way, I'll go the other way. 100%. And then if I'm wrong, then it'll be all my fault. And I guess I wasn't as smart as I thought I was. But I want to hold this. But see, a guy, like, for me,

I don't want to hold a slim can, right? Right. I'm only, I mean, a lot of these brands, I'm thinking, like, what would Janine and I do? Janine, I can speak for her and say she doesn't give a shit about slim cans. Yeah. Do you care about slim cans? No, I agree with you. If everyone's going one way, I'm going to other way. I mean, and then it's just like that's kind of the, you know, that that's, if that's your

mentality and with everything, then it makes sense to do it with your brands. And sometimes that doesn't work out. But Janine, I knew she didn't care about holding a slim can. And I would rather not. Like, I would rather hold this at a barbecue and she didn't care. So then why would I put it in a slim can? You wouldn't. I love to hear the train of thought behind how people build their brands because there's so much stuff that goes into it.

There's so much. And then there's so much behind the scenes. Like I know I keep talking about her, but she like all of my brands, Villager, St. Archer, Harlan, Scout, Ashlin, Little Villager. She has her like fingerprints on all of the brands because she sees everything first. And when she goes, eh, and I'm like, fuck, you know, then I know I'm making changes. And then I have to go through the whole fucking process. Sounds relatable. Yeah.

And then I'm like, God, why can't you just say it looks great? And I'm just going to guess if you're like my husband, you try to fight it. Oh, of course. And then so I, this is what I do. I go, okay, fine. Why do you even ask me that? And then he gets mad at me. And then he gets mad at me.

And then he comes back with his tail between his legs. And he's like, well, whoa, what would you do differently? Yeah. And then I'm like, okay, fine. And then she sees him. And she's all, so you did add that in there. There's only one beverage that I can think of that is a slim can that I like. And I'm curious to see what comes to everyone's mind about.

St. Archer Gold is the only answer for you there. What I mean, it's not, it doesn't need to be in like the beer. Listen, I don't have time to guess on your weird. So tell me, tell me that. If you want to share it just here, we can't play the, oh, Red Bull. Red Bull's the only beverage that I can think of that I don't mind. Listen. There was no way I was going to spend that much time for figuring out.

I would have never guessed that. No, either would have. Yeah, I would have. Yeah, I would have to shut segments down on the show. You just dumped us. Yeah, I'm like, we name 16 brands and then it's Red Bull. What's the habit that you do every single day that you think sets you up for success in the long run? For instance, some of mine are I meditate, I write down seven things I need to do every day.

It could be something very little. Or it could just be like, yo, I wake up and there's 50 things going on and I'm just like going. Or you could just do what Taylor does and beat his meat every morning. That's what Taylor does. that I'm also useful. I think I gotta get the poison out. That's it. He's like, it relaxes me.

Listen, no offense, Lauren. Like, you're talking to it like pretty much every guy. So it's not just Taylor. Okay, every guy. I just singled out. You gotta think straight here. Taylor does it like five times in a row with a flashlight. So that's a fucking difference. I mean, the flashlight is a nice touch.

For me, I don't, I don't have anything. I swim and surfline. lot. I swim more than I surf now. So that is there's like a couple things with that. You are putting your feet in the ground every day into nature, which I think is huge. Yep. People don't do that. You think they do, but they don't. Like if you really think about it. No, they get in their car and then they go, you know, for me, I think the best in the pool. So when I'm swimming and that's usually when I feel better. And but I have a lot of comfort in the people that work for all these businesses and my

business partners. So I think it's it's such a unique setup to where I am really good at like a couple things. And then everybody that I've put around me is the best. And I just know what I suck at, which is most stuff. And so when you put the best around you, you know, there's not, I'm not, I don't do checklists. I don't read like business books and all I don't do any of that stuff. You too have a lot in common. Well, that's what a lot of operators, like, it's a good, it's a, it's a, it's a nice, like, tidbit of, and I'm not even that organized. Listen, I think if, like, if I was dumbing myself down, what I think I can do effectively

is communicate and sell, right? And, like, for the position that I sit in, that's, that's effective. That's what I need to do. But I know damn well, like, I have a whole team that's doing the market. I have a whole team that's doing the brain. Like, I have to put people that are better than me in those places because I'm, you know, like, really, like, if I, if I was working in an organization, which I wouldn't, but I would find my, like, put me in sales.

Yeah. to someone. That's it. Other than that, like, my job is basically finding people that are better than me and more effective to do the other stuff that I can't do. A lot of people can't do that, which is why I always say, like, are you an entrepreneur or are you a sole entrepreneur that's doing services? Because if you're not willing to say, hey, I'm going to put my ego aside and I'm going to put people that are way better than me and that I can't compete with around me, then you can't, there's no way to scale. No, and there's no, I mean, if you can't put, all I care about is winning. So and winning for me is not is not money or ego driven.

It's like the benchmarks I have for myself that are just personal goals. And that's all I care about. So whether someone gets the credit for this or someone does this or someone, I don't, I don't give a shit, man. Yeah. I just feel the same way. That's it. And winning for me is disruption.

And you can feel it, right? You can feel your brand disrupting a category. And when you can feel it, then I feel it. then I feel like I did it. And then you figure it out from there. But having, you know, Jeff Hansen was the vice president of St. Archer. And now he's my business partner in Harlan Scout and Villager. He's been, I mean, he's been the reason why, along with other things.

But he does all of those things for the most part that I'm just awful at. And it's a good partnership. And you need to have that because if you don't find it, like I would have been out of business a long time ago. Yeah, I mean, that's like that, I mean, like for young people, that is the tip right there. It's like if you, you know, maybe you're a really, really great branding person and you have a really great marketing vision. Like you do that. Don't try to go in and start running the payroll and logistics and manufacturing and retail. Like, don't do all that.

Like in the beginning, you have to be a little scrappy, but go find a partner. Give up an equity. But then, but then the question would be, do you have the personality to go convince those folks to fall in line with your ultimate vision? Yep. Because then you're dealing with their egos and you're going, no, no, no, no. these are my brands. This is my vision, but you're going to go do all this stuff. You have to have something that I think both of you guys have, and I hope I have. Taylor, I don't think you have it. And that is called finesse. Yeah, I mean, what's that?

You do have. No, no, I said, I hope I have it. Yeah, you do. You totally have finesse. I think that when we first talked to you, like when we were in the room with you, you had good energy, you have the finesse. Like you said, you have the right people around. really came in with the full package. Thank you. Do you think that you've learned that, like, just as you've gone? I think it's God-given. I really believe that.

I don't, and it's not even an arrogant. It's just, it's your personality. It's like what you're, it's what you, I guess what you grew up around, like, the circumstances as a kid, like, what has shaped your personality? And some people have a personality that they can convince others to follow their vision. and others can't. It's just, I don't know. My mom would tell you if she was sitting here that I started having like conversations

with adults at two and a half. Like she was, it's funny because both my parents are professionals. My mom graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. She's an attorney. And my dad is what, they're both retired now, dentist,

both professionals, both studious, both look at me and go, entrepreneur and tattoos and beer and like, what the hell did we do wrong? But they supported me, especially my mom. My mom was always, she told me from an early age, you can do anything you want, and I believed her. I totally believed her. You know, and people say like, you know, I never thought this would happen or this would happen. I never, I never say that because I did think it would happen. I want to stay on this

for a minute because this is really important. And when you were talking, I was like, the reason people believe in your vision, the people that you've shown yourself of, it's because they believe so much that you believe it. Right. And like that's, you know, when you're, when you're talking to people, when you're raising money, like that, I think that's the biggest thing people look for is like, does this person, are they that crazy that they actually think they can disrupt whatever they're doing and actually believe it? And it's like, you know, when we, when we look at stuff with this show or with Dear Media, I always tell Lauren and my team, I was like, the reason I, you don't ever see me like overly excited about any of the, like, what I would say, like people would maybe

classify as accomplishments is like, none of this is surprising to me. Like, like, every time. we hit a milestone. This is the plan. Yeah, the plan. And like, the plan's not even done with. So every time we get to a milestone, like, yeah, of course that was going to happen because this is what we're doing. Yeah.

And that may sound arrogant, but I think you relate to it in the sense that like, it's so in my brain. And same with the skinny confidential when she started. Like, none of this is surprising because I see the end result of what we're going to do and where we're going as clear as I see you across the table. And I believe it. And maybe that makes me fucking crazy and delusion. Maybe it makes you crazy.

It makes you crazy. But I think if you have to have that element and I think that's what people like the word. The word I feel like is visionary. Yeah. And I think there's a huge difference between confidence and arrogance. It's not like I don't think we're better than anybody else. I just like mine more.

Right? Like I just, that's all. I'm building these brands for me and my wife and my friends. So like I like ours more. It's not that I hate White Claw or Ballas Point or Coors. It's just I'd rather have mine. It's not, I've never looked at it like that. I don't like hate all.

all these other brands. And I don't, I'm only focused on, you know, when you hear the chatter, especially around when you sell a business and craft beer, there's a lot of noise. Sure. I don't care what anybody says. And like, I literally was not influenced by one craft beer brand. And I think that's another thing I want you to speak on. I mean, I think another thing that some visionary people have is they're not, like, so many people,

like, let's look at all of these competitors what they're doing. But it sounds like you just had your blinders on like, this is what I'm going to do. That's how I am for everything. I don't think about other brands. People. What helps you? You're not influenced. You don't like it off your path.

Yeah. And I just don't care. I just don't care. You know, like I really literally don't care. And I think most of the time people do care. And I did like when I sold St. Archer, I would do it a hundred times over again for all of the folks that invested in me. And people weren't there with me when I was giving people checks that changed their life.

They didn't see the tears and the kisses and the hug. And they didn't see any of that. And like, you know, there's times I miss owning the brand and I miss the brand. But then I think about all the lives that were changed because of it and I would do it. Well, let's talk about the birds. So because we kind of, we were jumping around. But so you started saying Archer as a category for to speak to the community that you were in. Right.

Because you looked at the space and said, hey, there's nothing that speaks to us right, like your community. Yeah. And then like, how soon after that does this thing start taking off? And what do you think, what do you think was the cause? So we did a capital raise. We raised three million dollars and we built a 17,000 square foot brewery just east of La Jolla. And then I hired three great brewers. Do you just bound like just go, what do you? Craigslist? I need a brewer. Yeah, no, I was in. So fortunately for me while I was raising capital, one of the folks that I met with was friends with Steve Wagner, who's the president and co-founder of Stone. And he said, hey, you should talk to Steve. And I said, yeah, that would be great. That's like wanting to start a clothing company and talk to Bob Hurley. You know, like, I don't know if Bob's getting back to you. I just, you know, I emailed him and he hit me back cold and was like, why don't you come to the brewery for lunch?

And we kind of struck up a relationship and I was in his office looking at a magazine, the best brewers under the age of 30, 30 for 30 in one of the national beer magazines. And I wound up hiring three of the top 30, which was good. Yeah. And again, it's like convincing people that you're, you're. what your vision is and what you're trying to do. And we were coming at it from a brand perspective. I mean, in a lot of ways, St. Archer could have been a clothing brand. We wanted to do craft beer.

And we launched the brand. And yeah, right away, pretty much right away, it was successful. I mean, we were the fastest growing brewery in the U.S. Through our first two years. This is where I think people sometimes fuck up too is they look at like all these categories. Like yours happen to be craft brews, but like clothing, whatever it is. And they think, oh, well, there's already someone doing that so I can't do it. it's like if you build the right brand the right way targeting the right people you can go into any

that look Tesla you can do yeah you can do you're you're going to do a new car brand and it's going to be worth 100 billion 200 300 300 300 whatever it is now I think people look at and they're like oh somebody's already doing cars or someone's already doing beer someone's already doing clothing or toothpaste right and they say oh can't do that because it's been done but if you build brand the right way you can go you can go in any category I mean if you think about it I entered three of the most saturated categories craft beer twice they're There's 8,000 breweries in the U.S., right? And then I did coconut water and little kids juice.

There's massive 100-year brands, right? And then back into the hard seltzer, it's, I mean, crowded, you know? People are, and there's more and more coming every day. Out of all the brands you've done, do you have a favorite? Do you have like a favorite kid out of all of them? St. Archer. Just because it means, personally means the most. What Janine and I sacrificed to do.

But no one ever, I mean, it was probably the hardest two years of our marriage. What do you mean? I mean, it was hard. It was like we had everything on the line and we were in a new city and I was gone working. And, you know, Janine has two little kids at home. And we had never had millions of dollars of people's money. And it was a completely new life. And it was really hard on us.

How do you manage having kids now and a wife with everything you're doing? Is there like a secret? Yeah, it's my top priority. It's not even like a priority. It's so far above a priority, Janine and the kids. Can you talk about that a little bit so Michael can take notes? Janine, when we had Jones, who's our youngest, she got sick. She, you know, she got sick and, you know, I had to step in.

and this is in the middle of St. Archer and take care of the kids. Like, I pretty much did a lot for, you know, a couple months straight. And Janine just couldn't wake up with him as a baby. And it just was out of the cards for her health, right? And come to find out, stepping away from work, kind of telling Jeff and the guys like, hey, I'm doing this. Like, I'm not coming in. I'm going to do this.

This is my family. It was the best time of my life. I was the happiest I've ever been in my life. And I said, wow, this is where I want to be. Like, this is what I want to be doing. Because everything is so secondary to your kids and your wife. You seem like you have a really, really good marriage. What are three things that you think make it really successful?

I mean, it's hard, right? Like, it's not, it takes a shitload of work and, like, convincing. But I think not only your wife, with yourself. Yeah, I'm like, dude, what the fuck? Yeah. I think the biggest thing that Janine and I have so much history, which could be like a good and bad thing, you know, like it's, it could be tough where you, you've been through so much together and then you get in a fight about something and then you wind up talking about something from seven years ago. But for us, we're still bringing up things I did in eighth grade. I was like, you know. Janine has brought up

a girlfriend I had when I was 14. Oh my God. So like, let's, I mean, that she does the same thing. Of course. Right. Right. But I think for us, it's like, she's like, she's like, she can't, she a minute to just laugh about that. She's brought up a girlfriend. He's out and he's 14. That's inspiration. You do the same thing. I'm fucking pinning that to my Pinterest board.

But I've only had one other girlfriend. It was a girlfriend and then Janine, the duration. The other day he mentioned this girl in casual conversation with our friend. Girl, what's that supposed to mean? A blowdrop from when he was like literally like probably 17. And the next morning I woke him up, found her on Facebook and put it in his face. You know, how does this feel? I was like, well, listen, and I'm going to get.

a lot of shipper. Listen, I was like, you know, we were 20, so like people change in 10 years or 33 now. People can look a little different. Sure. Yeah. But also I was like, what the- He didn't give a shit when anyone looked like at 20s. He let's be honest.

Listen, I was probably so blasted. I couldn't even see what she looked like. You were blasted. That's for sure. I'm like, why are you bringing? You're all details, details. Why are you bringing this up? Why am I waking up to this?

I'm like, it's a Thursday. Like, I can't see straight. Like, what is going on? How did you find this person, you know? But I think like it, I think, you know what? I don't even know if there's three things. There's really just one thing is our, we both have the willingness to make changes and constantly work at making our relationship better.

And instead of like just quitting, which is not an option for us, both of us will say, okay, we fucked that up or I did or she did whatever. And then you just kind of try and move on. And when you know that you're going to work through it, even if it's hard and you're super pissed off, we know that we'll pull it off because we're both willing to make changes personally to have things happen and be together. That's the hardest thing, though, is like when you realize, because when I, I told Lauren this a long time ago, when I, every decision, and I think we probably can relate on this,

every decision now I make as a man is with the idea of my wife and now my child in mind. Like, I don't, I don't make individual decisions anymore. You're probably the same. Like, there's things that I do individually for my well-being, for my business. but like there it's always with the underlying thought or like you know thought about my wife and my kid and how it affects them because I can't just I can't just selfishly go like hey I'm going to go do like I got invited to a bachelor party and where where the hell was that in in Brazil or no what not Brazil and where was it sounds fun I got invited to this bachelor party in Colombia yeah

and I was like listen guys I got a newborn at home I got a wife I was like there's you fucking animals going down to Columbia there ain't nothing good no I was like for the well-being of my marriage. And listen, I'm not like a schemish guy. I got to stay home because I'm like, listen, what's going to happen here is I go down. Someone's going to do something out of control. Maybe it's not me, but we're all going to be in. One of these guys is going to break. One of their wives is going to break them. You know, and it's going to turn into a thing. And I was like, and it's going to make either my wife look bad or like me like it's going to jeopardize her. And so I'm just not going to do it. Like I can't, I can't be in that position. You know,

if I was single, boom, right down there. But they think, but that's just like a minor example and an outlier of like, I can't do anything, whether it's a business decision or a relationship or a or I'm going out or I'm like, whatever, or even a situation I'm putting myself. Like, couldn't be, can't be a late night party. Like, there's things that I just can't do anymore because I'm in a marriage that I, that I cherish. Well, and I think it's, I think for me, she has, every time I start a new business, it takes away from our family, right?

That's, that's the reality. And so she knows that's my, that's my deal, right? But at the same time, there's nothing extracurricular that she's like, I'm not going out and getting wasted. I'm not going on trips with dude. I'm not doing all this extra bullshit. Yep. Like if I have to go on the road, I'm literally there for the meeting and I fly home.

There's no extra time. I fly in, I fly out and I come home. There's no like, let's stay tomorrow and do this and go there and I don't do that. Yeah. And it's a lot of friends don't like it. No, and I think I just, I mean, I never go out. I don't want to go out. I'd rather watch this is us with the kids and her and stay home.

And that's, that's just I build my brands and hang with my friends. and hang with my family and everything else literally means nothing. How does someone that's listening and that wants that kind of guy find that? Because I have my own theory and I'll give it afterwards how a woman finds that in a man. Gosh, Janine should be here. Or how a woman finds it in a woman or a man finds it in a man, whatever. Next time we do this, Janine will have to come back here. Yeah, she would be, she'd be fantastic back here.

But I don't know. You know, I don't know. I think it's, I think it's a different time. too. Guys are not just speaking for men. I don't know. Guys are not the same like coming up. The younger generation is not maybe I'm 40.

The 22 year old kid now is not coming from the same things that we saw as kids, right? Like it's just a lot of what I'm trying to get at is a lot of dudes are not men. no. Does that make sense? And what do you think? So let me play devil's advocate. I mean, I'm not saying I don't disagree with you because I kind of agree with you in some areas. But like what do you think the reason is for that?

I think a lot of parents, you know, in the last 15 years or so, 20 years, there's a lot more coddling, right? Like my parents are my parents, I don't know, you know, they didn't know where I was most of the time. Yeah. There was no like you get something happens to you at school. My water polo coach is cursing me up and down for three hours. She doesn't go to the superintendent and try and get them fired.

She walks on to the pool deck and says, thanks for being so hard on them. Those days are long gone. And like you see it in kids now. I mean, like we have kids that are applying for jobs and tasting rooms and they all want breaks and they all want more money. And they all,

I never, I didn't make any money in my early, I didn't even ask about money. There is a hair of entitlement. It's insane. But maybe we were entitled in a different way. No, no. There's a hair of entitlement.

But what I always say is like, and we talked about this before. for in a podcast, there is a hair of entitlement from some young people. I'm going to say all young people, because some are, but like, there's, but we can say some young people are entitled, but it's not the young people's fault. It's the parents' fault because they have to participate in college. And they wouldn't be entitled if the parents weren't giving them everything and protecting them from everything. Listen, if I was in school and I got kicked out or I got in trouble, I got in a fight or something, like, I was more scared

of my dad kicking my ass than me, like, you know, he wasn't going to the school and saying, hey, you're no. He was like, I was like, oh shit, don't send me home to you. That is done now. Yeah. Yeah. In most cases, it feels like having young kids. I see how their parents are. It's just a different time.

It's interesting, though, because we, you know, we both have, Lauren and I both have young sisters. So I guess are our sisters now since we're married. And, like, you know, they're on the dating apps and they're dating these guys. And, you know, we try to say, hey. How crazy is dating apps? It's nuts. I missed that wave.

Like, you know, we never did it. Janina and I saw all of our old notes from high school. So do we. In the garage. Notes. Remember that. Yeah. But I was, you know, saying like, we all say like, you know, like play a little bit harder to get. Like, but like a lot of the fear that we hear is, oh, well, these guys have so many options now with all these dating apps.

They're just going to go on the next. And I was like, yeah, but like, eventually that's going to get tired. And like, you don't, do you really want to be girl or guy one of those people that just like constantly on the next on the next? It gets old. I can't even, having not been single since I was a fetus. I can't even like, I don't know. I have a theory that I think that in business, in friendships, in relationships, in dating, that people feel when someone else is giving off a desperate energy. And I think people can smell it. And I think when they smell the desperate energy in any of those relationships, it turns them off. So I think if you're out there and you're listening and you're single, I would really

evaluate if any energies that you're giving off to a significant other or. or someone you want to date is a desperate energy. And it's hard to explain it because it's invisible. Yeah. But I think like just pulling it all back to the beginning of our conversation with pitching, if you come in to the room and you're giving off a desperate energy that you need these people and you need money, it's a turnoff. Completely. Well, let me say something else about pitching and being in relationships.

And I think probably all of us would agree here. If I meet somebody, it's like some young hot shot guy or girl and there, asking me for money or they're asking to partner or they're asking to work with whatever it is. And I find out that they're fucking around on their wife or their significant other. I'm like, listen, if you'll do that to the person you lay in bed with every night, what the fuck you're going to do to me? So I cannot be in business with you. And it's not even about like how smart you are, how good you are.

I feel the same way. If you will go and like, if you cheat on your wife, if you'll cheat on me. Listen, if you met me and I was like, hey, yeah, I'm like fucking around on Lauren doing this. You're like, I'm not doing business with you. I've said that multiple times. And it's something that I think young people don't think about. any people think about it. It's like if that's your reputation, you're never going to lose that. Everyone's going to sit there and be like, you cannot be in a partnership of any kind with that person.

Well, and it depends on what you want, too. If you're all you're focused on is making money, then you don't really have any moral compass. Whereas for me, that's everything. So if our audience has to start out with one, you got to pick one. Okay. Flavor. Yeah. What are you going for? And then I'll tell you what I think that they should go for too. And let's talk about this a little bit about like why you went into the Seltzer category because obviously moving from beer and you know that that demographic of people that are buying beer like why go into Seltzer especially after all the success you had with Ashland.

First you have to tell us the flavor though. Okay. You got to give one. I think the tangerine. Okay. Taylor. Oh, your mic's not on again. So you don't have an opinion.

Taylor. What are you doing back there, man? I mute it so you can't hear me if I move around. Taylor the Tangerine. What are you doing back there? beating your meat. He's all, how come you guys are right every time? Okay, so, so you would start with the tangerine and why is that? Or maybe I would start with the lime because it's the most neutral and then they get more exciting as you go on. Okay. So start with the lime. Yeah.

Okay. Okay. Michael, sorry, what was your question? I just needed to know. No, I wanted to know. So I mean, like, listen, and full disclosure here, like, you know, Lauren and I are now completely, we're partnered with this company. It's an amazing company. It's the first time that we've ever partnered with it with a liquor category. And we've been waiting for a long time. We've talked to a few different people in this space. And like, you know, I just think it's, it's, like you said, it speaks to everyone. It's fun. Like, we love drinking it. And so I just wanted to say that before. But what really piqued my interest is your story about how you got into the Seltzer category. And I think it's important for you to share it. Listen, there's a lot of people right now

drinking Seltzer and they're out there. And it's becoming a massive category. But this is different. It's completely different. And the brand is on point. It's like, what piqued your interest in this category? I think it, you know, we were drinking it. I, we go to the lake, Lake Nassimeno, year some of our best friends own a place out there and we go our families and everybody fun it is fun and we're you know last summer yeah yeah last summer all that was in the cooler was bud light because my boy drinks blood light and and white claw and a little bit of truly and i was like man this is like dominating this and this is all i'm drinking and then i just started thinking about it and i'm like I really enjoy drinking.

I feel better if I drink these. Let's talk about Seltzer for a little bit. Like, why? Because I can't drink a lot of beer. I never have. I always have to like start beer and then get a liquor and liquor fucks me up. You know, so if you think about it,

it's, I mean, as you get all, every brand that I've done, it's what I'm drinking like right then. So St. Archer, I was really enjoying craft beer.

It was fun. And like, it was really, it was like, it was a rocket ship. Everyone was, there's new breweries all the time. It was fun.

It was like social. I enjoyed all that. And then I, I was like for a non-alcoholic beverage, I stopped drinking soda. And I was drinking coconut water. And all my friends were drinking coconut water. And then I had kids. And so then I had an organic kids juice. And so everything is like where my life is at the time. And then getting back with Harland, I just missed owning a brewery. I enjoy the community aspect of it. I love having a brewery in San Diego where we live, where my kids go and our friends go. And I enjoy that. And then with this,

I was just drinking it. And I was going, wow, this is fun. Like, it's 5% alcohol. It's no sugar. It's 90-some-odd calories. It's gluten-free. Yeah, I'll drink six of them. It almost sounds too good to be true.

Well, why I became interested in it is because when I talked to you, I was pregnant, and I had gained a lot of weight. Like, the doctor tells you to gain, like, 25 pounds. That was not happening for me. And I was like, okay, I obviously want a cocktail after I have the baby. Right. Like shaking. I remember you saying that.

So when I was introduced to this, I saw there's low sugar. Like, how much sugar is in it? Zero. Zero. Okay. Yep. No calories barely. 99.

I can deal with that. You can. And it's 5% alcohol. It is. And how many carbs? There's like no carbs. None. Yeah, there's no carbs.

And then it's organic and we brew it with alkaline water. It's almost too good to be true. And it's from, so I think a lot of the other brands too is, you know, I was very specific that I, I drink a lot of seltzer water. I love Laquois. I love bubbly, Pepsi's brand, and I wanted an alcoholic version of that. Yeah. I didn't want aftertaste and, you know, a lot of the other hard seltzers that I was drinking had that. And I enjoy that. Like, I enjoy drinking Whiteclaw. If it's at a party, I'll still drink it. I don't, I'm, I'm good. I wanted something that was a Laquois, no aftertaste. And we got that from, you know, creating the alcohol from fermenting the

sugar. So basically, once the, you know, when you ferment sugar and then it turns into alcohol, it eats the sugar and then there you are with your 5%. But there's nothing else in it. It's organic flavoring and carbonated water and that's it. Listen, these are dangerous. No, I honestly feel I drank it all last week and I've lost eight pounds since last week.

And that's because I had birth weight, guys. So don't. That sounds like a lot. And I have three cucumbers in eight days. No, no. I've been intermittent fasting. I've been drinking Ashland. If I want to have a drink.

That's right. I've been walking and doing Pilates. There she is. bring P-Volve a little bit of body guide. And I mean, I think that it's really working. Yeah, it's slow, but it's happening. And I think that if I didn't have an alcohol that was... Well, it'd be like some like high-leaves, such or like high-sugar wine that you'd be

Yeah, I would be drinking wine or champagne, which would be. It wouldn't be doing my ass any favors. And so I think with this, like, I can sort of have my cake and eat it too. You know what I mean? I do. And I think that's why people have been so excited about everyone that you, I haven't had a brand yet. Well, Harlan, the beer is phenomenal. It really is. And Ryan and Nick are I want to come. I mean, before we, I haven't been able to come into the brewery.

It's our brewers are two of the best going. But this, everyone that drinks it goes, this is my favorite one. I mean, it's crazy. Like everyone does say that. So like if you have a brand, you know, we're the same price as white clon truly. So we're on the shelf, you're going, this looks great. It's, it's priced the exact same. It's, or, again, it has all these health benefits, yeah, I'll give it a try. Then we only need to get them to try it once. So if Lauren says, I love this. And someone who's listening, like Janine goes, well, if Lauren likes it, then I'm going to

try it. And then they try and go, whoa, this actually does taste better. I mean, listen, our process on like, what I would say, like a diligence standpoint of, like investing in doing a deal and partnering with is like, was next to nothing. And it's, I'll tell you why. Normally, like, Lauren and I are very selective of who we partner this platform with, because, like, you know, we're like you, we're selective.

We're careful with who we partner with. But this, we're like, okay, amazing category, amazing founder. The shit tastes really good. We're going to drink it. Like, we drink it all the time. Like, this is a no brainer to go into something like this because this is something that we're confident sharing with everybody and I'm confident that people, like, it's, there's not one person who I'd say like, hey, if you're an alcohol drinker and you like

to, you know, do this and you like to have these types of beverages, like, there's not one person I think would be like, oh, I don't like that category. Well, who the fuck doesn't want to drink alcohol and not have to worry about. their waistline. And then like for me, when I'm like shopping and I'm a consumer, I'm thinking, you know, I see this, you know, on the shelf. And I'm thinking, okay, I can get this. And not only can it get this, it's, it's kind of girly in its own way, but then I can also have my husband drink it because it's also masculine. Well, we got a kid now too. So I can't be sitting there slamming a bottle of bourbon every night. I got to be able to change the bed with my eyes straight. Right. I think

that's the thing is. And I mean, we have, you know, getting you guys involved and getting everybody we have involved. When we had St. Archer, a lot of the guys who owned it with me, were surfers and skateboarders. And then, and they're speaking to a small audience, right? And Paul Rodriguez's followers are probably following Sean Malto and Eric Coston. And, right? And we had all them involved, but this time it was fun to get everybody. My friends that are skateboarders and surfers and you guys and Jared Gough and Cody Bellinger

and the list, it was like Chris Lane and you, Adam Devine and Blake, you get them all, right? So like, because like Lauren said, like, no, it's, we're both drinking it. Yeah, now we're all doing it

together, though. It's not like, I didn't want something where you just put money in and then like, I never talk to you again. I, you guys get text messages for me

constantly what's going on and what's happening. What do you guys think about this? And look at these. And look at. And I wanted the right people that were excited to do that. And shout out to Andrea and Wes

of Vanderfort in San Diego because they introduced us. They're the best. And if you guys, I feel like Ashland needs to be stocked in the Vandervort fridge if it's not like. It is. It is. Okay. Okay. So if you're in San Diego, you can stop by and see them at the store. Ashland's stock there. And also, I'll say 101, my dad and stepmom's restaurant. They're going to be stocked on every

deer media table. Whether the host want to drink them or not, they're just going to show up and it's going to be on the table. Here all I said, open it. Yeah. Like drink it on camera. Ladies, like get in there. No, just kidding. But listen, yeah, we're out of water now. All we have is Ashland. We don't have any still water. So I want to leave the audience with how I would taste it. I am really very much about doing an ashlin lime. Get the lime flavor. Okay. That's your favorite? Right now I'm having a moment with it. Oh. And then I would do a Blanco tequila. Okay. A little bit of quantro, lemon and lime, like actual lemon and lime. Maybe some pomegranate seeds. Shake and shake. So shake everything besides the Ashland because you don't want to

shake the Ashland and a shaker. And then top it off, like a huge top off. Yep. And enjoy. You know what's cool, though, about this right now. I know, shit. This variety pack thing is that, you know, in other, like, say you're drinking a margarita, then you switch to a beer and you switch to a wine, like you're going to be sick. You're done, right? Like, that's just how it's, like, I can't. I mean, I do it every time because I'm an idiot and I just, but I, you know, but I'm sick.

I still do it too. Yeah. But I like this variety pack because essentially you're drinking the same thing with just different flavors so it feels like you're changing it up throughout the night or the day. Yep. But you're not going to suffer the same consequences when you switch from like beer and wine and champagne and all that. You know what I mean? Does that make sense too? Of course. I mean, you can, and we have a new variety

pack coming out, so then you'll have four more flavors. Guys, before we go, we're going to do a quick giveaway. So what we're going to do is we're going to give away some Ashland Seltzer merch, plus some TSC goodies. So to win the giveaway, we're going to have you tell us your favorite part of this episode on my latest Instagram at the Skinny Confidential and then follow at Ashlin hard Seltser on Instagram. There is some good cocktail recipes. up there too. There are. Like, oh my God, I was drooling when I looked at it. Where can people find this right now? San Luis Obispo County to the Mexico border will be in the middle of May, but right now, San Diego and Orange County, Target, Bev Mo, Costco, sprouts, Whole Foods, Ralphs, and then everything

independent, lazy acres and Gelsons and, you know, mothers in Newport and, yeah, pretty much everywhere. Where can everyone find you? At Ashland Hardstil. Yes, guys, check it out. Josh, the next time you come on, should be with your wife. She'll be so much better than me. And we might make salsa margaritas too next time. I mean, I don't know what we were thinking this time. Taylor, I hope you're not drunk back there from your tangerine.

Wait, I have a quick question before you leave. Oh, okay. You mentioned that there's new flavors coming out. Yeah. Say what those flavors are. I can. Yeah, we're doing a watermelon, a tropical cherry, a mango strawberry, and, raspberry lemonade.

Oh, damn, those all sound good. You see, like, this is what I like about this is I can feel good drinking a mango, a raspberry lemonade, a cherry, and like, I still feel very tough. No, you do. That's what we're aiming for. That's why you couldn't do the skinny can. It's like, I could be like, what are you drinking? I'm like, this is my cherry drink.

Mango, strawberry, it's like this. Yeah. And the skinny ones, I mean, most cooosies are 12. That was the other thing. Last thing. Right? Think about how long we've been holding these. Bears, sodas, seltzer water. Why would it not be good? good for this? Why was hard seltzer too good for the 12 ounce normal can? Not anymore. Right. I love a new

category. I'm glad when you see it like that. Yeah. And Taylor, drink the pineapple, please for your semen. God. Drink a little more pineapple. I heard it works. Yeah. Okay. I thought it was bananas. No, it's pineapple. Josh, thanks for coming on. That was so much fun. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming on, brother. That's great. Guys, wait, don't go. Make sure you've rated and reviewed the skinny confidential him and her show on iTunes because every week we do a giveaway. This week we're giving away the cutest new TSC pops bucket. It's like three hearts all stuck together and says TSC. It's on my phone right now. You will love it. All you have to do to win is tell us your favorite part of this episode on my latest Instagram at the

Skinny Confidential and someone from the team will drop into a bunch of your inboxes and send you this new hot, cute pop socket. As always, thank you so much for listening and we'll see you next time. This episode was to you by 4Sigmatic. Guys, did you know mushrooms can prevent and treat many diseases and boost overall health? They are known to be super healing. You know, I'm obsessed with their mushroom hot cacao mix. I like to wind down with this at night. It's so good and it feels so satisfying and it's full of benefits, which we love.

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