Founder Feature: The Legacy and Story Behind Old Hillside Bourbon | Startup CPG Podcast скачать в хорошем качестве

Founder Feature: The Legacy and Story Behind Old Hillside Bourbon | Startup CPG Podcast

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Emmanuel Waters and Courtney Tucker, co-founders of Old Hillside Bourbon Company, to talk through one of the most powerful brand stories in CPG today—a premium bourbon brand built on Black history, community pride, and stories that history tried to erase. Named after Hillside High School, the oldest African American high school in the United States, Old Hillside was born during the pandemic when two cousins who barely knew each other got on a call with childhood friends and decided to build something that would create generational wealth and make their community proud. Six years later, they've broken sales records, won gold and double gold at spirits competitions, and brought families together through the stories they tell—one bottle at a time. From the Black jockeys who dominated the Kentucky Derby in the 1800s, to the pioneering female jockeys of the early 1900s, to the Harlem Hellfighters—the first African American unit to fight in World War I—Old Hillside lets the stories create the bourbon. And the bourbon is really good. Caitlin and the founders get into what it's really like to be Black-owned in a $40 billion industry where Black Americans represent less than 1% of ownership, what it takes to bootstrap a capital-intensive brand for six years, and why representing your community means the quality can never be anything less than premium. Connect with the guests: Emmanuel Waters — Co-Founder, Old Hillside Bourbon Company 🔗 LinkedIn:   / emmanuel-waters-4740989a   Courtney Tucker — Co-Founder, Old Hillside Bourbon Company 🔗 LinkedIn:   / courtney-tucker-79918527   Old Hillside Bourbon Company 📸 Instagram:   / oldhillsidebourbonco   🌐 Website: https://www.oldhillsidebourboncompany... Caitlin Bricker — Managing Editor, Startup CPG 🔗 LinkedIn:   / caitlinbricker   Key Moments: 00:00 Introduction to Old Hillside Bourbon Company 02:46 Founders' Backgrounds and Journey to Bourbon 06:05 The Legacy and Story Behind Old Hillside Bourbon 09:06 Challenges in the Bourbon Industry 11:55 Diversity and Representation in CPG 14:52 Building Connections with Consumers 18:30 The Journey to Premium Bourbon 20:08 Crafting Quality and Storytelling 22:24 Honoring Heritage and Community 23:56 Celebrating Unsung Heroes 26:12 The Fight for Representation 29:50 Building a Brand with Purpose 33:06 The Power of Storytelling in Business About Startup CPG: Startup CPG is the largest community for emerging brands: 30,000+ Slack members, the #1 podcast in CPG, 100+ events per year, and award-winning resources to help brands grow. Join free today: https://startupcpg.com/sign-up Stay connected: 📸 Instagram:   / startupcpg   🔗 LinkedIn:   / startupcpg   If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! #StartupCPG #CPGPodcast #FounderFeature #OldHillsideBourbon #BlackOwned #BlackHistory #BourbonLovers #CPGFounders #EmergingBrands #FoodAndBeverage #SpiritsIndustry #GenerationalWealth #BlackWallStreet #HarlemHellfighters #Storytelling #CraftBourbon #ConsumerGoods