Beverage Man Sam

POV: the dog thinks we’re on a peaceful walk while I’m out here solving business problems, talking to myself, and pretending I’m not out of breath 🐕📞

Most people think building a beverage brand is about distribution, marketing, and maybe a little luck.

It’s not.

It’s about resilience when you’ve burned through your savings.
It’s about making decisions when there’s no clear path.
And sometimes… it’s about knowing when to walk away.

This week on Drink Up, we sat down with Jayla Siciliano—a founder who spent 10 years building a beverage brand, landed a deal on Shark Tank, and still had to shut it down.

That’s not failure. That’s experience most people never get.

We talked about:

* What fundraising really looks like (not the Instagram version)
* Why timing can matter more than product
* And the one mindset shift every founder needs to survive

If you’re building something—or thinking about it—this one is worth your time.

Read the full story below 👇

Truthfully,
Sam

I watched people either fight AI, or blindly hand over their thinking to it.

Neither worked.

The ones who actually win?
They use AI like a weapon, but keep their judgment sharp.

Because tools don’t build great brands.
Taste does. Perspective does. The ability to see what others miss does.

That’s why I respect people like Priya Dua, APR.

She didn’t get here by outsourcing her thinking.
She built it. Refined it. Pressure tested it over years.

AI can scale your output.
But it can’t replace your point of view.

And in this game
your point of view is the only thing people actually buy.

Truthfully,

Sam

Everyone’s waiting for the rebound

Get the lowdown 👇

Pernod Ricard just called it:
sales down 3–4%.

Iran. Soft U.S. demand. China lagging.
Travel retail flipping down.
Cognac off ~50% in North America.

Meanwhile, PepsiCo cuts price, refreshes Gatorade… and grows volume.

Translation:
you can’t hide in airports
you can’t wait on China
you can’t keep pushing price

Shelf space is getting re-traded right now.

Get the full breakdown in today’s DrinkUp 👇

Truthfully
Sam