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Park Street Insider Podcast
The Park Street Insider Podcast is a spirit industry-focused podcast dedicated to bringing you closer to the key brands, topics, and trends driving the drinks business. We host the spirits category's most influential leaders and entrepreneurs to uncover the business strategies, stories, and brand-building tips behind some of the biggest brands in the industry. Whether you're interested in Agave spirits, whiskey, read-to-drink, low & no, or any other category, our hosts will bring you closer to the heart of what's happening in each.
In each episode, hosts Emily Pennington, Emmett Strack, and Andres Correa speak to spirits industry thought leaders to discuss the moves that shaped their careers, how they built some of the brands we all know and love, and some of the tools they can’t live without. They'll also zero in on the hottest subjects taking hold of beverage alcohol, keeping listeners up to date on the trends shaping spirits.
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Park Street Insider Podcast
What It Takes— BuzzBallz CEO & Founder Merrilee Kick
In the early days of laying the groundwork for her brand, Buzzballz, Merrilee Kick received a call from a distributor who informed her that, despite having a contract in place, they would be canceling their order, asserting that ready-to-drink products were a "fad." In 2024 it's almost impossible to imagine that her now iconic brand was ever in such a position, but Kick's beverage-alcohol journey was non-linear and faced adversities known to many early-stage entrepreneurs.
Kick joins Emmett Strack and the Park Street Insider Podcast to share her journey of building Buzzballz into one of the largest ready-to-drink suppliers in the world, operating across all 50 states and 27 countries.
Key topics mentioned:
Top-Down Alignment:
- One constant between brands that break away from the pack to become a beverage-alcohol category leader is a top-down alignment of goals, intentions, and brand ethos. When Merrilee Kick set out to create an iconic package, she built a team, and infrastructure that worked in unison to achieve this.
Patience as a Virtue:
- Buzzballz did not become a category leader overnight. Kick explains why entrepreneurs should be ready to self-sacrifice and be patient while the brand builds on each milestone. She also hints at why brand-builders usually need more capital than they think to get it done.
In this episode you'll hear from:
Merrilee Kick, CEO & Founder, Buzzballz / Southern Champion LLC
Mentioned in this episode:
Buzzballz
The Beverage Alcohol Manual (BAM)
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