What inspired you to develop your idea?
SJ: Our love for whiskey and disappointment with the lack of engagement and representation of women in whiskey. It inspired us to set a goal to change the face of whiskey to reflect the diversity of women who enjoy the spirit.
NM: One night I ordered an Old Fashioned just before my friend arrived to meet me for dinner. What inspired me to develop Jackson McCrea Whiskey was my love for whiskey, my passion for business and the synergy of my dear friend thinking the same thing at the same time. It was kismet. And when we realized we haven’t seen it done the way we wanted it done. We knew we had to be the ones to do it. I was also inspired by seeing people starting wine and Spirits brands like Mary J Blige, Dwayne Johnson, Sean Combs, Gabrielle Union and of course Fawn Weaver. They fueled my inspiration because we can see ourselves in them.
Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out?
SJ: Well, we are still at the beginning. I can’t think of anything I would have done differently. I like the path that we’ve taken. It’s been thoughtful and intentional.
NM: We don’t know what we don’t know. I wouldn’t even say we have all the answers now. In knowing a little more than when we first started my thought is maybe we would have started sooner. Your goals and dreams are simply waiting for you to show up. I say that lightly because we did take time to flush out our vision which we definitely needed.
What is unique about your business? How did you decide where to establish your company?
SJ: What is unique about our business is that it is unapologetically focused on women, – a demographic that has not yet been meaningfully engaged by the whiskey industry.
We established our company in California because we love everything the west coast represents, including wine country. Our goal is to craft a California-inspired whiskey that speaks to the terroir and culture of the west.
NM: We have never seen a whiskey that speaks directly to women. Choosing to be authentic to our beliefs, desires, and goals drove us to establish our company as a true California Whiskey.
What challenges did you have to overcome at the beginning of your journey?
SJ: Time management has been one of the biggest challenges to overcome. Natasha and I both have other businesses. Creating a new approach to our work that incorporates this new business and all it requires of us, is a journey unto itself. As we build out our team, it becomes more important to delegate and make time for self-care.
NM: One of my biggest challenges is fitting the development of this brand into my already busy schedule.
What advice would you give to someone trying to be an entrepreneur?
SJ: My advice to women entrepreneurs is two-fold: 1) You don’t have to do it all alone. Build a team and a community of support around you who believe that your product or service creates value and who want to see you succeed. And 2) Develop a self-care practice that sustains you. Take breaks, long walks, vacations, laugh and give yourself grace. The work will always be there. Make sure you do the work so that you can be there in good health.
NM: Just do it. Learn as much as you can and press through. Too many times we wait for everything to be perfect in order to move forward. Things will not be perfect. Don’t wait to go after your goals.
