The Best Brands Don’t Build Categories. They Catch Them.
Brands that endure don’t invent categories. They listen to what the trade is already asking for, name it, and become the answer.
Why Chasing Distribution Before Creating Brand Demand Can Be Your Most Expensive Mistake. (And Why Understanding It Doesn't Mean You Can Execute It)
Most founders don't want to skip distribution. They want to accelerate it. They sign a distributor, secure a
Bartender Education: The €150K Training Trap (And Why Handshakes Beat Handouts)
I sat through a brand training last year. Forty-five minutes of slides. History of the founder. The botanicals.
The distillation
Liquid Transparency vs Brand Mysticism: Why Founders Waste $$$ Explaining What Consumers Don't Buy
From The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast: Winning brands build worlds consumers want to inhabit. Steve Grasse, Guillaume Lambrecht, Alex Ouziel reveal systematic mistakes founders make building narrative for gatekeepers instead of end buyers.