Taofiki Gafar-Schaner, MSN, RN’s Post

As a founder of a startup or early stage beverage company, you know that the beverage business is costly and challenging enough without the headwinds of bad advice. Unfortunately, there is a lot of bad advice out there. That's why it's a good best practice to get second, third, and fourth opinions before making key decisions. If some advice seems too good to be true or inconsistent, dig deep into the credibility and reputation of the source. Don't let bad advice sink your business. Take the time to do your due diligence and seek out reliable sources. Godspeed to all beverage company founders out there!

When I started Vinotas Selections, I asked myself who would actually be buying the wines I imported? Working backwards from the consumer, through the retailer/restaurant, to the wholesaler, allowed us to scale rapidly by responding to their needs, even during challenging times. That philosophy has been baked into our genes from the start, and remains at the core of what we do. This great article by Michael Houck (https://lnkd.in/evRjTaiU) shows how this is an industry-agnostic attitude that should be adopted by companies, no matter the sector.

How a Resilient Mindset Helped This Founder Get Her Business Started Rent the Runway almost didn't make it off the rack. Here's the shift that made for a perfect fit. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dB7yXfgE . . Like 💝 Comment below ⏬ Share ✅ For More Such Updates Follow Us @qnewshub @qnewscrunch . . #qnewshub #qnewscrunch #StartupFunding

What's "On My Radar?" Each week, the Forbes 30 Under 30 Newsletter includes business updates, announcements, industry news, and more about the community of young change-makers. One of my favorite sections is "On Our Radar," where we cover companies, culture, and any business news relevant to young people. This week, we highlighted: - CNBC's story on hashtag #Peloton's partnership with hashtag #TikTok (and the subsequent jump in shares) -Business Insider's piece on investors being bit by the entrepreneurship bug, and the impacts on the hashtag #VC industry if too many leave to start their own firms. -Karissa Bodnar, the founder of Thrive Causemetics and 30 Under 30 alum, and her profile in The New York Times. -The business of dissecting (and posting about dissecting) luxury leather goods (also by the NYT!) What did you read (or see or hear) this week that caught your eye? Don't forget to read and subscribe to the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/evQNp2cr (Passing the phone to Jahleane Dolne, Shriya Bhattacharya, AJ Eckstein, Ayomi Samaraweera and Gianluca Russo to let me know what you're reading. Drop it in the comments :))

What's "On My Radar?" Each week, the Forbes 30 Under 30 Newsletter includes business updates, announcements, industry news, and more about the community of young change-makers. One of my favorite sections is "On Our Radar," where we cover companies, culture, and any business news relevant to young people. This week, we highlighted: - CNBC's story on #Peloton's partnership with #TikTok (and the subsequent jump in shares) -Business Insider's piece on investors being bit by the entrepreneurship bug, and the impacts on the #VC industry if too many leave to start their own firms. -Karissa Bodnar, the founder of Thrive Causemetics and 30 Under 30 alum, and her profile in The New York Times. -The business of dissecting (and posting about dissecting) luxury leather goods (also by the NYT!) What did you read (or see or hear) this week that caught your eye? Don't forget to read and subscribe to the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/evQNp2cr (Passing the phone to Jahleane Dolne, Shriya Bhattacharya, AJ Eckstein, Ayomi Samaraweera and Gianluca Russo to let me know what you're reading. Drop it in the comments :))

8 Ways Founders Stay Fit Jump into the best ways to stay fit while steering a company. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dCN9GPHJ . . Like 💝 Comment below ⏬ Share ✅ For More Such Updates Follow Us @qnewshub @qnewscrunch . . #qnewshub #qnewscrunch #StartupFunding

What's "On My Radar?" Each week, the Forbes 30 Under 30 Newsletter includes business updates, announcements, industry news, and more about the community of young change-makers. One of my favorite sections is "On Our Radar," where we cover companies, culture, and any business news relevant to young people. This week, we highlighted: - CNBC's story on hashtag #Peloton's partnership with hashtag #TikTok (and the subsequent jump in shares) -Business Insider's piece on investors being bit by the entrepreneurship bug, and the impacts on the hashtag #VC industry if too many leave to start their own firms. -Karissa Bodnar, the founder of Thrive Causemetics and 30 Under 30 alum, and her profile in The New York Times. -The business of dissecting (and posting about dissecting) luxury leather goods (also by the NYT!) What did you read (or see or hear) this week that caught your eye? Don't forget to read and subscribe to the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/evQNp2cr (Passing the phone to Jahleane Dolne, Shriya Bhattacharya, AJ Eckstein, Ayomi Samaraweera and Gianluca Russo to let me know what you're reading. Drop it in the comments :))

Why are so many people in the wine industry being so darn helpful to me? I'm serious-- and I think I know why. Over the past 3 days, I've had 3 different conversations with people who are genuinely rooting for Currently to succeed. Two of them sell wine of a similar price point and are on the cutting edge of new aluminum packaging. You'd think they would be competitive and hold their cards close to the vest. Nope. Total open books. Spent an hour with me. I used to work in software. I wasn't sharing go-to-market tips with the CMO of Highspot, I'll tell you that. This industry has an incredible pay-it-forward culture. I think this is the reason: the people I speak to, they genuinely love wine. Not necessarily as wine snobs, but as lovers of the category. And they see their mission as bringing a beverage that has been enjoyed for centuries, by rulers (and now by Taylor Swift, our modern day cultural ruler), to the masses. I think in our conversations, we recognize we have this in common: we love wine. And good wine (because wine that isn't good isn't worth drinking imho) pairs best with close friends, family and food. I'm so new to this that I don't yet have that much advice to share. But you bet that when that next upstart entrepreneur reaches out and I see their passion for building a wine brand, I'll go 30 minutes over the scheduled call time. #wineindustry #wineculture #payitforward

Tastea: A Tale of Resilience and Flavor Hailing from the vibrant city of Garden Grove, California, Ted Vu's journey with Tastea embodies the quintessential American Dream, flavored with a unique Vietnamese twist. Despite the uncertainties looming in the wake of 9/11 tragedy, Tastea's inaugural weekend proved to be a resounding success. Ted, alongside his partner Scott Nguyen, embarked on this entrepreneurial venture with unwavering determination and a vision to redefines  the landscape of flavorful beverages. Before the era of social media dominance, Tastea thrived on the unwavering support of friends and family. Eschewing traditional advertising methods, the duo relied on the power of word-of-mouth to propel their venture forward. Originating from humble beginnings in Ted's garage, Tastea was conceived while Ted pursued his studies in business administration at CSU Fullerton. With a keen eye for innovation and a passion for exceptional customer service, Tastea is envisioned as more than just a boba shop; it was to be an immersive experience, blending Asian-inspired flavors with creativity and flair. As the boba and Asian-flare business trend gained momentum, Ted and Scott, recognized an opportunity to carve out their own niche in the market. Drawing inspiration from their competitors while infusing their unique touch, Tastea was born out of a desire to offer customers something truly special—a fusion of flavors accompanied by unparalleled hospitality. Through perseverance, creativity, and a commitment to excellence, Tastea has evolved from its modest origins into a beloved destination for beverage enthusiasts. Ted's journey exemplifies the indomitable spirit of entrepreneurship, proving that with passion and perseverance, dreams can indeed become reality. Dropping the episode 4 interview of HOW I DID IT this March! Featuring Ted Vu's Tastea success story. #HowIDidIt #TasteaStory #ResilientFlavors #EntrepreneurialJourney #AsianInspired #BobaBusiness #InnovationInBeverages #CommunitySupport #SmallBusinessSuccess #FlavorFusion #DreamsToReality #TasteaExperience #PassionAndPerseverance #BeverageEnthusiasts #VietnameseAmericanEntrepreneurs

Is there a major shift happening in the alcohol industry? Recently, I went to a tech happy hour with over 50 entrepreneurs and investors. The hosts bought water bottles, soda, beer, and some light snacks. No liquor. No wine. No hard seltzers. As I looked around the party, I could only spot THREE people total who were drinking the beers. It was a Thursday night. I thought to myself: Is this the new norm? This is SO different than what I would see pre-pandemic. I was in NYC recently and everyone was drinking at a happy hour. So, is the sober movement just an LA trend? Our default for drinking alcohol has always been "yes," but there's a movement happening that's shifting the default to be "no". Given my role as a brand marketer, I love to understand the "why" behind trends. So... why do you think people aren't drinking as much as they used to? Is this just true in the entrepreneur/tech space/Los Angeles or is this indicative of a much bigger cultural shift? #trendspotting #culturalmarketing #insights