633: Emil Jättne and Joe Santos on Goosebump Moments

In 2010 and in kinship with the craftspeople who embody the Brooklyn Spirit, Emil Jättne and Joe Santos set out to make a high-quality small-batch American gin by hand, on their own terms. Brooklyn Gin was born. Since then, the company they have built around this guiding principle remains proudly independent and purposely small.

Show Notes

Success Quote Mantra

• Emil: "Don't be afraid to fail."
• Joe: "I will greet this day with love in my heart."

In this episode with Emil Jättne and Joe Santos we will discuss:

• What we can learn from our parents
• Realizing you are on the wrong path and course-correction
• Learning your industry by starting out in a massive company
• Intentional plans
• Branding
• Brand management
• Create what you love then sell it
• Staying authentic
• Licensing issues
• Launching a new brand
• The importance of being proud of your product
• You need more than just a good product, you need a plan and a brand
• Brand first/product second
• Learning how to execute
• Knowing when to ask for help from professionals who know more than you do
• Roadblocks - they’re inevitable
• Don’t give up hope
• Live your story
• Actions speak louder than a story
• Relationships and so important in the industry

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Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Emil: "Calmly pushing the ball forward."
   • Joe: "Staying even-keeled."
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Emil: "Perfectionist."
   • Joe: "Not taking enough time for myself."
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Emil: "Kindness, working well with others, energy for the brand."
   • Joe: "What do you do on your own time? What is your passion?"
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Emil: "Building a distillery in NYC."
   • Joe: "Navigating bureaucracy."
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Emil: "Collaborative. Don't think you know everything."
   • Joe:
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Emil: "Emphasis on the long-run."
   • Joe: "Don't sell; educate."
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • Emil: Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd by Youngme Moon
   • Joe: The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho
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8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Emil & Joe: Slack
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   •  
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Emil: 1) you can do anything you want but not everything you want 2) don't be afraid to fail or to be different 3) the power of collaboration
    • Joe: 1) focus on what you love 2) swim in your lane 3) have fun

Contact info:

Brooklyn Gin website

Instagram: @brooklyngin

Facebook: @BrooklynGin

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Emil Jättne and Joe Santos for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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