Holladay Happy Hour

From selling Hotdogs to selling Alcohol

June 28, 2023 Holladay Distillery Episode 24
Holladay Happy Hour
From selling Hotdogs to selling Alcohol
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

0:00 Intro

0:35 *Name this cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz Broker's Gin
  • 1/2 oz Lemoncello
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 oz Creme de Mure
  • 3 dashes of Orange Bitters

1:55 Welcome Joe Quinn

3:10 Where did Joe get his start?

6:05 Roadtripping with Joe

10:30 Interviewing people

14:30 Joe's life away from work

16:00 Event life

19:54 Joe has a story for everything

24:00 Joe's Volkswagen

26:55 Joenado

30:00 Joe's famous lockdown cocktail

32:10 What is your favorite part about your job?

©️2023 Holladay Distillery Weston, MO. Drink Responsibly. Drive Responsibly.

Speaker 1:

Joe, before we get off of hot dogs.

Speaker 3:

All right, what is?

Speaker 1:

the most amount of hot dogs you sold in one day.

Speaker 4:

That's what I was going to ask. I thought you were going to ask him how many he's eaten at one time. That's an express, that's a follow up.

Speaker 1:

That's a little aggressive, kyle, that's a little personal.

Speaker 5:

Welcome to Holiday Happy Hour presented by the Holiday Distillery in Western Missouri. I'm Jordan and today we have a very special guest. But before we get there, we're drinking a cocktail. It's delicious, it's one of my favorites, but nobody can explain it like Brendan can.

Speaker 1:

I didn't even wait to taste this one.

Speaker 5:

What are we drinking, Brendan?

Speaker 2:

So actually we don't have a name for this yet, so we're going to throw it out to everyone listening And if you guys have any ideas because this will end up on the fall winner menu here at the distillery if you guys have any good ideas for this cocktail, throw them out. We'll name it here And you can come get it come this fall. So this has an ounce and a half of Brokers gin in it with a three quarter ounce creme de mire, half ounce lemon cello liquor and half ounce lemon juice, three dashes of orange bitters, and then it is. We also put a little bit of egg white or aquafaba in it to give the head on it and then just shake that up and double strain it into here.

Speaker 5:

What is creme de mire?

Speaker 2:

Creme de mire is going to be like a blackberry of the core. So you kind of get that dark color, so it's not overly sweet. It's definitely more on the tart kind of fruity side. Just a good fall kind of winterish cocktail.

Speaker 5:

Delicious, brendan, i love it.

Speaker 4:

Joe's all over it. Joe Quinn is on the house. We have lots of words like so many words, so many words, too many words, too many words.

Speaker 5:

Okay, guys, this has been a long time coming. We usually talk shit behind Joe's back, but we've brought him to the table.

Speaker 4:

Just talk shit right to his face. We get to do it, it's fine, so great.

Speaker 5:

I know, no, we never talk any bad words about you. No, we do.

Speaker 1:

And his quick defense and also to shed talk him a little bit. He was on a podcast when the early on ones that Johnny Hart was on time at Five Farms.

Speaker 5:

Johnny Hart was fantastic. Joe was terrible. Yeah, he failed horribly. You were distracted. You were on your computer. I'm like this is not. I know he was doing Joe things.

Speaker 1:

So we decided this is like his redemption shot. And if he fucks this one up, it's over.

Speaker 4:

He's never gonna come back.

Speaker 1:

So, see how it goes bud. I like it, No pressure.

Speaker 5:

Welcome, joe, thank you.

Speaker 3:

Thank you for having me.

Speaker 5:

You know Joe is long. He has a long history in the sales industry, but he is currently the vice president of select brands here. So his babies are bourbon and five farms which are two very beautiful babies, Beautiful babies. So he has a has a big job here. But Joe kind of started out in the trenches. You know sales, What was it? Hot dogs, Your very first sales opportunity.

Speaker 3:

Hot dogs. You were technical than that.

Speaker 1:

I don't think it was.

Speaker 3:

When I graduated from school, I ventured into Kansas City and. I actually worked for a company called Center Plate which is a big concessionaire catering vendor company And at the time they were out of the Carolinos but they had the contract for at Truman Sports Complex for the Kansas City Chiefs, kansas Royals. I've heard of them And I had an opportunity to oversee on the concession side all the concessions and vending for both properties. That's also at the time when the Hunt family owns the Kansas City Wizards which we know today as Sporting KC.

Speaker 3:

So, if you want to get technical. I was in beer and hot dogs And I moved on to the beer business on the distributor side.

Speaker 1:

Joe, before we get off of hot dogs. What is the most amount of hot dogs you sold in one day.

Speaker 4:

That's what I thought. You were gonna ask him how many he's eaten at one time. That's a little aggressive personal.

Speaker 3:

But, no going off of what what Patrick is living to is. There's two. I had two major feats at at the stadiums at Kaufman during my time. This again, this was before the renovation of Kaufman Stadium. What we know today and Didn't have them like, the cooking space and the facilities weren't. You know? we had a. We had to work with what we had, and one buck night, which is a dollar for a small soda, a peanut or a hot dog. Fridays, right, yeah, typically when they need to drive some crowds in there, but one night we did The forty two thousand.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 4:

How many did you eat?

Speaker 3:

we were slinging. I actually did not eat those hot dogs usually if I'm around it.

Speaker 1:

I don't good. I'm just trying to figure out, like how would I heat up 42,000 hot dogs? I mean the amount of food going through those places. It was all done crazy.

Speaker 3:

I was all done in a correct way. We got it to temp the right, right manner and serve the crowd. And then, wonderful way It was done.

Speaker 5:

Fantastic Joe oh. Hot dog? that sounds definitely the thing where you dip it in water like I'm dips in water and I can't imagine that's good.

Speaker 3:

You gotta be careful. There's probably a lot of liability.

Speaker 5:

He's still thinking about yeah.

Speaker 4:

I did. Before this podcast started. I said that I was gonna interrupt Joe anytime I got bored listening to him, because that probably meant that everyone else was bored listening to him. So if I ever do That, uh, i apologize in advance. It sounds rude, but really I've just spent way too much time with Joe lately.

Speaker 5:

Yeah, you do spend a lot of time together. Is that like tell me why you spend so much time with Joe Kyle?

Speaker 4:

I don't want it. I don't want to. Not that choice. He's in charge of bourbon.

Speaker 3:

I have the opportunity and to connect, connect our product, our bourbon, you know, in specific markets and connect our bourbon with people. Yeah, so basically what we do He's a scientist and I, i'm a thinker.

Speaker 4:

So, yes, i, i make the bourbon and then I come up with you know how much we're gonna, how many barrels we're gonna dump each time we bottle, and talk to Joe, we work through that, he figures out where that's all going, and he works with all our distributor partners And so then anytime we introduce that or we go into the market, i hang out with Joe, which tends to be often now.

Speaker 3:

Joe, i really think I'm there for you, kyle, and I'm not only in a Support manner, but like I mean you make the magic, but I'm like you're an emotional support dog, like we talked about that. I'm there if you need. You need somebody. I'm there for you, kyle.

Speaker 5:

Thanks. Oh, that's kind of deep. I don't really know that we can be rude to Joe after that.

Speaker 4:

I can. Oh yeah, we can.

Speaker 5:

I like that, joe Thanks.

Speaker 4:

I appreciate. I appreciate everything you do. We're good. We're good team. We all love Joe He's just easy to poke at he is, and he is great, it's like.

Speaker 1:

He's not really great.

Speaker 4:

I'm just trying to be nicer on the podcast, going into a car ride with Joe. Like you, don't get a chance to talk.

Speaker 1:

No, or use the restroom or eat.

Speaker 4:

Oh, so many meals we've had of beef jerky.

Speaker 1:

Beef jerky, I mean. We know every brand of beef jerky.

Speaker 4:

And it's true.

Speaker 5:

I don't let them get me.

Speaker 1:

Gas station coffee.

Speaker 4:

Gas station coffee We do stuff for gas.

Speaker 3:

If we have an objective, i just want to get, get there and get it done, and I like to get there early and get it knocked out ahead of time, just so we have time to think and plan. And Yeah, so there's. There's never an ahead of time.

Speaker 1:

There's never, uh, an amount of time that is enough for Joe. So if a show starts at six at night, we need to be there four in the morning to get set up.

Speaker 1:

I do appreciate it, but it does get annoying when you're doing it at the time. And then also you know just the the whole. Joe is One of the best I've ever met at setting up, making sure everything's as flawless as it can be, making sure that Kyle has only red skittles, because if he gets a green, who will throw it in your face? Um, everything is perfect.

Speaker 4:

That is halfway valid, though, when they changed it from green apple to lime. End of skittles for me, see, and on the opposite, that green apple is garbage, Oh no, I only eat sour skittles. Green apple sour skittles was good.

Speaker 3:

So kind of going back to the point and getting off the skittles so A very, very smart man once told me who has actually worked for us names Jordan Scott, who's actually having his third baby today. Congratulations.

Speaker 1:

Jordan Say hey, jay scott, that's.

Speaker 3:

Jordan, but he understands how to operate. And he said, hey, joe, i get it. And he said, piss. Poor planning leads to piss poor performance.

Speaker 5:

Prior planning prevents poor performance. the five peas I like a more aggressive approach on it.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 4:

I mean, we don't even get a chance to go pee when we're on the road.

Speaker 1:

That's all those peas that we don't get to pee.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, that's weird. We got stuff to do, man, i got it. We got to connect people and products.

Speaker 4:

I was uh strongly opposed to this strategy at first, and like the whole Eating beef jerky and not stopping for food, and like now. I went to chicago with my wife and uh Man, going through the airport was so slow and I kept telling her like, hey, joe wouldn't stop here, joe wouldn't stop there. like I prefer traveling with joe now because we would just get to the gate, we'd knock it out, we'd be done, let's. and.

Speaker 2:

I didn't go over well with my wife.

Speaker 1:

Sound clip of him That we did not go over well Like you were really creating that.

Speaker 3:

What would joe do situation?

Speaker 5:

Have you ever flown with joe, or is this just a road situation?

Speaker 3:

I'm not happy when I fly either. I mean we've something about going like that high in the air and that that Just I just don't do well like when joe gets stuck in a metal seat. Yeah, I get. I come down as a different person.

Speaker 4:

We've flown a few times. We'd primarily drive, yeah.

Speaker 5:

Yeah, you got the truck, you got the trailer full of all your barrels and all your things.

Speaker 1:

Sometimes we've got to get in the van.

Speaker 3:

We do it all just like to be self-contained. I love it.

Speaker 5:

You know, joe hired me back in the day, patrick too, but they still talked to this day about how I creeped him out.

Speaker 1:

So super intimidating at him. You had very intense eyes or what is it Guys?

Speaker 2:

I was nervous. I was looking through my soul.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, what is happening right now.

Speaker 3:

Honestly, after that interview. To this day, i actually can't look people in the eye. That well, it's it like scares me so.

Speaker 5:

I like I was gonna give you a compliment, but now I just feel like I've ruined ruined your eye contact for your life.

Speaker 1:

So now people, he's staring into a light. Rather, i was a great hire Jordan was a great hire.

Speaker 5:

Hey, thanks, joe. We've had a lot of good times. You know who was a horrible interview. Who, joe Quinn Oh.

Speaker 1:

This dude came in first first interview and I interviewed him with my boss at the time and I mean he was, he wouldn't speak, which no one will believe me saying that. He sat there quiet because Joe Like never stops talking, right, but he was quiet.

Speaker 2:

I was just sweating.

Speaker 1:

He had a weird creepy smile on his face. He just seemed odd. He's from a city I'd never heard of, which now it's ashes in Kansas. Sorry guys, just didn't know at the time and, uh, i was like there's no way I'm hiring this guy Like he's. he's just weird man, he's creeping me out and he's sitting there sweating for no reason and he's just uh, so he leaves. and Alan Hunley, our HR director at the time, is like yeah yeah so.

Speaker 1:

Joe and he's from Acheson, he knows, joe. I'm like listen, you're kidding me. This dude is a creep show, like and there's nothing good about it, like there's no way, like I don't even know what he did, like he wouldn't speak. It was weird.

Speaker 3:

I have a hard time selling myself.

Speaker 1:

He's like just give one more shot. And here we are now.

Speaker 3:

Let's talky, talk more action.

Speaker 1:

I love Joe like a brother, now I do, which is why we poke at each other. but it is wild to see how far we've all been here a long time now. Yeah, kind of interesting, But Patrick did ask me some stupid questions. That's because you're so weird. What's your favorite color? What's your hobbies? I was like my family man. You asked that I did. What's your favorite color? What was your answer? My family. My favorite color is both. That was the answer to what's your favorite color, my family.

Speaker 1:

I'm a redhead dude, i don't wear red.

Speaker 5:

Yeah, that glashes. Yeah, it doesn't work at all.

Speaker 1:

I think I wrote it down like oh, blue, like okay, like that's not good.

Speaker 3:

Well, just to give myself a little like I never had not like. this was the first career change where I didn't really know people. They didn't know me or my background, so I did everything else. in the past, people have worked or I've had worked with in different situations where it wasn't an interview. This was a little bit different.

Speaker 3:

So because you left the hot dog situation, you went to go sell beer, so contract came up and I had opportunity to go down to Alabama and do Bama football and do some different things, different contracts, and I was it was great guys. But when you I kept keeping track was, i came out of college with about $28 in bank account And they're like, hey, we have this salary for him. Like, oh my gosh, i was like hot dog. And uh, look at that Dad joke. And uh, we ran into. This is what we deal with.

Speaker 3:

We ran into a situation and I was like I keep you know, i would never trade the experience because it was also. You got an opportunity to work with people, connect with people And that was probably the biggest and how to deal with people, um, from a customer service aspect and and the uh, what was needed And um, yeah, Yeah.

Speaker 5:

And then, after beer, you came here.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, but I kept track, so you feel like he forgot what the question was. I was I was he drifted?

Speaker 4:

It was not even close to like.

Speaker 3:

Zing, zing me. But, uh, I kept track. I actually worked 51 days straight. I was like 12, 15 hours a day And I said I get it. I got to look for other opportunity and opportunity to come up.

Speaker 3:

I had a good relationship with a local beer distributor on the on the AB side, the great family out of Lee Summit, eastern Jackson County And and just kind of history after that, and really made some good connections And my wife was the one actually cause I was, we built our house back in Atch and but I was working about an hour 15 from my office and she was like, hey, there's opportunity, I think at the distillery in Weston and she was the one that was really kind of pushing me. Because I'm very loyal I really am by default on certain things And I just I enjoyed what I was doing. I enjoyed the people I worked with. It was hard to make that decision and all that stuff came up and my wife is really the one that you guys should be thanking for my presence now with you guys, casey, casey's the real MVP.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, she pushed me off the building. You do suck it up.

Speaker 4:

So two things I heard there. One, your loyal, which explains why you still like Patrick. That makes sense. That's the only reason Yeah. And then the other thing is you didn't just build a house, you built like a compound in it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's hard. He has like a German shepherd that like it's fortified.

Speaker 4:

There's guns everywhere, like it's wife and daughter are going to shoot anyone that comes on.

Speaker 1:

He already has a rocket launcher on his roof, Actually he's ready to die at this place.

Speaker 5:

He's like 88 compliant.

Speaker 3:

If I need wheelchair access it's built at 13 years ago. Yeah, i positioned my dad. He came when we were building the house and there's a farm, farm field that sits right down below and there's a bridge about I don't know about three quarters of a mile, half mile down, and he said the way you positioned this house, my dad was in the military, so this is a great defensive position to like place a tank right here. I'm like that's why I did it, dad, that's why I did it.

Speaker 3:

So that's, always it's always forward thinking, for sure. So.

Speaker 5:

I like that, yep.

Speaker 3:

Yep.

Speaker 1:

You know, what's funny is you know Joe really does handle most of our like, large form events, especially the ones we do on the road. When Joe first started I don't know he might have been with us a week, a month, whatever it was. Yeah, we were in the middle of it was about to be a huge event for us.

Speaker 1:

It was down in Atlanta and we were like prime, you know the top sponsor of the whole thing. We had things in every bar. It was a speakeasy style and everyone's going to dress like a gangster. Is that so cool? Joe shows up dressed like a Newsy instead, which number one was just fantastic. Number two we thought this was going to be a massive show, like it was pitched us, like this thing is going to be just the people everywhere.

Speaker 1:

And we were launching triple crown and our hooks Rome. At the time We get there and Joe's prepped and ready to just have all this crap gone at every which way And we've got tasting promo people, We've got just we're stacked and like three people should have Yeah. It was the worst event I've ever been a part of Like it was horrible.

Speaker 3:

But somehow, with that little of a showing from people, i think we walk like over 10 miles. Oh yeah, i think I was just pissed and I was pacing. I'm like, what am I doing? Like, what am I doing with my life?

Speaker 1:

Like I was dressed like I was dressed like a Newsy walking men's hat on, but I had my suspenders.

Speaker 2:

I was like what am I doing?

Speaker 3:

Like, why am I dressed up right now? I didn't have to do this in the beer business. Like, what is this world? I? just my wife made me go to Mike.

Speaker 1:

What is this fate? Who am I? Oh man, it was. we definitely improved since then. That was, we got sold, but our, you know.

Speaker 3:

going back to that, though, if you have an opportunity to promote, we do our best, and some sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and but you got to get out there and try.

Speaker 5:

So talk to me about promotions a little bit. So you are the king of like. Connect with the people, Tell them about the brands.

Speaker 3:

So whenever you go out to promote, it's not just like here's a drink, No we really, you know, our biggest thing if people do come back to the distillery, if we can get them on site. Kyle's about to cut me off.

Speaker 4:

Not yet. I'm waiting.

Speaker 3:

God damn it, Kyle. So when, at the end of the day, we would love to get everybody and their brother back here to the distilleries all the sovereign registraries since 1856. And sometimes that's not feasible because once you come on site here, the market and everything talk. It just speaks for itself. But we've got to figure out how do we adapt that same experience here in the best way we can and bring it to the people in Texas, oklahoma, i mean just right over in St Louis. Different pieces like this.

Speaker 3:

If we can engage them on that side. If we can connect with them on that side, we can get people here And I think, just throwing that bait in the water. And we've seen it work. I mean, kyle and I were in Nebraska and we connected with a lot of people and we had actually we were working an event came back here at the distillery And from that week we actually ran into like six people that we met there that just wanted to come see our distillery and wanted to see what we're doing and wanted to see the product they loved and enjoyed. They wanted to know everything about it. And that's when we win.

Speaker 5:

Yeah. So it's kind of like before this podcast, when there was a group walking by. They were actually from Nebraska and Joe was like let's talk to him. I think he was stalling because he didn't want to record the podcast.

Speaker 1:

He didn't. I'm kidding.

Speaker 5:

No, but he's like come on in, let's talk Like he wants. Wanted to connect with him because that's just like the Joe way.

Speaker 3:

It's all about accommodation. Everybody receives things differently in different pieces, but we just the more people we connect with especially connect we've got amazing product and we have amazing people. When you put those two together.

Speaker 4:

So, anyway, when you put those two things together. I got a question for you. It's I don't know.

Speaker 5:

It makes a big difference, It's a big point of difference. It really is. Guys we have a city population. Kyle and Patrick over there.

Speaker 3:

If anybody's tuning in, if anybody likes to see a boxing match between Kyle Merkline and myself, I'm all for it. I won't be nervous on that one.

Speaker 4:

I can outrun you, that's fine. So Joe has a story for pretty much anything, everything. It's amazing how many times you go out on the road and you just meet some random person and you're talking about I don't know, say, las Cruces, new Mexico, and, like odds are, joe has been to Las Cruces, new Mexico with.

Speaker 3:

Joe Nato. Joe Nato Show that.

Speaker 1:

Joe has a way of turning into Joe Nato Yep, and he gets a little crazy.

Speaker 4:

Our design team loves it.

Speaker 1:

We need everything, all those events we were talking about, when he goes crazy and like he just needs everything.

Speaker 4:

If you're just listening to the podcast, aaron brought in a cut out that Brendan had made, where it's Joe on top. Slightly skinnier version of Joe, i know, photoshopped version of Joe with a tornado underneath.

Speaker 3:

That's the start of the beard. I almost came with a mustache today, but I couldn't do it. Once. I go there I just I don't know what happened. The beard's looking strong, Yeah you're good with the beard.

Speaker 1:

It's looking a little gray, though You got some gray coming in. You're getting old too, man. Sorry, it happens to all of us, i guess.

Speaker 3:

It works. Accepting, accepting that It's the acceptance.

Speaker 5:

I don't even know what Kyle was saying.

Speaker 4:

Honestly, it's not important. No, but at the end of the day, i think it's Damn it. I'm going to have to cut him off again.

Speaker 3:

I think it's what Kyle was alluding to Like I just I enjoy people, i enjoy talking with people, i enjoy connecting with people And it's fun when you can find common interests with folks. And this is a big world, but really, at the end of the day, it's a very small world when you break it down.

Speaker 5:

That's so true, it is very true.

Speaker 1:

There's even a ride named after it.

Speaker 4:

actually, It's actually kind of hoping that you had like a Las Cruces New Mexico story. Isn't that like, where like?

Speaker 3:

We've got. yeah, my, We had family down there, my sister, there you go, new Mexico.

Speaker 5:

I mean, you're only one of nine children.

Speaker 4:

So of course.

Speaker 3:

The youngest, yeah, the best. Yep Never got a chance to talk.

Speaker 4:

That's why he talks so much. now We've heard this story 18,000 times.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I talk for my food. You're not the runt of the litter.

Speaker 5:

I had all my brothers are tinier than me.

Speaker 3:

I said that I was spoiled. I said I am not, i did not. I just I watched what you guys did and I did the opposite.

Speaker 2:

So you learned, thank you for you eight idiots ahead of me to make decisions for me.

Speaker 3:

So, but yeah, I survived.

Speaker 5:

Yeah, and you're thriving.

Speaker 3:

Sorry, joseph, i was just trying to figure it out each and every day Doing great.

Speaker 5:

Doing something new, doing great, doing great.

Speaker 4:

How does it feel that the fate of you know like our company is on your shoulders, selling bourbon?

Speaker 1:

That mainly just you Is that.

Speaker 3:

There's that? Yeah, no, it's.

Speaker 4:

VP of Select Brands. Like, yeah, this is one of the Select Brands. That's definitely one of the Select Brands You know, it's not a big deal.

Speaker 3:

It's a good, it's a major project, It's a major turning point for our company. But I think, at the end of the day, when you've got the it's not me it's when you connect, when we've got the right team in place and we've got the right personnel, we've got the products and we've got the people. We just need to connect our people and product, like I've said a million times on this podcast. So it's slow and steady, wins the race. It really does. And it's not about tomorrow, it's what's the next year and year after that.

Speaker 5:

So that's kind of what Kyle always says, like he doesn't always think about like what's best for right now, but maybe what is best like five, 10 years from now, kind of like a good aging bourbon.

Speaker 3:

And I think, if you don't think like that and we're not about and these guys probably have heard me say this I'm not a big fan of ponds. Ponds are like a sitting bathtub And I'm a big fan of rivers. It's all about tenuous flow, so we have to adapt and we got to keep moving forward.

Speaker 1:

He doesn't like.

Speaker 5:

I've never heard that, but I really like it. Wow, I feel so motivated.

Speaker 1:

What are you saying I?

Speaker 4:

also love how Jordan is trying to be so serious right now. Oh yeah, she's trying to keep it on track.

Speaker 5:

Joe has a lot of feelings and I will just never forget the times of driving around you know, down I 70 and Joe's baby blue Volkswagen He was teaching me the ropes, like that Volkswagen.

Speaker 4:

I've really I've learned so much from me. I've never heard about a Volkswagen, so I don't know anything about this.

Speaker 1:

When we hired Rachel Dignan. Well, let's go back to the first Volkswagen I was not in town. Joe was driving the baby blue at the time, the V Dub.

Speaker 3:

Well, let's go back. No, no, no. we're starting right here And we'll go to that in a minute, Joe.

Speaker 1:

It doesn't matter, Rachel I was like Rachel, trust me, drive around with Joe. He's going to show you some things. There's more than just design in this job. Get to know who we are, get out there, see the products go and you're going to have a good time. She gets in Joe's car. whatever had happened. There was a rainstorm. Something happened to where the rain it's not like it leaked from the top.

Speaker 1:

It somehow came up from hell and invaded his car and it smelled like the most mildew, mildew, moldy, just mess. And Joe hangs a little like Christmas tree air pressure in it. And then Rachel gets in and proceeds to be nauseous the entire day, driving around in baby blue.

Speaker 3:

I was really concerned.

Speaker 1:

She has nightmares about that to this day.

Speaker 3:

The Volkswagen I thought we were going to like Yabba-deba-doo.

Speaker 1:

So you're driving the wheels off it.

Speaker 3:

I had a very big, large, inappropriate truck to be able to drive around, So I did a quick. I was traveling and my wife, I said I need to get something like a little bit, a little bit more eco-friendly, a little bit more mileage, just usable, just for work. And she, my wife's awesome, And she found a way better than Joe back away It was a nice car It was beautiful Turbo still worked

Speaker 4:

off Craigslist for $5,000. And she literally calls me.

Speaker 3:

She's like Hey, i'm a dad, this is kind of a sketchy sketchy area. These guys kind of different. I said, does it run? It does. I said just buy it. So, sight unseen, i bought it and that bad boy, 120,000 miles, came in and it did leak. I don't know where that leaking was coming from.

Speaker 1:

It came from the ground.

Speaker 3:

It came from, somewhere, i think there was a movie called like your TV's leaking. I was like your Volkswagen's leaking And that thing got, i think when I sold it and it's probably running to this day I sold, i did. I put it from 120,000 miles to 186,000 miles. I was able to turn around and get half of my money back.

Speaker 2:

So look, at you, Joe.

Speaker 3:

But then I made my wife sell the car for me. I didn't want anything to do with it, Cause I didn't want to be like.

Speaker 4:

I'm very honest, I'd be like it leaks, I don't know where it comes from. He would have been way too honest. Way too many words about how it leaks And no one would have bought it.

Speaker 3:

And Rachel was her first day and she was just like. I'm like I don't know why that's it. I don't know why there's a puddle in that, but there's a puddle in the car.

Speaker 1:

So Riex and Mildew And so.

Speaker 3:

Rachel is the one that actually named me Joe Nato. And I didn't know this until the last, actually a couple of months ago, that that was the name used up in the design room, so so, well, but I appreciate it.

Speaker 5:

Yeah, no, because you come in and you, you need stuff done in a very positive way in a very positive, impactful way.

Speaker 1:

And I give them like a napkin or like a half rip, just cause he's smiling doesn't mean it's positive.

Speaker 3:

I never put anything on like actual digital. I just I do scribbles on napkins. I'm like design this and like I understand.

Speaker 5:

You're like I need this today. And they're like Oh, this is why you have a name.

Speaker 1:

You know that's.

Speaker 3:

That's what's amazing about this place and the team we have. They just everybody works. It doesn't matter what, what title you are, everybody rolls up their sleeves and gets it done So that's right, pretty awesome times, good times. But yeah, that Volkswagen's turbo still works. Probably still does right now.

Speaker 1:

I mean it still whistles when someone jumps on that gas.

Speaker 3:

I think it's, since I'm not in the vehicle right now. I think I got it up to about 121.

Speaker 5:

Why were you doing that Like what was there's no speed limit, it's fine.

Speaker 3:

I got a nice. I got a nice straight away and that you can hear when that turbo kicks in. It's like Oh gosh, i'm just trying to keep it going.

Speaker 5:

Sad to say that one go.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah, maybe again one day we'll see.

Speaker 5:

So we've come a long way from the baby blue Volkswagen days. Yeah.

Speaker 4:

Mainly, we introduced bourbon. Which thing, yeah, thankfully we did.

Speaker 3:

Well, we did. We did a lot of things in between, though.

Speaker 4:

We did.

Speaker 3:

But especially if Patrick really seen the opportunity and now he's sucking up to Patrick.

Speaker 4:

This is all. I mean he was, i love it. He was a thinker. I mean he was a thinker And he goes. Why would we waste our?

Speaker 3:

time on a static billboard that just sat there for the same people to see it. Let's go mobile. And then that's when we, you know, we're out of Kansas City. We're outside of Kansas City, but what do we have? right here, they make the F 150 right in town. We're sporting a local market. So then we got a lot of F 150s to support our local, local folks that you know work hard every day and you wrap those vehicles with brands and moving billboards.

Speaker 5:

And now we don't drive baby blue Volkswagen's anymore. We drive trucks that are moving billboards.

Speaker 1:

That's right, it's great And it's people see him.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, And so you got to be. if you see one of those cars out there, give them a honk.

Speaker 4:

They always do Except Joe's is this unmarked because he sucks at driving So bad. We miss every exit everywhere we go.

Speaker 3:

It's because I'm just in deep thought in Colorado.

Speaker 4:

We were out there driving around Denver and we missed like nine exits in one day.

Speaker 3:

I just want to spend more time with you.

Speaker 1:

I think I was on the phone with you for two of the misses I want to spend more time with you.

Speaker 3:

I wanted more time with you. It was so bad.

Speaker 4:

It was so bad that Cody eventually, like he just took over driving.

Speaker 3:

I can't stand his driving. He's real aggressive. He was fine, cody, i enjoyed his driving because he didn't miss exits.

Speaker 4:

He wasn't like talking.

Speaker 1:

He was a local too. He was a local. Yeah, he knows the way around.

Speaker 4:

Way to try to make Joe feel better.

Speaker 5:

You guys like What I don't know We like Joe. I didn't know Joe was going to be on the podcast today until somebody told me this morning.

Speaker 1:

I have no idea. Surprise.

Speaker 5:

He had on his broker's t-shirts. We made a broker's cocktail, then he changed his shirt. I think he got nervous.

Speaker 3:

I had that broker's shirt for about six years. There's a lot of. It's a road.

Speaker 4:

There's a lot of sweat and tears. There's an old video out there.

Speaker 1:

Joe did a mixology. We need to maybe hit it on this. Tag it in there, Brendan.

Speaker 4:

The mixology video in the same shirt, post it in the comments or something like that.

Speaker 1:

Can we do that? Yeah, we'll go on there, brendan is nodding.

Speaker 4:

that that's a thing. Honestly, it was amazing.

Speaker 3:

I mean, you guys want to put 13 things in your cocktail, go ahead, but if you want some plastic, reach out.

Speaker 1:

I got you, joe's got you. I mean the video is definitely worth watching.

Speaker 3:

I mean our spirits are so good, i would just drink it by myself. But, I don't like to use more than three ingredients at the time. That's great spirit a mix and a garnish.

Speaker 5:

Right, you really don't need anything else.

Speaker 4:

You made a broker's cocktail. Why did you not just do a French 75? You like French 75s, that's your thing.

Speaker 3:

That's when the world was shut down and I wasn't allowed to leave my house. And we were in the basement and that's what I had to work with.

Speaker 1:

So I pulled out an old jar I could find I made a cocktail.

Speaker 3:

Now. but I was at a bottle of brokers and I had green olives Doesn't everybody And I made a ready to drink dirty martini.

Speaker 5:

I just think you're on air like set. It was like really passionate And you were just like, yeah, I loved it.

Speaker 3:

Nobody knows us, but there was like my wife was very upset with me. I'm like I have to do this And I think we did like over 62 takes. And then my daughter I love her to death And our basement I've got finished concrete floors but it echoes. She's like, it's like dad, dad white me.

Speaker 4:

I'm like oh.

Speaker 3:

Oh.

Speaker 4:

Franky. I feel so sorry for you, so I love her to death.

Speaker 3:

I love her to death.

Speaker 1:

But that was just real life.

Speaker 3:

Trying time for everybody.

Speaker 1:

How's that cut so we can post that?

Speaker 3:

one, we kept it. We kept even during that time. Everybody kept it positive and kept it moving forward.

Speaker 5:

So we did, we did, we did And we made a lot of cool videos and sold a lot of hand sanitizer for the days.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 5:

So, Joe, what is your favorite part of your job right now? People?

Speaker 4:

Probably working with me, I'd say no, definitely both of us.

Speaker 5:

Like people like people or like people.

Speaker 4:

Not only are like internal folks, Mainly us, mainly us, yeah, no, but like it would be a hard.

Speaker 1:

Mainly us for sure. I guess it's one of those things. if there's no one else, Not at all.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, these guys No, but it's the team you work with and just to see when, especially together, when we, when we, when we're achieving and we're moving forward, you can really feel that you can feel it together.

Speaker 3:

You can feel the you can feel the success, but our distributor partners have great, great partnerships, great friends out there that we've connected with and we're getting more and more, and and also the consumer, though and Kyle, i think, can can attest to this And that's that's the impact, when you know it's. it's the fans, it's people that like bourbon, like they want to talk and they get super excited. That connection you can't. I mean. that's priceless.

Speaker 5:

So can't beat it.

Speaker 4:

I mean it is a lot of fun when you actually meet people that are drinking the product or that have randomly listened to the podcast or that have like it's. It's something that you don't expect and it does make everything worthwhile. All the hours spent driving with Joe are worthwhile at that moment.

Speaker 3:

Eating beef jerky. That's those guys.

Speaker 1:

More of a cashew kind of guy. He definitely jumps on the beef jerky. What's he?

Speaker 3:

talking about. I mean, you guys give it.

Speaker 1:

He likes the shittier beef jerky like the ones that are like that's true, so it was very process.

Speaker 4:

We eat the ones with the hair on it still after that. It's a real good drive. Like you need to chew for like 18 minutes with your beef jerky, is this?

Speaker 5:

like gas station beef jerky.

Speaker 4:

Oh yeah for sure. It's the only place we're allowed to stop. Well, I was going to say, do you?

Speaker 5:

like pack a cooler, Like nobody packs like you know, I would pack like my road cooler.

Speaker 4:

If I were going on the road. That sounds very organized Smart.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we should. We think we would do that at some point.

Speaker 3:

I mean, i might get some water. We pack water, you get water.

Speaker 5:

Well, that's a central.

Speaker 1:

That's a central I went on with Joe like he went to.

Speaker 4:

Walmart and bought a ton of things, and then Patrick went on this like no sugar kick I did. We didn't eat any of this stuff, and then ever since then, joe, i never bought anything.

Speaker 1:

A whole bunch of like just shit, like all of it was bad, like it was just like.

Speaker 5:

I mean, there was like protein bars.

Speaker 1:

There was like I mean, basically Yeah.

Speaker 3:

But hey word to the wise though.

Speaker 1:

Oh God.

Speaker 3:

You guys, if you guys opened the jerky especially if you get jerky, jerky that stuff it's real no purpose, i would have left over and I had a bag of Turkey jerky that we had opened but it had been in the car, in the truck, and she's like, and she screamed and I'm like, She's like there's a mouse in there.

Speaker 2:

It had grown It came back to life.

Speaker 5:

Oh my god, It was horrible. I was like huh.

Speaker 3:

You just got to be, you got to make sure you know your jerky procurement schedule is.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, don't let it grow any mice. Don't leave it in a hot car Gross, don't do that. Or a hot, baby blue Volkswagen.

Speaker 5:

Either one, either one.

Speaker 4:

Well guys. We made fun of Joe a lot in this podcast and I loved it. I don't know if anyone else is going to enjoy this Call a redemption.

Speaker 1:

For now. It's better than the first one. Joe was on his computer and bangs in the background.

Speaker 5:

Oh, the bangs in the background, that used to be Joe all the time, true, yeah, it's just been a long time coming, like he's always like in the room, but he's never really here, so this was the time I'm in the shadows, yep. I love it Well. thank you for the invite, guys.

Speaker 3:

This has been life changing in so many ways, i feel like it's been a great time.

Speaker 5:

I feel like you're going to be changed.

Speaker 3:

I feel like hopefully you'll have me back one day, nope, and I'll wear a turtleneck and have a mustache or something That would be fun, that would be sweet.

Speaker 1:

Are we doing bourbon?

Speaker 4:

I mean, I don't know how?

Speaker 3:

I don't know, i don't remember listening to this podcast. Nope, this is real.

Speaker 4:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Cheers.

Speaker 1:

Cheers.

Speaker 3:

Cheers, cheers.

Speaker 4:

Cheers, cheers, cheers.

Distillery Happy Hour With Friends
Work-Life Conversation
Small World, Bourbon, and Volkswagen Memories
Beef Jerky and Road Trips