Mindy McCord - Stirring Up a Sober Curious, Socially Responsible Business at Siren Shrub Co.
“We're not looking to just go all in and push anybody aside along the way to get to the top.” - Mindy McCord
Healing has many forms. While our lists may vary, I’d wager that not many of us place “business stewardship” on theirs. In a capitalist society, however, doing business differently just might be the antidote to community disinvestment and unsustainable consumption of people and physical resources. Why not take on capitalism with a little fizzy beverage in hand?
Mindy McCord, (alongside Layne Cozzolino) run Siren Shrub Co. She believes that being the best doesn’t necessarily mean being the biggest. Nor does it mean following rules written by those who’ve come before, which, in the beverage industries, means mostly male-lead, mainly venture capital-backed brands. “We learned pretty quickly that this is an incredibly male-dominated field,” says Mindy. “There's a lot of lovely men in this industry, but sometimes it's hard to chisel out a place in it. We have to fight for what seems like almost everything we want to be taken seriously.”
Shrub is a 200+ year old form of preservation that’s enjoying a moment of rediscovery as both a cocktail mixer and an alcohol alternative. “It's got a really interesting history. At its simplest form, it's a tangy, simple syrup that you can add to whatever you like to drink,” says Mindy, “because it has vinegar in it, it gives you this really adult, complex, interesting flavor.” Those flavors make Siren Shrub’s offerings a hit with sober curious and mindful drinking communities. “We’re lucky to have been connected to these wonderful mentors in the sober community who were like, we just want to be included.”
This last part Mindy and her business partner live out loud: inclusion in all forms. From engaging with local farm partners (in their home state, Wisconsin) to being mindful of where they spend their dollars, Mindy says Siren’s guiding principle is community wealth-building rather than scaling for market dominance. “It's also about perceived value, right? And I think that shift for many people is to recognize the things that make their lives vibrant are little mom-and-pop-type businesses.”
Cheers to that.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
GUEST CONTACT AND BIO
Mindy McCord is the co-founder (along with Layne Cozzolino) of Siren Shrub Co., a women-owned, values-led beverage company on a mission to create space at the table for everyone, regardless of their drinking preferences! Siren Shrub Co creates tangy apple cider vinegar-based mixers which can be used a splash at a time to create delicious cocktails with or without alcohol!
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