We recently connected with Lauren Farrell and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

So the idea for Jooicy Tits Vodka came about as a joke back in college around 2011. I had taken my first shot of Fireball Whiskey. It instantly reminded me of Big Red Gum. Growing up, my grandfather always had Big Red and Juicy Fruit gum in his possession. After trying the shot of Fireball, I said to the group of friends with me that they need the opposite of “fire” “ball”, and that they need “juicy” “tits”. My friends thought the name was hilarious. This was the starting point!
A few days later, I took pen to paper and realized how I could spell the name.
Then the fun began and for eight years I market tested the name alone. I approached bartenders and groups of men and women often and would ask if they ever tried or heard of “Jooicy Tits Vodka”. Nothing at this point existed but I always pretended that it did. Ears perked up and people always smiled, laughed and wanted to know where to get a bottle, case or t-shirt. The feedback was so overwhelmingly positive that I finally said…I have to figure out how to do this.
After a lot of research and asking the right people the right questions, I went the route of hiring a pre-existing distillery to create our vodka and once we finalized the recipe, the vodka went into production and then it was time to pound the pavement and go door-to-door selling.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

While I was new to the liquor industry as of a few years ago, I was not new to business and had previously owned a handbag brand called Lauren Farrell NY. This first business was an amazing starting point and place to learn to general in’s and out’s of business but also to solidify the confidence within myself that I love creativity, building brands and marketing. I have always loved looking at a marketplace with an open mind or entrepreneurial mindset and actively questioning why things within that space are made or produced that way.

With Jooicy Tits Vodka, in the early stages, I would stare at bottles in bars or liquor stores and always ask how my brand could be different. Everything about our brand and bottle stands out but beyond that I want people to know about the depth behind it. As long as I have had a business, I have always wanted a portion of proceeds to go back to something bigger. With Jooicy Tits Vodka, the natural fit was to donate a portion of proceeds to the breast cancer community. Right now, we donate to an incredible non-profit called Move Over Breast Cancer. The entity is run by an amazing woman and survivor who drives a beautiful pink van (also coined a mobile resource van) around to women undergoing treatment who can’t leave their homes. She does everything from drive them to doctors appointments, teaches them how to tie scarves, fits them for wigs and bras and so much more. She has created an amazing and supportive community for these women and has understood the levity and humor within our brand since day one.

Additionally, I want to be an example for women in business but also in an industry where there are not many of us. Liquor is a male dominated industry. I’ve been told by men that are in prominent positions that I have “big balls to bring a product like this to a market like this”. That for me is fuel to my fire and a challenge that I love to accept. There is something about believing in yourself, your product and in the small interactions that are positive in which you know you can one day prove the haters wrong and lead the way for others to follow.

I think in looking at your businesses but also yourself (as they are an extension of you), you can see who you are as a person and what you’re really about. For me…I love fun, I love being kind, I love people and I love the ability to combine what you love into something bigger than yourself. My little joke of an idea makes people smile and laugh. She does good and gives back. She breaks the rules and is just edgy enough to catch people’s eye and be memorable. She is a trailblazer and I dream of the day, she is on every shelf, in every state, bringing smiles and laughs to that many more people having that much more of an impact.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I think the most effective strategy for us is to be true to ourselves and the brand. Yes, the name Jooicy Tits Vodka is not for everyone. Honestly some people even think the bikini it a little too much. Quite simply, those people are not our clientele and that is OK. No matter what industry you are in or what product or service you offer, you will never be everyone’s cup of tea.

The people who get us are the ones who read a t-shirt or see a sticker and light up. They smile, they laugh, they want a t-shirt, they can’t wait to tell a friend about us or they are moved by the larger purpose behind the brand. Often times, they haven’t even tried our vodka yet!

For us, we own who we are and the segment we have chosen in the market. We are a premium vodka with an edgy name and eye-catching bottle that does good. The people who “get it”, naturally love it, engage with it, and become advocates and ambassadors.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Recently, I stumbled across a podcast that featured jewelry designer Kendra Scott. I loved her whole outlook, tone and vibe and learned she had just written a book. Not to mention she is a powerhouse with a now billion dollar empire. Within the first three chapters, I was crying. My boyfriend, was like, “what is wrong with you?” jokingly and through sobs, I said to him, “it’s just so relatable”. To hear someone’s story, including their failures, that feels similar to your own journey in certain regards and to then know they go onto build an amazing company, community and brand makes you feel less alone in this entrepreneurial journey and gives you the encouragement you need to keep going.

Getting told no is part of it. Failing is part of it. Celebrating the small wins is part of it. And the list goes on. It’s just nice to know that successful role models in business have been in similar positions once upon a time!

Kendra is equal parts positive optimist, savvy businesswoman, philanthropist and just sounds like an incredible leader, woman and mom. I highly recommend checking out her many podcasts and her book, “Born to Shine”.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jooicytitsvodka.com
• Instagram: jooicytitsvodka
• Facebook: Jooicy Tits Vodka
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-farrell-467a2b34/