We were lucky to catch up with Andy Pitts recently and have shared our conversation below.

Andy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Finding those key vendors can often be make or break for a brand. Can you talk to us about how you found your key vendors?

As an emerging brand in the liquor industry, catching the attention of prospective distributors can be incredibly challenging. A distributor’s primary concern when considering a new brand is often its sales performance. As a new brand, we had no significant sales to present. Initially, I believed that partnering with the biggest and best distributors was crucial. However, I soon realized this wasn’t the case. Major distributors are more focused on their established brands that generate the bulk of their revenue. If they do sign a deal with you, their sales teams may put little to no effort into promoting your product. In some cases, they might even take on your brand to eliminate competition for their larger, more profitable brands. With this in mind, we chose to partner with a smaller distributor, hoping they would help us grow the brand. We specifically liked that, despite their size, they were well-established in the wine industry and had relationships with high-end establishments that aligned with our target demographic. Our plan is to build our brand with distributors like this and, in the future, align with a national distributor when we’re confident the brand will receive the attention it deserves.

Andy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Andy Pitts, and I grew up in Cherokee, Iowa, a small farm town with about 5,000 residents. From an early age, I was always starting small businesses, some more successful than others—from mowing lawns to detailing boats in the summer. After high school, I toyed with the idea of creating a product for the boating industry to solve the common issue of rolling up large, awkward swimming mats. While this venture ultimately failed due to design flaws and funding challenges, it taught me that my true passion lies in product design. I craved more! After launching a successful real estate career in Iowa at age 20, I wanted a bigger challenge. That winter, I moved to Arizona, seeking a larger real estate market with greater access to capital. Shortly after the move, I began sketching what would become Lord Premium Vodka. The bottle and brand design literally began on the back of a napkin. Fortunately, I connected with people experienced in the liquor and product design industry who helped refine the concept. After countless design revisions, we finally reached a point where we were ready for prototyping. Three years after those initial sketches, we were ready to bring Lord Premium Vodka to market. I had successfully created a product and guided it through production and brand launch.

Lord Premium Vodka is a high-end, aesthetically refined brand. Although the vodka market is saturated, we saw a gap in true premium product design—one that embodies a jet-setting, yachting lifestyle. We spared no expense on presentation and ensured the vodka itself was of award-winning quality, recognized in competitions nationwide. While Lord Vodka is undeniably a high-end brand, we also made it a point to keep it at a reasonable price so that it remains accessible to a broader audience.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

This situation arose recently as we addressed concerns from on-premise accounts like bars, restaurants, and hotels. While they loved our vodka, they found our bottle difficult for bartenders to pour from. Recognizing this issue, we decided to develop a more practical bottle to address the problem. Although this new design doesn’t fully capture the brand aesthetic we aim to achieve, we felt it was crucial to provide it to these accounts. This change will solve a significant issue they had with our brand and substantially boost our revenue by expanding our presence across the industry. Since consumers won’t see the bottle when it’s being poured behind the bar, we believe our brand image won’t be compromised, and our sleek original bottle will continue to define Lord Vodka’s identity.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I was fortunate to have a successful real estate business at a young age, which allowed me to largely self-fund this company. This was crucial because it enabled me to retain equity as I grew the brand, giving me leverage for negotiating the larger capital needs we’d eventually face. While many would advise against using personal funds for a high-risk startup, I wanted to avoid the pressure of partner interests. Looking back, I think I would have spent a few years working within the industry before diving into this venture. If I had started with the knowledge I have now, I would have saved a lot of time and money.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lord-vodka.com
• Instagram: @lordvodka
• Facebook: lordvodkascottsdale

Image Credits

@DREWDAU.PHOTO