We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brent Slone a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brent, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

For over two decades, I built a career in the geospatial industry. I worked with some of the biggest names in agriculture and environmental science, Bayer, Syngenta, and BASF, developing cutting-edge solutions using AI, drones, and satellite imagery. I co-authored patents, ran global initiatives, and led multimillion-dollar programs. It was the kind of career you don’t just walk away from.

But I did.

I left it all to bet on something completely different: a sugar-free liqueur brand called Above Board, which I co-founded with my wife, Nicole. She’s lived a low-carb lifestyle for as long as I’ve known her. From the moment we started dating eight years ago, she introduced me to a different way of thinking about food, health, and wellness. So when we’d go out or host friends and there were NO sugar-free cocktail options, it wasn’t just inconvenient, it was frustrating. That’s where the idea started. We looked around and realized no one was offering premium, sugar-free liqueurs that actually tasted great. So we decided to make them ourselves.

Leaving my job wasn’t a midlife crisis, it was a calculated leap of faith. We bootstrapped the business, built our supply chain, and launched in one of the most competitive spaces imaginable: alcohol. No background in spirits. No roadmap. Just grit, a vision, and a pile of late nights trying to figure out federal labeling laws, flavor stability, and how to build a brand people would care about.

The risk was enormous. I walked away from financial security, a professional identity, and years of momentum to start over in an industry that chews people up. But here’s what I’ve learned: you either spend your life building someone else’s dream, or you take the gamble and build your own.

Above Board is now the first sugar-free liqueur line in America. We’re woman-owned, health-driven, and shaking up an old-school industry. And while the risk is still very real, we’re building this brick by brick, it’s also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

Sometimes the biggest gamble is the one you take on yourself. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I actually started my career as a wildlife biologist in Idaho, studying bears. My job was to capture and tag them to monitor their movements and seasonal habitat selection. It was rugged, field-based work, but what fascinated me most was how we used spatial and statistical modeling to understand animal behavior. That curiosity about patterns, data, and technology became the unexpected bridge into the tech industry.

From there, I spent over 20 years building a career in geospatial technology, working at the intersection of environmental science, agriculture, and advanced tech. I consulted for major companies like Bayer, Syngenta, and BASF, led global geospatial initiatives, and developed AI-powered tools using satellite imagery, drones, and analytics. I co-authored multiple patents, built enterprise platforms, and managed multimillion-dollar programs designed to improve decision-making across land, crop, and resource management.

But I stepped away from all of it to take a chance on something completely different, Above Board, America’s first No & Low sugar liqueur line.

My wife, Nicole, has lived a low-carb lifestyle for as long as I’ve known her. When we started dating eight years ago, she introduced me to that way of thinking about food, health, and wellness. Over time, we became more intentional about what we consumed, and one place we consistently hit a wall was cocktails. There were no sugar-free liqueur options that actually tasted good or felt premium. So we decided to create our own.

Above Board is a health-forward spirits brand offering sugar-free liqueurs for modern consumers. Our products are keto-friendly, diabetic-friendly, and made to mix beautifully, without sugar, without compromise. We didn’t want to create a “less than” alternative. We wanted something that felt high-end, tasted incredible, and gave people more freedom in how they enjoy cocktails.

What sets us apart is that we’re building something that didn’t exist before. We’re not just removing sugar, we’re redefining what’s possible in the cocktail space. We’re woman-owned, proudly independent, and building this brand from the ground up, with a focus on quality, integrity, and inclusivity.

I’m most proud that we took a personal frustration and turned it into a product that’s helping people reconnect with something they had to give up. When someone tells us they can finally enjoy a cocktail again without worrying about blood sugar, carbs, or guilt, that’s the win.

Whether you’re cutting sugar, watching your health, or just want a better way to drink, Above Board is here to raise the bar. And we’re just getting started.

How’d you meet your business partner?

It all started back in 2018. I was in San Diego for a conference, flying out the next day, when I met Nicole over a casual drink. What was meant to be a short encounter turned into an unforgettable night. We challenged ourselves with ten different “dates” in one evening, each with a unique setting or vibe, just to see if this spark we felt was real. Spoiler, it absolutely was.

The next day, I boarded a flight back to Raleigh, North Carolina, and couldn’t stop thinking about her. Before the wheels even touched down, I had already booked a return trip, for ten days. I told her, “Don’t be scared. If at any point this doesn’t feel right, I’ll get on a plane and head back.” But that trip only confirmed what we already knew, this was something rare.

For the past eight years, we’ve embraced a bi-coastal relationship, meeting up in cities across the country for our “date nights.” We both love snowboarding and take at least three trips a year to chase powder together. We both have kids, so we made a pact early on that getting them through college would be our top priority.

We also made one non-negotiable rule, no more than three weeks apart. But in truth, we usually see each other every other week. That rhythm has kept our connection strong, and our love continues to blossom.

We got married on July 28, 2023, and we’re coming up on our second anniversary. People often say that marriage is tough, and that going into business with your spouse is a bad idea. But with Nicole, everything feels easy. The secret? Communication, patience, and understanding. We practice those every single day.

There’s no one else I’d rather tackle this wild, wonderful world with. She’s not just my cofounder. She’s my best friend, my adventure partner, and the love of my life.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

At Above Board, our reputation has been built on authenticity, innovation, and unwavering quality. As America’s first No & Low sugar liqueur line, we entered the market to solve a very real and urgent problem, consumers were becoming increasingly health-conscious, yet the spirits industry, especially in the liqueur category, had failed to evolve. We saw an opportunity to create something radically different: liqueurs that are full-flavored, keto-friendly, and diabetic-friendly without sacrificing the experience people expect in a premium cocktail. That bold vision positioned us as true category disruptors.

What’s helped us earn the trust and respect of our market is that we’ve never cut corners. Partnering with flavor experts like Sovereign Flavors, we developed our Cream, Coffee, and Orange liqueurs to stand up in blind tastings against traditional, sugar-laden brands. We knew that in order to lead this change, we had to create products that didn’t just meet dietary needs, but exceeded expectations in flavor and finish.

We also recognized early on that diabetes is not a niche issue, it’s a global one. Millions of people are either diabetic, pre-diabetic, or actively managing their sugar intake, yet virtually no bars or restaurants offer a true sugar-free cocktail menu. We are here to change that. Through our tasting programs, our dynamic QR code menus, and branded coasters, we give establishments the tools to introduce a sugar-free cocktail offering without rewriting their menus or disrupting operations. This is more than a product—it’s a movement toward inclusivity and innovation in hospitality.

Our approach is hands-on and personal. We show up to every account with purpose, helping staff learn the product, develop recipes, and understand the value of offering a guilt-free cocktail experience. That consistency and relationship-building have earned us deep loyalty in both retail and on-premise channels.

Finally, our story has resonated because it’s real. Above Board is a woman-owned, family-run brand born in Southern California and built with purpose. We live the lifestyle we promote and have built a company around values that matter; transparency, flavor, and wellness. By combining strategic distribution, a powerful brand story, and a commitment to education, we’ve built more than a reputation—we’ve built a trusted, forward-thinking name that’s reshaping what it means to drink well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drinkaboveboard.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkaboveboard/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkaboveboard
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/drinkaboveboard
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@drinkaboveboard