Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jackie Zykan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jackie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
A little over a year ago, I decided to leave a very comfortable high profile corporate position to launch not only my own whiskey brand but also grow a perfume brand which I established a year prior. Being a single mom, this was understandably a major risk as it meant forfeiting any guarantees of income or benefits. While success in the whiskey industry seemed accessible given the name I had built for myself, the perfume industry was a completely different animal. And I was taking it on alone, as a one woman show, for every aspect of the business. This decision was not one I took lightly, as at the end of the day I had a little boy to take care of. However deciding to pursue a path which allowed me to create my own schedule and set my own ceiling for income was imperative. I have had the luxury of conversing with many women who have smashed glass ceilings and risen through ranks in their careers, and I can attest not a single one of them ever shared a story different from “But I regret not spending time with my kids.” I made a decision to face the fear of financial insecurity in exchange for the most precious commodity- time. And although it requires tucking work into every nook and cranny of the day or night in order to hold space for my son, I have zero regrets about my decision. Admittedly, I have always carried a deep rooted fear around of being financially unstable. This decision forced me to believe I could support myself on my own terms and prioritize what is truly important to me. There are days when I entertain the idea that I’ve simply traded one problem for another in doing so, but the reward of this choice has been being able to live life and balance work within it in ways which suit me as an individual. And it has absolutely been well worth it.
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 have spent the greater portion of the last 18 years in the alcohol industry. First as a bartender, working my way through a chemistry and biology degree, then as a bar manager, then beverage director, then brand ambassador. I spent 7 years with Brown Forman as the Master Taster for Old Forester bourbon before deciding to venture on my own. During that tenure, my focus was new product development, quality control, as well as global marketing. I grew a name for myself in whiskey, becoming known for one of the best palates in the industry, and was the first female to have her name on the label of the founding brand of the company. In an effort to further expand my sensory bank, I began studying perfumery, and a passion was ignited which led me to launch ODUOAK, a fragrance company using bourbon as a base. I left Brown Forman to begin Hidden Barn, a whiskey brand based in Kentucky, for which I serve as the Master Blender as well as owner/partner. I offer independent consulting services which utilize my nearly two decades of experience and cover a wide range of deliverables including cocktail strategy, bar design, new product development and blending for a variety of brands, sensory training, public speaking engagements, and custom fragrance development. My approach to whiskey has opened the industry to a new perspective, one which is fresh, modern, and human. I lead with emotional inspiration and pride myself on my ability to make whiskey accessible to the masses through creative and out of the box tasting experiences.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I began ODUOAK while maintaining a full time job, and dedicated any free moment or dollar I had to creating products, marketing, and managing an ecommerce site. What began as ordering bottles a dozen at a time grew slowly and organically to what it is today. Each retailer was added one at a time, few and far between. I made a commitment to do at least one thing every single day for the business, no matter how small. Even if it was as simple as daydreaming about the next scent. Allowing it to grow at its own pace has saved me from the necessity of raising capital, even if it means a longer journey to being scaled up. That being said, I look forward to the day when the business has outgrown my own resources and will need a push to launch into the next phase, because this means I can begin to release other side hustles which support life in the interim. This path has come with its own challenges and frustrations, but I remain committed to keeping it a passion project led business. The second it becomes more stress than enjoyment, it turns into just another job. So even if growth is slow, it is all worth it to be able to find fulfillment through the extended journey of its evolution.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Although they can be costly with booth fees and travel expenses, being involved in regional markets focused on promoting small businesses and makers has been incredibly helpful for growing my clientele. The consumers who attend these markets, both during summer and for holidays, are a curated audience. Finding the right market can be daunting, and as nerve wrecking as the application process can be, it serves the success of vendor participants. Application fees are generally accessible and are well worth the cost if it means being a part of a well executed event. I have made a plethora of connections with other makers through this avenue as well, which has led to connections to their retailers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.oduoak.com www.jackiezykan.com
- Instagram: @oduoak @jackiezykan