We recently connected with Kristin Patrick and have shared our conversation below.

Kristin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

Inclusion is one of our core values. [Wellness, Privacy, and Curiosity are the other three.] We’ve intentionally chosen people for our team who are diversity, equity, and inclusion-minded. A big part of our brand is giving people a sense of belonging. The more significant challenge is making our team feel connected because only one person works at each store at a time. It’s independent work. They might see each other in passing but never work simultaneously with someone else. My business partner Andee and I have to find ways to establish a sense of community, and that’s hard. We have a group chat, of course. We started publishing a weekly team (digital) newsletter a year ago. It has been a game-changer. I use my instructional design background to make mini-learning modules, and each “issue” always includes some discussion items. Being a sales associate in an alcohol-free store requires much product knowledge. Good instructional designers always give learners opportunities to learn from each other. We make it a habit to celebrate how our team members shine! We’ve also used Notion to build and develop our Team Handbook and Product Handbook. Both are collaborative, living documents.

Kristin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The back story is on our website: https://lorensaf.com/pages/our-story

My business partner and I launched our alcohol-free beverages business in 2022. In July 2022, we started making local deliveries through lorensaf.com. Shopify, our online platform, has been an enormous piece of our business equation. I’ve become such a believer that I’ve become a Shopify Affiliate! We use Shopify for delivery and local pickup orders, email marketing, inventory management, website design, and our blog.

In August 2022, we opened our retail store in Carmel, Indiana. Andee and I always dreamed of opening a store. The initial plan was to make enough to pay the bills and have some fun along the way. We had no idea that our community would embrace the concept so quickly. It has blown us away. We keep learning new reasons why people are creeping away from alcohol, re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol, or finding themselves in a situation where they cannot have it. We thought we were initially opening a sobriety store. It has become a wellness store, and we love it. Our customers read labels — they look at ingredient lists + sugar and carbohydrate counts. They want certified organic, gluten-free, and vegan. One of our biggest challenges has been debunking the myth that alcohol alternatives are loaded with sugar. Not true! A can of non-alcoholic beer is between 20-90 calories. A glass of alcohol-removed wine is between 15 and 50 calories, and a shot of zero-proof spirits is between zero and 10 calories.

In May 2023, we opened our second retail location on the west side of Carmel. It might sound wild to have two alcohol-free stores in one city. However, Carmel frequently tops the list of fastest-growing and most desirable Midwest suburbs for its affordability and family-friendliness. On that note, we make it a goal to stay family-friendly. Kids are welcome! We recognize that parents are busier than ever, and time for shopping is at a premium. We want parents to feel comfortable bringing their families into the store. Maybe … maybe even start a conversation about alcohol use. Kid-friendly drinks include root beer, cherry soda, and sparkling teas.

June 2023—Customers frequently communicated and continue to communicate their desire for more alcohol-free drink options at Central Indiana bars and restaurants. We saw this as an opportunity to start a wholesale division. We’ve developed partnerships with a growing list of brands, allowing us to sell directly to beverage managers, event planners, and business owners.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

The non-alcoholic drinks market has many people intrigued and wanting to learn more. There is a reason the phrase “sober curious” has caught on — because it’s so appropriate! We field many customer questions between email, social media, and in-store visits. Andee and I make it policy to get back to everyone – no matter what. Inquiries about ingredients, requests for recommendations, donation requests, product pitches… We’re going to get back to you, and we’re going to do it quickly. Today, it’s easier than ever to reach Founders and Business Owners. But on the flip side, it’s also incredibly easy to ignore people. That’s not acceptable to us. Every message matters. Curiosity is one of our four core values. [Inclusion, wellness, and privacy are the other three.] We’re excited that customers are excited. We want to introduce people to their new favorite alcohol-free beverage.

How’d you meet your business partner?

My sister Andee is my business partner. Like most sisters, we’ve had our ups and downs. It took many years to reach a point where we were ready to collaborate on a large scale. I’m often asked, “How do you do it?” What they are really asking is how do I run the business in addition to still working full-time for a public school district? Number one, I stay on-brand. I don’t drink. I stand by the premise that abstaining from alcohol creates more space in life – space for joy, creativity, and restful sleep! A lot of people who quit alcohol will tell you that it is like reclaiming all this time. However, the more accurate answer is having an incredible collaborator like Andee. She challenges me to dream big and think big picture. I have a habit of getting stuck in the details. Andee is my best friend and my mentor.

Contact Info:

• Website: lorensaf.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinklorensaf
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinklorensaf
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marleypatrick/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/krismarley12
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/loren-s-alcohol-free-beverages-carmel AND https://www.yelp.com/biz/lorens-alcohol-free-beverages-carmel

Image Credits
Interior of store: Lindsay Konopa Photography