Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Butler. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lauren, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?
ARTS, ARTS, ARTS! It seems each year we cut funding for arts programs more and more. Arts careers are dwindling or just seen as a hobby, and because of the lack of job prospects, arts are simply not seen as an important part of the curriculum in our schools or in higher ed. Professional theaters are closing, too. So not only can kids not participate in the arts as an extracurricular, they can’t even go see a play.
The performing arts are essential for not only the entertainment they provide, but for all the other incredible things our youth can learn from participating in a play. I earned my MFA in acting in 2013 and intended on pursuing a career in the theatre. After graduation, my husband (and now business partner) and I set out on a 3-year international theatre tour bringing arts to underserved communities. Each monday we auditioned and cast up to 60 children, and by friday of that same week, put on a 1 hour musical production complete with a set, lights, costumes, live music, singing, and dancing. It was an incredible feat each week that ALWAYS culminated in an incredible performance. But it was about so much more than a great show; the week taught those kids life skills through the performing arts. Confidence, team work, determination, and community building, to name a few. Not all of us are cut out to be athletes or scholars, some of us need to flex our muscles in a more creative way. I’ve seen a shy student gain confidence when cast in a leading role, a withdrawn kid make new friends with cast mates, a kid who struggled to sit still and focus in class discover their aptitude for dance, and a kid who was seen as ‘bossy’ get re-labeled a ‘leader’ simply because they were able to shine as the stage manager. I’m almost certain none of these children went on to be broadway stars. Even after all my training and education, I didn’t choose that career path. But I am certain they use the skills they gained through participating in the performing arts in their daily life and work. As a business owner, I use my theatre skills daily; I can collaborate with others, have confidence as a public speaker, lead a team, stay focused under pressure, and when needed, improvise. The show must always go on.
Lauren, 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?
Yes Cocktail Co. was founded in 2015 as a farmers’ market business on California’s Central Coast. At first, my husband, Brandon, and I set out to earn a little money on the side while still supporting our dream of opening a theatre company. But, as the weeks went on, we discovered not only did we earn money with our mixology creations, we absolutely loved doing it!
Today, Yes Cocktail Co. crafts mixers, syrups, bitters, garnishes and more for all your mixology needs. Our products can be found at fine retailers nationwide & internationally (nearly 2000 and counting)! Every product is handcrafted at our production facility in Paso Robles, California, using only the finest fruit, herbs, spices, and botanicals.
We are incredibly proud to be one of USA Today’s top 10 best Cocktail Mixer brands 3 years running!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Brandon Alpert (my now husband and business partner) and I met in Orlando Florida! We were both beginning our careers as actors at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre. We worked that year together before taking a position with the Missoula Children’s Theatre where we spent 3 years touring the world and bringing the joy of theatre to kids!
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
We still manufacture every product we sell. When we started out as a farmer’s market business, we knew absolutely nothing about manufacturing a food product. But, we knew what we liked, we knew what it should taste like, and we asked tons of questions. We very intentionally chose not to co-pack our products, because we wanted to stay true to our original recipes. Many co-packed products have added ingredients for shelf stability that we chose to avoid. We’ve learned that it’s very important to never compromise on your values. If someone tells you it can’t be done, ask someone else! Or just create a way to do it yourself. Manufacturing requires close attention to detail and constant re-evaluation of processes to find the best and most efficient way to do something. We recalibrate our machinery daily and keep detailed production logs to make sure we’re crafting the most exceptional product in the most efficient and eco-friendly manner possible.
Never underestimate the power of curiosity! I’m genuinely interested in process workflows. I’m the nerd on the brewery tour checking out the label on the bottling machine so I can look up the company and pick their brain about other bottling lines we could use!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yescocktailco.com
- Instagram: @yescocktailco
- Facebook: @yescocktailcompany
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yescocktailco.4879
Image Credits
Mary Lagier