We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nicole Young. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nicole below.
Nicole, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.
I realize more and more everyday how deeply I benefit both professionally and emotionally from the unwavering support I receive from my parents. They are and have always been my strongest supporters and loudest cheerleaders – and that support and encouragement are the foundations of my confidence. The daily reminders as a child (and into adulthood) that I could be anything I wanted to be and their dedication to ensuring my interests were explored and my natural talents were nurtured play a gigantic role in who I am today and everything I have accomplished thus far.
It is virtually impossible to stay the course in the tough world of entrepreneurship, ESPECIALLY as a Black woman, without a healthy dose of confidence and strong sense of self, both of which I am blessed to maintain thanks to the way my parents raised me.
Nicole, 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?
I am a native New Yorker, a mom, a TV host and entrepreneur. I’m the CEO and co-founder of the highest-rated flavored whiskey EVER, Frisky Whiskey! As the first Black woman to own a flavored whiskey brand, I am extremely proud to have co-created such a highly decorated beverage in arguably the fastest growing category in the spirits industry and to pave the way for other women who look like me to enter the space. I channel my vast professional experience- which spans modeling to clothing and costume design, to media relations and mixology- into compelling, zeitgeist driven content for broadcast television and digital media outlets. I’m also an accomplished food journalist and recipe developer. My original, global inspired food and drink recipes have been published in People, InStyle and American Whiskey magazines to name a few.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
My partner James Landis and I go WAY back. We met in 2001 while working on his first brand Hpnotiq liqueur and maintained. After Jim and his partner sold the brand, he and I remained in contact and worked together on many of his projects that followed. It was a collaboration on his William Wolf Bourbon line that lead to the creation of Frisky Whiskey.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
When it comes to consumable products like alcohol, tasting is believing and believing leads to buying! In the spirits industry, we rely heavily on a “liquid to lips” strategy for reaching consumers. Finding, taking and budgeting for every worthwhile opportunity to bring Frisky Whiskey (my liquid) directly to the lips of consumers is the strongest weapon in my arsenal. Frisky Whiskey is the highest rated flavored whiskey ever and once people try Frisky, they love it so I take every chance I get to have consumers sample it.
Contact Info:
- Website: drinkfrisky.com
- Instagram: @nicoleyoungstyle
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleyoungstyle/