We were lucky to catch up with Sunil Dyal recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sunil, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Have your PASSION be your north star. Identify and leverage your strengths and tie those back to your passion.

Wanting to share my passion about whiskies prompted the creation of Wonders of Whisky on Instagram/Facebook. That handle now commands over 32K organic followers and is one of the most engaged platforms in the category. My whisky journey uncovered the need for unique, quality whisky (spirit) glasses in the US which gave birth to VESL. VESL currently offers mouth-blown, lead-free crystal glasses which can be used for whiskey and any quality spirit to include rum, tequila, cognac, champagne, etc. Wanting to elevate my brand and expand my reach, (leaning on hosting events in the past) The WoW Tasting Experience was born. Centered around whiskies but incorporates premium spirits from every category this tasting experience was designed to do just that, create an experience for patrons as well as participating brands. The tagline for this event is, “A Journey Into: Spirits. Fare. Music. People.” All connectors. With over 100+ spirits on hand, creative food is incorporated along with music (string quartet and DJ) and equal important our incredible patrons. To add an element of elegance Patrons need to wear white and are encouraged to dress to impress. Beyond pleased in that TWTE has close to a 50-50 split (male and female) as typically theses type of events have been predominantly male.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I would have never imaged I would be here today after my 1st Instagram post on January 1st, 2019.

My passion for whisky originated in Trinidad during my first Carnival experience in 1993. Sipping on Johnnie Walker Black mixed with fresh coconut is something I’ll never forget. This began my journey and triggered my interest in exploring the world of whiskies.

Somewhat introverted by nature going on “camera” and hosting Brand Ambassadors, CEOs, Distillery Managers on Instagram Live was nerving at first but it’s something I now look forward to. I carry these out on average bi-weekly as they provide value back to my audience. I also share content just about daily.

Having absolutely zero knowledge about glass manufacturing my desire to bring something to market was unwavering. Countless hours of research and aligning to select like-minded individuals, I conceptualized and created my first vessel, THE PROFESSIONAL. This road entailed sourcing the right manufacturer, creating the premium packaging and working through the logistics in getting these handcrafted glasses to the US. If things go as planned my second vessel will be released toward the latter part of 2023.

Borrowing on experiences from the past such as hosting/promoting party events along with hosting boutique whiskey tastings, The WoW Tasting Experience came to life. Leveraging the power of social media to include my platform, wonders_of_whiskey and word of mouth our inaugural event sold out 3 weeks prior to the event date and was regarded as one of the best if not the best event of it’s category in 2022. Was also grateful to be able to donate a portion of the proceeds to a 5013c organization that supports kids and young adults battling cancer. 2023 will take TWTE to NY in October and back again to South Florida in December.

All of the above work together in concert. I continue to enjoy this journey and grateful that what I do provides value back to me, the brands I collaborate with, but most importantly my followers, patrons and customers.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

One of my favorite sales stories to date is in essence a story of resilience (and having thick skin).

I’m constantly seeking out companies/brands that may find value with the vessels I offer. I began reaching out to one particular brand (who I will leave nameless) a couple of years back seeking their interest. No response. I researched and identified directors and VPs and and sent out dozens upon dozens of message on Instragram, Facebook and Linkedin. These were spaced out over the course of a couple of years and out of the blue one day I received a call from an employee of this company inquiring about my glassware. They were planning a series of events where they had interest with incorporating my vessels. I was floored not only that they reached out to me but also the quantity they were in need of. I did not have that many vessels in stock and as these pieces are handmade one by one I could not deliver the quantity desired. Not wanting to lose this order from this potential customer I’ve been trying to connect with over 2 years, I asked a series of questions to ensure I understood the big picture. I then followed up with my factory in Europe who told me they could not deliver. I explored a series of paths with my factory and made suggestions to how they could align to my intended deliverable. I came back to the customer and presented a couple of paths forward and the wonderful news is they accepted one of my proposals!

Be relentless (keeping your customer in the center) and think outside the box as things never go in a straight line.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Provide value. Be unique. Be present.

The social media world is saturated so what’s going to make you grow your audience?

Value. You need to connect with your audience with the content you share. Leverage your passion, do your research and be consistent. You want your audience to search for you if you are not showing up in their feed.

Unique. What’s makes your handle different from the other 100K handles trying to do the same. Leverage your strengths (and passion) let that guide you.

Present. Be part of the fiber in your respected category. Attend events and share that content back on your handle. Support your fellow social media handles who are in the same category as yourself and even those who may not be in the same category (but you admire how they do things).

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wonderswhisky.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonders_of_whisky/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wonderswhisky/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wonders-of-whisky/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvf0lK9N6qm84_8vfSKbgeQ