In this episode, Ally sits down with Meredith Mills-Merritt, founder and CEO of The Original Southside, a premium ready-to-drink gin cocktail inspired by her mom's summer recipe that has grown into 20+ markets, landed on shelves at Whole Foods and Total Wine, and seen shipments grow more than 370% in its second year. Meredith brings a background in prestige beauty brand management that shaped everything about how she built Southside, from putting a full ingredient list on her cans (a rarity in alcohol) to investing in in-person demo and event marketing over digital spend. She opens up about navigating the alcohol industry's notoriously complex three-tier distribution system, how landing early partnerships with the Stanley Cup–winning Florida Panthers and LSU Athletics accelerated the brand's growth, and what she'd tell any aspiring founder sitting on an idea in their notes app right now. Key Takeaways: // 95% of the marketing budget goes to in-person, IRL events, and it's working. Demos, tastings, and events where consumers are already in a consumption mindset are where Southside wins the most efficiently. Her tip: book the 4–7pm demo slot at Whole Foods, not the 11am one — because alcohol shopping is a mindset, not just a product category. When people try it, they buy it. That's the whole strategy. // Take calculated risks on partnerships early, even when they feel too big. When the Florida Panthers and LSU Athletics came calling, Meredith said yes, not because she had the budget of a legacy brand, but because arenas and live events are exactly the consumption environments that drive trial at scale. Those early partnerships created case studies she now uses to unlock new distributors, retailers, and markets. // The alcohol industry has a transparency problem, and consumers deserve better. Alcohol is one of the only major consumer categories where ingredient labeling isn't legally required. Meredith discovered during her own production process that a proposed additive (sodium benzoate) could produce benzene when combined with vitamin C — a known carcinogen. That discovery delayed her launch by six months and eventually led her to co-found the Clean Alcohol Collective. // If you're already thinking about starting something, that's the sign. Meredith's advice for aspiring founders: if you're already turning the idea over in your mind, you probably won't be at peace until you try it. The messy middle between failure and exit is where the real growth happens — and even if it doesn't work out, you'll come out the other side with something you built for yourself. Connect with Meredith: Instagram Learn More: Website ____ Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collective Say hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. Join the MHH Collective: Join now Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: Join our email list! Follow MHH on Social: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Facebook
