How Two Founders Are Rewriting the Rules of Vodka(And What Every CPG Founder Can Learn From It)
There’s a moment in almost every founder journey where the story shifts.
For Kevin and Monte, that moment didn’t happen in a boardroom.
It started with curiosity…
and turned into conviction.
I recently sat down with Kevin Larkai and Monte Burrow, the founders behind Blackleaf Organic Vodka, and what stood out wasn’t just the product—it was how they think about building.
This isn’t a “we had an idea and it worked” story.
It’s a we had to unlearn everything first story.
It Starts With Perspective, Not Product
Kevin didn’t start in vodka.
He started with a mindset.
“I always believed it would take shape in some form of entrepreneurship.”
That belief took him to France, where a chance encounter in the cognac region changed everything. Not because of a product—but because of a craft.
That’s where it clicked:
This isn’t about making something.
It’s about building something with intention.
Monte came from the opposite direction—inside one of the biggest machines in the world.
At Diageo, everything is optimized.
Processes. Systems. Scale.
But when he stepped out?
“When you're inside the machine, it's about optimization. When you're outside, it's about creation.”
That tension—operator vs. creator—is where most founders either stall… or level up.
The Lie Most Founders Believe Early
Both Kevin and Monte said the quiet part out loud:
They thought putting a great product on shelves would be enough.
It wasn’t.
“Entrepreneurship… is a contact sport.”
That line should hit every founder.
Because too many people believe:
Good product = success
Distribution = growth
Branding = awareness
But in reality?
None of it works if you’re not in the game.
Talking to customers.
Getting feedback.
Adjusting in real time.
Monte put it even more bluntly:
“It’s less about telling people how great you are… and more about solving a problem for them.”
That’s the shift.
From ego → to empathy.
Why They Bet on Organic Before It Was Cool
When they committed to organic, it wasn’t because it was trending.
It wasn’t trending.
It was a belief.
Using grains without pesticides or herbicides wasn’t a marketing angle—it was a point of view.
And that matters more than most founders realize.
Because consumers today aren’t just buying products.
They’re buying:
What you stand for
What you believe
Whether it’s real
Monte called out something important:
Post-pandemic, people care more than ever about what they put in their bodies.
Translation?
The bar is higher.
You can’t fake it.
Differentiation Isn’t a Tagline—It’s a System
Here’s where most brands get it wrong.
They think differentiation = branding.
Kevin and Monte see it differently.
Yes, story matters.
But story without systems?
It breaks.
“Smaller brands lean heavily on narrative… but you have to build the ecosystem to support it.”
That means:
Supply chain discipline
Operational consistency
Strategic growth
Because if your backend can’t support your frontend…
You don’t have a brand.
You have a moment.
The Real Lesson
This conversation wasn’t about vodka.
It was about building something that lasts.
And if you strip it down, their playbook is simple:
Get in the game (it’s a contact sport)
Build around a real belief
Solve a real problem
Don’t confuse story with substance
And don’t stop learning
Because the truth is…
Most people don’t fail because they picked the wrong idea.
They fail because they stop adjusting.
Final Thought
There’s a reason stories like this matter.
Not because they’re rare.
But because they’re repeatable.
If you’re building something right now—especially in CPG—this is the reminder:
You don’t need perfect conditions.
You need:
conviction
proximity to your customer
and the willingness to stay in it longer than everyone else
That’s the game.
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