GoKawiilKey Takeaways Martin officially launched The Free Spirits Company at the end of 2020.
After an initial focus on DTC, Martin expanded widely into retail distribution.
The business is projected to pull in $9 million in annual revenue this year.
After decades in an advertising career that took him on shoots all over the world — and involved many cocktail-fueled nights — Milan Martin was ready for a change of pace. Martin enjoyed everything about an evening of good drinks and conversation in a fancy cocktail bar, but he’d grown tired of what came the next morning.
Image Credit: The Free Spirits Company
“Being in advertising, you think about the irrationality of humanity, why do we do the things we do?” Martin says. “We order another cocktail not because we’re like, ‘Man, I need more alcohol,’ but because it’s a sign you’re still in the game. There’s an optimism to a full cocktail.”
Ultimately, Martin found himself asking an “absurd question”: What if you could drink all of the cocktails you wanted without the impact of alcohol?
“ I’m not a sober person, so this is not a matter of sobriety,” Martin adds. “This is a matter of moderation.”
Starting a business: The Free Spirits Company
It was 2019 when the Bay Area-based founder decided to start a business, non-alcoholic spirits brand The Free Spirits Company, and bring his vision to life.
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