Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Underwood.
Hi Jeffrey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The spirits education business is a funny thing. My first sips of alcohol were from my grandmother for coughs and colds, and then from my uncle at Christmas time growing up. I had my first drinks in college, but I didn’t enjoy the whiskey I was offered. I felt there was more flavor in iced tea and Kool-Aid. It wasn’t until I was 10 years into my career in information technology and traveling on business that I rediscovered what would become a new passion. You know the routine–you leave the client location after work, and you either head back to an empty hotel room or to the neighborhood bar or restaurant. Going through the happy hour options for bourbon and whiskey opened up my eyes to a whole new world of flavors well beyond what I’d be introduced to as a kid or in school.
Bourbon became my first love in spirits; I became a connoisseur of it, educating myself on the production and the diverse flavor profiles that came from different distilleries and different vintages from those producers. I found myself striking up conversations with other whiskey drinkers when I sat down at a bar, and I’d pass on information about how what they had in their glass was the most fascinating spirit in the world! I was doing so much education that I decided to turn it into a business–sharing my knowledge with groups of people that were not normally marketed to on TV or social media.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business is always tough, but by embracing social media and building good relationships with a service not commonly offered, I’ve continued to grow my business for over 3 years now–even during the pandemic.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I founded Bourbon in Black to provide education to non-traditional demographics on the world’s finest spirit–Bourbon! I focus on private tastings, distillery tours, podcasts, happy hours, and pairing dinners, and I target Black and brown consumers, women, and the younger generation. When someone says “whiskey drinker”, there’s normally an image that pops into your head, and I’m proud to say that I’m changing those mindsets one event at a time. Whether you’re walking down the aisles trying to decide on a product in a package store or you’re a marketing lead for a major distillery, I’ve opened eyes to new consumer bases by increasing drinkers’ enjoyment of spirits and helping increase profits in the boardroom. All of my services are curated to the ensure that my clients learn something new about bourbon and other spirits while training them to appreciate what they’re spending their hard-earned money on.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My success has been driven by connecting with my clients and customizing my services exactly to their needs. They spread the word, give me referrals, and I tie that in with good social media campaigns, and my business has continued to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bourboninblack.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bourboninblack_
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/bourboninblack
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bourboninblack
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJi3gchA5hP_JfLfAMfzDaQ
- Other: http://linktr.ee/bourboninblack
Image Credits
Jeffrey Underwood
