Today, we’d like to introduce you to Nayana Ferguson.
Hi Nayana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
In 2016, I took my now husband on a surprise birthday trip to the Dominican Republic. However, I did not know that he had a surprise for me as well, he proposed. As we were celebrating our engagement and his birthday, we started speaking about our future, that is when we first talked about tequila.
Fast forward to 2017, my husband kept getting moved around in his senior leadership position at one of the biggest financial companies in America. I was losing my financial analyst position due to outsourcing. We started speaking about businesses and something to invest in, and I asked him, “If you could do anything in the world, what would you do?” He replied, “To own a tequila company, but we can’t do that.” I asked him, “Why not?”
Two days later, I found the distillery that we still work with today, I put together a plan, crunched some numbers came up with a budget for a small batch of tequila. This was the beginning of something that would change our lives forever. Within 11 months, on August 27, 2018, Anteel Tequila was on the market and the shelves.
Anteel Tequila is a multi-award-winning brand that has grown tremendously since launching in 2018. We have won over 100 awards/accolades since 2019 and Anteel Tequila is available in 15 states and is available nationwide through online ordering.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Launching a tequila brand has not been a smooth road. Neither my husband nor I had any previous experience in the spirits industry, so we did not know what we did not know. We had to learn quickly while building the business. Luckily, we had previous business experience from owning other companies and had the skills to understand the basic principles of building a company.
While building this brand, we have encountered almost every possible obstacle or challenge, and nothing has come easily. Logistics, selling out of product, lack of funding and capital, hiring challenges, and more. Most small, emerging-spirit brands encounter the same type of challenges.
Obstacles and challenges will always arise, but how you handle them can make or break your business. You must take a minute to step back, analyze the situation, adjust, and take action.
We’ve been impressed with Anteel Tequila, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
Anteel Tequila has five expressions in its portfolio: the world’s only Coconut Lime Blanco Tequila, a Reposado Tequila aged eight months in Tennessee whiskey barrels, a smooth 2x distilled Blanco Tequila, the first Tarocco Blood Orange Blanco Tequila and an Anejo Tequila aged 15 months in toasted and charred American white oak barrels. Our expressions have won multiple awards in major international spirit competitions, amassing over 100 awards/accolades, 115 to be exact (and counting) since 2019.
What are your plans for the future?
We plan to continue growing Anteel Tequila into a nationally recognized brand, and in the future, we may have another expression to add to the portfolio.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anteeltequila.com
- Instagram: @anteeltequilas
- Facebook: Anteel Tequila
- Twitter: @anteeltequilas
Image Credits
Markeon Edwards Productions
