Beyond the Bottle: Why Great Spirits Don’t Always Become Great Brands

VOTV Podcast
19 minutes ago
3 min read

Voices of the Village Podcast Celebrates 100 Episodes with Regi & Pam Myles of Myles Select Vodka and Red Oak Distribution

A great-tasting spirit can still fail.

That may be one of the most important lessons emerging spirit-brand owners need to understand. For the 100th episode of Voices of the Village Podcast Where Change Starts With Conversation, we sit down with Regi and Pam Myles, the husband-and-wife entrepreneurs behind Myles Select Vodka and Red Oak Distribution, for a conversation that goes far beyond what is inside the bottle.

From Brand Owners to Distributors

The Myles' journey into distribution wasn't originally part of the plan. It grew out of necessity. After investing heavily in marketing Myles Select Vodka including radio campaigns, concerts, tastings, retail activations, restaurant promotions and other brand-building efforts they discovered a difficult reality of the spirits industry: You can do everything possible to market your product and still struggle if your distribution relationship isn't working for your brand. Their experience ultimately led them to ask a game-changing question: Why can't we distribute it ourselves? That question eventually helped create Red Oak Distribution. Today, they aren't simply selling their own vodka. They are using what they learned as brand owners to help other spirit companies navigate the Georgia marketplace.

Your Liquid Isn't Enough

Regi delivers a message during the conversation that every emerging vodka, tequila, bourbon, rum and spirits entrepreneur should hear: Taste isn't all that's required to be successful. A successful spirits company must understand market entry, pricing, distribution, retailer relationships, consumer demand, marketing and the responsibilities that exist between the supplier, distributor and retailer. That means creating the bottle is only one part of building the business. Red Oak Distribution has become increasingly selective about the brands it represents because the goal isn't simply to build the largest portfolio possible. It's to build a portfolio of brands capable of competing, growing and developing sustainable demand. Their approach is particularly valuable for smaller and independent brands that can easily become another SKU inside the portfolio of a massive distributor.

Don't Just Get Distributed: Create Demand

Another major lesson from the Myles' story is that distribution should never be confused with marketing.

Getting a distributor doesn't mean consumers suddenly know your name. Getting into a liquor store doesn't mean customers will request your bottle. Getting onto a restaurant menu doesn't mean people will order your cocktail. Brand owners still have to create demand. Myles Select Vodka built its presence through radio, events, restaurant relationships, tastings, retail activations and direct engagement with consumers. That groundwork continues today as the brand expands into restaurants and locations throughout Georgia. For emerging spirit entrepreneurs, the message is clear: Your distributor can help move the product, but you still have to move the people.

Building Opportunities for Independent Spirit Brands

Pam Myles also explains that their experience created a larger purpose. After seeing firsthand how difficult distribution could be for an independent brand, she realized other entrepreneurs were likely experiencing the same challenges. That became part of Red Oak Distribution's mission: helping quality brands understand the marketplace and giving entrepreneurs an opportunity to compete based on the strength of their product and business. And while Red Oak is Black-owned, Regi makes an important distinction—the company isn't exclusively looking for Black-owned products. They're looking for quality brands that meet their standards and are prepared to do the work necessary to succeed.

The Business Behind the Bottle

This special 100th episode of Voices of the Village isn't just a celebration. It's a masterclass for anyone thinking about launching or currently struggling to grow a spirit brand. Regi and Pam Myles discuss the lessons many entrepreneurs don't discover until thousands of dollars have already been invested: choosing the right distributor, understanding retail relationships, establishing pricing, building consumer demand, selecting the right products and knowing when a business relationship is no longer serving your company. Their journey also demonstrates what can happen when adversity becomes infrastructure.

They went from needing better distribution for their own brand to creating a distribution company capable of opening doors for other brands. That's entrepreneurship. That's ownership. And that's understanding the business behind the bottle.

Voices of the Village Podcast Featuring Regi & Pam Myles100th Episode Celebration

Where Change Starts With Conversation.

For independent spirit brands trying to understand how to move from having a great bottle to building a sustainable business, this is an episode you don't want to miss.