Getting a Distributor Is Just the Beginning. Here’s How to Turn It Into Growth.

Aug. 21, 2026 at 2:30 PM

Most founders think getting a distributor is the hard part. Scott Rosenbaum, co-host of the Business of Drinks podcast, has spent 20 years in beverage alcohol distribution and knows landing one is just the beginning. In this episode, he mentors Daeyna Grant, a first-time founder building Gold Crush, an RTD rum-based cocktail, one bar and liquor store at a time. Together, they break down what it actually takes to land the right distributor — and how to make the relationship work once you do.

You will learn:

What a distributor actually owes you — and what you still have to earn on your own

How to get a distributor’s attention before you have much leverage

The trade-off between a bigger distributor and one that can give your brand more attention

What data and reporting you should expect — and how to fill the gaps when you don’t get it

How to build enough demand that distributors start coming to you instead of the other way around