Moving out of your comfort zone to start a business fueled by your passion with Shotsbox founder JC Stock and Rabbi Jacob Rupp
For as long as he can remember, JC Stock has been running a business. At the age of seven he worked at delivering newspapers, and at age nine he worked at mowing lawns. In 2006, he began his first national service company, and within five years had grown his business from a single employee to 10. Today, JC owns and operates five companies which consist of over 30 employees and four locations from coast to coast. Driven by success, a desire for growth, and the luxury of simplicity, he has been able to break the mold. When he isn’t working, he is playing. As a home brewer, he knows the pride and satisfaction an artisan gets when someone tries and enjoys one of his carefully crafted brews.
Share your backstory in business and why you started Shots Box with our audience?
I’ve started a ton of new businesses and like any entrepreneur I have succeeded and failed too many times to count, but enough to matter and help me be able to successfully turn this new passion project into something bigger, when it comes to Shots Box. I love craft beer and spirits. I am a home brewer, and the look on the faces of the people who taste my brew for the first time is so exciting to me.
How did you select this speciality/field?
I simply love craft spirits. I can taste the difference and I appreciate the work and time and art that goes into craft distilling. I also didn’t see anyone pushing to help craft products in marketing in a cost effective way.
Was it intimidating to start a new venture in a space unrelated to some of your past successes/business experience?
Not really. With my experience with starting new businesses and my passion, Shots Box has always been my fun company.
When was the first time you discovered your love for spirits and what type of spirit specifically?
It probably started when I visited High West Distillery in Park City, Utah for the first time at its opening in 2009. They had this peach vodka. It was amazing, and I am not normally a vodka drinker. It got me thinking there must be something to this small batch stuff.
How did you cultivate this love and what makes an outstanding spirit?
As an entrepreneur with several office locations across the US, I travel A LOT! I make it a point to visit as many craft distilleries as possible in my travels. There is a moment where you combine chemistry and creativity to create a spirit that is outstanding. Small batch craft really changes the game. I’ve had some of the most unique and delicious spirits since opening that door at High West 10 years ago.
How did you come to your business idea and how long did you have the idea before you executed on it?
Shots Box was an idea for about 6 months, and then we began working on it for about 1.5 years prior to our launch October 25th, 2018.
What was your biggest challenge now in building/growing Shots Box or biggest challenge you recently overcame?
We have had to iron out a few kinks and such with the industry and compliance of our business with laws regarding alcohol changing every day in constant ebb and flow in each state, we have adapted to each obstacle including shipping. We are looking forward optimistically and know while surely there will be more obstacles to come, as any entrepreneur knows, we will continue moving forward.
What are you most proud of?
I would say that because Shots Box is a huge passion for me, that I am proud of the activity we have had since launch, and the excitement and buzz we have when interacting with distillers or consumers who understand the appeal of what we are truly offering.
How/where can people find out more about your company? Anything else you’d like to share.
We just hit our four month mark, and have been able to facilitate several new craft brands into the CA market. We are extremely excited to see their expansion and debut into California, the Shots Box and into our boutique craft liquor store in Orange County. We can’t wait for customers to fall in love with these spirits as much as we have!
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About the author: Jacob Rupp is a coach, author, speaker, podcaster, and rabbi. He is the founder of Lift Your Legacy, a community that helps people live a more authentic life. He has a regular, syndicated column that appears in ThriveGlobal and Authority magazine. To learn more about him or to listen to the Lift Your Legacy podcast, search iTunes or visit his site: liftyourlegacy.live
Moving out of your comfort zone to start a business fueled by your passion with Shotsbox founder… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
