EP 119: From Family Liquor Empire to $300M Fund

In this episode of $100M Exits, Jason sits down with Brian Rosen of InvestBev Capital to unpack what it really takes to sell a family business, build from scratch, and then deploy $300M backing the founders most investors overlook. Brian has lived every side of the deal table — operator, seller, and now investor — and he's not holding back on what he got wrong the first time.Brian scaled his family's liquor business from $30M to $100M in revenue, sold to PE, then built and sold BevStrat for $20M+ in just four years. Today he manages over $300M in AUM through InvestBev, one of the few firms exclusively focused on the alcohol beverage category — including a unique bet on bourbon barrel inventory that now holds roughly 10% of the country's supply.What You'll Learn:Why selling too much equity early cost Brian ~$10M and what to do differentlyHow a strategic buyer will always outpay a financial buyerWhy celebrity brand deals are a trap and what actually drives brand successThe real reason 95% of beverage brands fail — and how to be in the 5%Why alcohol is one of the most non-correlated asset classes available to investorsRaising capital?Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=EP+119&utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits  Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=EP+119&utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits  ----------------------------------------------ABOUT BRIAN ROSENBrian Rosen is the CEO and General Partner of InvestBev Capital, the largest private equity platform in the U.S. dedicated to the spirits, wine, and beverage CPG sectors. He has scaled the firm to $350M AUM and $100M in private credit, supporting brands across all stages of growth while delivering first-quartile returns.With deep roots in the beverage industry across three generations, Brian has led M&A transactions, structured innovative financing solutions, and partnered with global leaders like Beam Suntory and BlackRock. He is recognized as a leading voice in alcohol beverage investing and a key builder of the modern global spirits investment ecosystem.You can reach out to Brian through:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandavidrosen  Website: https://www.investbev.com - CompanyEmail: [email protected] ABOUT JASON KIRBYJason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&A. He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&A, and business development. He’s transacted over $135M, and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+.You can reach out to Jason through:Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/ABOUT $100M EXITSMy goal is simple: to equip founders with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of capital strategy to take your company where you ultimately want it, by interviewing founders and investors who have already done it. For most, it’s a dream to sell for $100M+, but for others, it’s too cash flow or IPO. Founders doing over $5M in revenue will benefit the most from this podcast. Be sure to subscribe and let me know who you want me to interview next.