Fighting Nazis, Making Whiskey, and Honoring The Men Who Invented Mountain Recreation I 10th Mountain I 41

In the heart of Vail Valley, Ryan Thompson and Sean McNeill run 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co., a distillery paying tribute to the legendary 10th Mountain Division — soldiers who fought Nazis, came home, and laid the foundation for modern skiing and mountain recreation.From bartending in small-town Colorado to building a nationally recognized whiskey brand, Ryan and Sean share the grit, hospitality, and entrepreneurial spirit that drive their work — and how honoring history can guide the future of business.They Talk About: 🔴 Building a whiskey brand from the ground up while staying true to your roots. 🔴 The lessons of service, grit, and perseverance learned from the 10th Mountain Division. 🔴 Why running a business means working in service of something bigger than yourself. 🔴 How Main Street businesses preserve history, culture, and community. 🔴 The hardest lessons learned from failure — and why they pale in comparison to the challenges faced by those who came before them.Real stories. Real ownership. Real lessons from the field.This is American Operator.Join the MovementTactical insights and behind-the-scenes stories from America’s operators:Website: www.americanoperator.comAO In Action: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanOperatorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamericanoperatorNewsletter: https://americanoperator.substack.comLocally Owned and Operated: https://www.locallyownedandoperated.org/