Founder & Sergeant Major Mike Waskewich (Ret.) on Flavor Matching, the Adult Beverage Ecosystem and Building What the Industry Was Missing

Send us Fan MailMike Waskewich spent 23 years in the Army, retired as a Sergeant Major and then built two things the adult beverage industry didn't know it needed: The Bar Book, a Spotify-style flavor matching app for spirits, beer, cocktails, NA and THC beverages and CRAFT, a nonprofit coalition connecting veteran-owned beverage brands with buyers, distributors and content creators across the country.In this episode of Ready To Drink Podcast, Nate and Mike cover the full adult beverage ecosystem, from why category beats brand every time at point of sale to how CRAFT is building a nationwide event infrastructure that lets small brands compete without corporate budgets. They get into the Bar Book's flavor-match algorithm, the direct-to-consumer build-out, and why education drives 90% of sales in this industry. They also go deep on sobriety, on-premise culture, veteran identity in business and the difference between supporting veterans and actually being one.This one covers a lot of ground: mindful drinking, functional drinks trends, hemp industry advocacy, beverage entrepreneurship and the kind of human connection that no marketing deck can replicate.The Bar Book: TheBarBook.App (available in all app stores) CRAFT: SupportCraft.org Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mike-waskewichHosted by Nate Fochtman, founder of The FreeMind Group | FMGStrategy.com Follow Ready To Drink Podcast: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | ReadyToDrinkPodcast.comSupport the showPresented by The FreeMind Group - FMGStrategy.com