The Business Behind Katy Perry’s Non-Alcoholic Brand | Scout Brisson, CEO of De Soi

When Katy Perry and master distiller Morgan McLachlan met while both pregnant, they discovered a shared passion for sophisticated non-alcoholic beverages. Now, with Scout Brisson at the helm as CEO, De Soi has become the #1 non-alcoholic cocktail brand at Target and is reshaping how we think about drinking culture. Scout reveals how she went from McKinsey consultant to leading a celebrity-founded beverage empire, why 90% of their customers still drink alcohol, and the surprising ways Katy Perry's involvement goes far beyond just social media posts. In this episode, you'll discover: How De Soi went through 50+ product iterations before launch to nail the perfect liquid - and why most brands fail by rushing to market The real reason Katy Perry is the perfect face for a non-alcoholic brand (hint: it's not about sobriety) Why Scout turned down massive retail opportunities that other brands would kill for The hidden "flywheel effect" of celebrity co-founders that goes way beyond marketing How a single retail call with Katy Perry wearing sunglasses closed a major distribution deal Why traditional influencer marketing is dead and what's replacing it The truth about raising capital for celebrity-founded brands and what investors really want to know How De Soi built a passionate community that gets early access to test new flavors before launch From navigating the challenges of educating retailers about a new category to building authentic celebrity-product market fit, Scout shares the unfiltered reality of scaling a beverage brand in partnership with one of the world's biggest pop stars. Whether you're building in CPG, curious about celebrity partnerships, or interested in the booming non-alcoholic space, this conversation delivers actionable insights on what it really takes to build a category-defining brand. Chapters: Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: The Celebrity Flywheel Effect 00:01:16 Scout Brisson's Journey to CEO 00:02:40 The Founding Story of De Soi 00:04:44 Why Scout Joined the Mission 00:06:58 What Makes De Soi Different 00:10:38 Building Flavors That Mirror Alcohol 00:13:26 Katy Perry: The Face of Moderation 00:15:41 Leveraging Celebrity for Category Growth 00:17:45 Katy Perry as Visionary Entrepreneur 00:19:21 Evolution of Katy's Role 00:23:51 Common Myths About Celebrity Brands 00:26:46 Breaking Into Retail 00:29:49 The Danger of Going Nationwide Too Fast 00:32:07 Influencer Marketing is Dead 00:34:19 Building Community Beyond Marketing 00:36:05 Fundraising as a Celebrity-Backed Brand 00:37:12 What's Next for De Soi 00:38:10 Advice for Celebrity-Founder Partnerships HotStart VC  Subscribe to the HotStart VC newsletter: https://hotstart.beehiiv.com/  Become a HotStart Angel and co-invest with us in celebrity-founded brands starting from $5,000: https://www.hotstart.vc/hotstart-angels/  Check out our fund: https://www.hotstart.vc/  Scott van den Berg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-van-den-berg-22b534150/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottvandenberg_/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scottvandenberg_  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@scottvandenbergvc  Scout Brisson De Soi: https://drinkdesoi.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkdesoi/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scout-brisson-558674121/  HotStart VC is a fund that exclusively invests in brands founded by celebrities and creators. We’re the go-to platform for celebrities and creators launching brands, providing capital, strategic support, and the infrastructure to scale.