What Betting On Brands Taught Darren Rovell About Building One

The best founders know that great products don't win on their own. Investor, entrepreneur, and longtime business journalist Darren Rovell joins Taste Radio to share the lessons he's learned backing breakout brands like Athletic Brewing, PopUp Bagels and Biena Snacks, building his own company, Kickstand Cocktails, and evaluating hundreds of startups every year.  He explains what separates investable founders from the rest, why adaptability beats stubbornness, and how emerging brands can carve out an advantage – even in the most competitive categories. Show notes: 0:20: Darren Rovell, Founder, Kickstand Cocktails & Tastemaker Capital  – Darren offers his perspective on the widespread adoption of testosterone therapy and GLP-1 drugs before diving into the investment philosophy behind Tastemaker Capital, explaining why he favors backing exceptional founders and differentiated products over rigid venture capital playbooks. He reflects on successful investments like Athletic Brewing and the consumer insights that led him to recognize the potential of non-alcoholic beer years before it entered the mainstream. Darren also discusses lessons learned from missed opportunities and the collapse of Foxtrot Market, emphasizing the importance of founder communication, adaptability, and conviction. He then shares his journey as the founder of Kickstand Cocktails, a premium line of spicy craft vodka sodas inspired by a disappointing bar experience, detailing how the brand has evolved through continuous iteration while staying true to its core promise of balanced, approachable spice. Along the way, he candidly discusses the challenges of building an alcohol brand within the three-tier distribution system, why supermarket distribution has been central to Kickstand's growth, and how he evaluates startups today—arguing that product quality and founder adaptability matter more than branding, while warning that AI-generated pitch decks make it harder than ever to separate substance from polish. Brands in this episode: Biena, BODYARMOR, Athletic Brewing, Saint Pauli Girl, O'Doul's, Guinness, Fisher Island Lemonade, Kickstand Cocktails, Cutwater Spirits, High Noon, Long Drink, On The Rocks, Surfside, Spikeade, Super Lyte, Gatorade, Powerade, Coca-Cola, PopUp Bagels