What is Soju? Inside The 13th-Century Spirit Taking Over the West | Hello Soju CEO Elisabeth Baron

Today, we discover the magic of soju.Despite its 13th-century origins and massive global popularity, this incredible rice-based spirit is still a mystery to many in the US. I sit down with Elisabeth Baron, the CEO of Hello Soju, to taste five distinct flavors of their sparkling spin on the spirit (plus the core juice) and get to the bottom of the "K-Cal culture" phenomenon.From Asian Pear to Green Grape, we learn how Elisabeth is blending traditional Korean culture with the modern California lifestyle. We dive into the science of modernizing a historic beverage, the secret to getting "liquid to lips," and how to build a vibrant community around a brand.Plus, stick around to the end to see how to execute the perfect, high-octane "Soju Bomb," before Elisabeth shares some incredibly vulnerable advice on balancing family, knowing your worth, and making bold career leaps.00:00 Intro & The Rise of K-Cal Culture01:19 Asian Pear & What is Soju?06:44 Lychee & Innovating Heritage Brands12:05 Lemon Yuzu & Taking Career Leaps17:20 Peach & Breaking into the Market20:45 Green Grape & The Lightning Round24:37 The Hello Soju Bomb26:46 Last Call: Choosing Family Over Prestige#businesspodcast #pittsburgh #thoughtlitersWHAT IS THOUGHT LITERS?Thought Liters is a series created and hosted by Adam Conner. On the show, Adam learns from the top of the world through the bottom of their glass. Each episode, we share a flight of local craft with the best and brightest brand minds around – whether it be an entrepreneur, an athlete, an artist, or otherwise. The questions evolve as the sip changes.The show is proudly founded and produced in Pittsburgh, PA.The whole goal is to have conversations about business with a more lighthearted look and feel. Adam thinks most business content is dry, and wants to change that.If you’re interested, follow along! If not, that’s cool too. But if you wanna be where the thought leaders are…you’ll tune in to where Thought Liters is.