Ep 204 | Fawn Weaver

Written By Yasmin Nouri

From Homelessness to Billion-Dollar Empire: Unlock Your Confidence, Build Your Dream Life & Overcome Adversity

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Fawn Weaver is a serial entrepreneur and NYTimes bestselling author, and when she learned about the story of Uncle Nearest Green — the slave who taught Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey — she decided to create a company that would bring his legacy to life. 

After learning about Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel's interconnected history, Fawn followed the story down to Tennessee, which led her to purchase the 300-acre farm in Lynchburg, Tennessee, where Nearest taught Jack how to distill. She initially thought of honoring Nearest's story with a book or movie, but decided the best way to preserve his legacy was with a bottle of the best Tennessee whiskey she could make. With no background in distilling, she threw herself into an industry mostly dominated by white men and a few major corporations. Since they launched, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey has become the fastest growing whiskey brand in US history, and has over $100+ million in revenue.

In our conversation, Fawn discusses the importance of confidence in leadership and success, and what we can all do today to build more confidence in our lives. She shares her early life challenges, from homelessness to suicidal thoughts, and how she overcame the toughest of times and the biggest learnings she had along the way. Fawn talks about the serendipity around her launching her business and the biggest factors that have helped create the incredible growth they’ve seen, and so much more.

Show Notes:

  • How Fawn has cultivated her confidence in the darkest of times. [02:51]

  • Fawn's faith and its role in her confidence. [04:40]

  • Practical approach to how Fawn overcomes any fear in her life. [06:05]

  • Handling bad days; giving herself space and having a pray-first approach in everything. [09:58]

  • Leaving home at the age of 15, going to her third homeless shelter, and how it’s the most impactful time of Fawn’s life. [15:50]

  • Fawn’s viewpoint on creating boundaries, and the natural evolution of outgrowing certain people. [26:06]

  • The pivotal moment when Fawn learned about Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel's interconnected history and how it inspired her journey. [30:28]

  • When Fawn realized the opportunity to create a whiskey, despite having no past experience. [39:32]

  • Having an all-women leadership team in a male-dominated spirits industry. [41:51]

  • How Fawn created brand awareness early on and what propelled the business to the incredible growth they have. [46:34]

  • Fawn’s experience fundraising and how she managed the rejections early on. [50:23]

  • Finding the gem inside failure and how it builds confidence and strength. [56:49] 

  • The importance of knowing your “Why” when it comes to starting a business. [58:49]

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Ep 203 | Dr. Corina Dunlap