Ep 286 | Kat Hantas

Written By Yasmin Nouri

How This Stay-At-Home Mom Built One of the Fastest-Growing Tequila Brands

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In this week’s episode, we’re re-airing one of our top episodes from last year with Kat Hantas. Kat is the co-founder of 21 Seeds Tequila, one of the fastest-growing flavored tequilas. 

Kat’s had an interesting journey - from thinking she wanted to be a doctor, then pivoting to the entertainment industry, and then being a stay-at-home mom for many years. She never would have thought that she’d launch a business in the liquor industry. It wasn’t until she started noticing that her evening wine wasn’t making her feel good and her doctor recommended that she move away from fermented spirits and into distilled spirits. 

In the process of exploring tequila options, Kat came up with the idea to start 21 Seeds Tequila - a fresh natural tequila made with real fruit. She was making this in her kitchen for years, until one day the demand became so much that her friend inspired her to start selling the bottles. This sparked the idea and Kat co-founded the business with her sister and good friend to make it a reality. 

The business was acquired by Diageo in just three years in March 2022 and the deal marked one of the largest female-founded liquor acquisitions to-date.

In this podcast episode, Kat opens up about her journey with imposter syndrome and shares tips on overcoming it in her career in the entertainment industry and entrepreneurial ventures. She discusses her transition from being a stay-at-home mom to launching 21 Seeds, highlighting the challenges of finding a distillery, creating product-market fit, and building a supportive network. Kat ends by sharing the playbook she used in marketing and the importance of knowing your customer, and so much more. 

Show Notes:

  • Impostor syndrome and its impact on women's aspirations. [03:44]

  • Kat's shift from medical school to the entertainment industry. [07:10]

  • Experience at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and starting her production company. [12:14]

  • Film "Taking 5," hiatus, and focusing on family. [16:55]

  • Kat's journey as a stay-at-home mom, health challenges, and 21 Seeds inspiration. [22:00]

  • Transition from a hobby to launching 21 Seeds Tequila after nine years. [25:38]

  • Significance of co-founders in 21 Seeds' success. [30:00]

  • Challenges in the male-dominated tequila industry without expertise. [35:56]

  • Launch process and diligent preparations for 21 Seeds. [42:24]

  • Fundraising process and key lessons learned. [44:07]

  • Early momentum and unique marketing for 21 Seeds. [49:49]

  • Diageo's acquisition of 21 Seeds, a milestone in female-founded liquor business. [55:25]

This episode is brought to you by Beeya:

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Ep 287 | Melissa Palmer
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Ep 285 | Dr. Terry Wahls