Two founders of 1953 Tequila, Lindsey Davis Stover and Shivam Mallick Shah, join Conor for a special in-person conversation to share how their ultra-premium, additive-free tequila is prioritizing sustainability, elevating women in the spirits industry, and also offering an awesome drinking experience.
Lindsey, Shivam, and the rest of the 1953 founding team met through Congressional campaigns for Virginia’s 10th district, and the idea for a women-led, luxury tequila company followed soon after. True to their mission, the founders secured a deal to source from an agave farmer who was passing his farm on to his daughters. Named after the year women in Mexico gained the right to vote, 1953 Tequila has shaken up the male-dominated spirits industry from day one, and it was recently named the Best Additive-Free Tequila by Men’s Journal.
As you’ll hear, Shivam Mallick Shah and Lindsey Davis Stover have big dreams for tequila and beyond.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 Lindsey on pitching her crazy idea for a tequila company
00:48 Conor Gaughan introduces Lindsey, Shivam, and 1953 Tequila
02:00 Bureaucratic backgrounds and running for Congress
13:00 The idea to launch, women in spirits, and meeting agave farmers
20:32 Branding, the origin of the name, and making it additive free
28:10 Building in a new industry, getting to market, and finding distribution
33:09 Challenges as a women-led brand in a male-dominated industry
36:37 Social impact opportunity, sustainability, and doing good
41:35 Building for the future, remaining optimistic, and sources of inspiration
48:28 Where to learn more… or find a bottle!
50:00 Outro and end credits
The book Lindsey mentioned: What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada
Shivam meant to mention she is reading: Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens by her husband, Rajiv Shah.
If you liked this episode, listen next to John Little of Smooth Ambler Spirits Co. on Craft Distilling, Sustainable Growth, and Disrupting the Bourbon Industry
More on 1953 Tequila, Lindsey, and Shivam:
1953tequila.com and instagram.com/1953tequila
linkedin.com/in/lindsey-davis-stover-1b65707
linkedin.com/in/shivam-mallick-shah-54a953135
Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone
Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at CiC@consensus-digital.com
As Conor mentioned in the show, we're taking a break for his birthday and we'll be back the first week of May with more great conversations!
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – it really makes a difference!
Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.
