Boozie Freezies - Wreck Beach Spirits
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in liquor, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alana Thomson, the founder of Wreck Beach Spirits, a boozie freezy in Canada and the US.
Tell us all about your business...
We sell Boozie Freezies (Canadian term) or boozie ice pops or frozen cocktails if that is more self-explanatory. It's your childhood treat... but better! We started out... at a 'grassroots' level aka as a bootlegger on Wreck Beach (the place)... until Alana got busted by the authorities!
So Wreck Beach oozes who we are - we're cheeky rule-breakers who push the line a little bit and we're up for silly fun but at the same time we care about what we put in our body - so we don't make crap! Our Boozie Freezies are made with REAL fruit and REAL spirits... Cheers to growing up and being an adult kid ;)
What's your background and motivation to grow as a business owner?
I started out as a bootlegger in 2008 on Wreck Beach which is a clothing optional beach on the point off Vancouver, Canada. You get to Wreck Beach by walking down 480 dirt stairs through a rainforest. The stairs spit you onto a beautiful, isolated beach. As a consequence, it is it's own little economy.
I innovated a product of a cocktail hidden inside the packaging of an ice pop you have as a kid. I sold them on Wreck Beach until I was busted in 2013... Then we went legit and launched Wreck Beach the brand in 2020 in the US!
I finally decided to take it legit because creating a for-profit company which diverts part of it's proceeds to causes motivates me to adult hard and make this company successful... So we can save the world one cocktail at a time... Well, at least save dogs, support LGBTQ+ initiatives all the while offsetting our carbo footprint!
As an entrepreneur, what does success ultimately mean to you?
Launching our company into 5 US states has been something I couldn't have fathomed a few years ago!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being an entrepreneur?
Having boundaries around clocking off haha.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run or grow a small business today?
Find mentors! Work on actually feeling that failure is ok. It's important to celebrate your successes, so create milestones!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
As a woman, LGBTQ+ and Indigenous owned company in a very male, big corporate machine business, we have faced a LOT of challenges but we stay connected to our goals to create a successful company to divert part of our proceeds to our causes. That's what pushes us along. That and we love what we do!
Where can people find you online?
https://wreckbeachspirits.com/
https://www.instagram.com/wreckbeachspirits/?hl=en
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as an entrepreneur or business coach that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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