When I was in high school, my mom used to wonder where, in her eyes, I’d gotten my wires crossed. To her, success was all about strong family bonds and shared love. I had a different definition—one that mostly involved making a lot of money. Back then, before bitcoin, social media, and influencers bragging about their perfectly curated lives, “success” meant champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

For most of my life, I chased that idea. As an entrepreneur, I can now see that this focus on money led to a lot of missteps. Instead of sticking to a vision, I’d take detours chasing short-term wins. Sometimes I even chose the insecurity and pull of a paycheck over relationships—choices I definitely regret, despite what people like to say about having “no regrets.”

Things shifted when PKGD entered the spirits world. Yes, we spent a few years taking on short-term work to stay afloat, but there was always one constant: G4. We built that brand across the country, bottle by bottle—not just for money, but for Felipe and his sons, Luis and Alan. It became about helping build a legacy—about trust, communication, and proving our word meant something.

Success, Redefined Through People

Ten years in, especially at this time of year, it’s clear my definition of success has changed. Now it’s about the families whose lives we get to impact. Not just Felipe’s family, but the long-time team at the distillery, the new faces I’ll meet at the Pandillo posada, and the families behind Palomo, Ultramundo, 3 Gallos, El Ateo, El Viejito, and Arriesgado. We’re part of their story now, and success means making sure everyone wins.

It’s also about the PKGD team. We owners have always worked in organized chaos, moving fast and doing our best. Some team members stuck with us through all of it; others joined recently and immediately embraced what we’re building. It still amazes me that we even have a culture now—and that people wear our logo with pride. This morning, a barista asked, “What’s PKGD?” I proudly shared our three points: producer-owned, world-class, transparent spirits. The reaction—people loving that it’s not about us, but about the producers—never gets old.

And sure, helping build these legacies has brought some of that old version of success along for the ride. But that’s not what success is anymore. Success now is building something solid—rooted in relationships, values, and shared pride—knowing everyone wins, everyone matters, and everything we’re doing is done the right way.