Got Street?
Get in. Get sale. Get out. Repeat.
These accounts will drive 80% of your brand sales. John can open these doors.
Get your product into consumers mouths to pull your product through. A liquor to lips tasting is no longer enough. You need to be nimble. Time it right, work the clubs; running and knitting circles. Nurture consumer word of mouth.
Your brand. Your story. You. John can show you how, where, and when.
You do not just want to be another bottle on shelf. To every season, make it turn, turn, turn.
How do you make the most of your time on street? John knows street.
Your brand was not built in a day. It's a minefield of vanity brands and crushed cans out here. Keep your eye on the prize. Build the right bridges. Persevere. Get your brand home.
Always leave them wanting more of you.
More than any other brand, in my lifetime, at least, Maker's Mark set the benchmark for handsell brand building. And I was fortunate enough to be the guy who helped build the brand in New York.
St-Germain revolutionized the liqueur industry. When you are ahead and stay ahead of trends, lightning in a bottle can happen. It still takes a lot of work.
Ownership leads the way. Tom Baker's passion and commitment burned through. John was fortunate enough to earn a trip to Australia, right before the 2020 Pandemic, to experience the roots and production of Mr. Black first hand.
Founders and childhood friends Mike Paladini and Danny Polisi, along with their wives, created an approachable, family-based Bourbon. I was fortunate to be enlisted to work the streets of Connecticut and New York to help roll out the brand.
I'm honored to be a co-founder, contributing to building this single-family, sixth generation Mezcal artisanal for thirteen years now. And it feels like we're just getting started, as consumers are awakening to the magic and the shared mystery of great handmade agave spirits.
John is a founding partner of El Buho Mezcal and Director of Sales. A New York–based spirits entrepreneur for over three decades now, he has played a key role in the launch and ongoing success of renowned brands including Maker’s Mark, Johnnie Walker, Lagavulin, Glenmorangie, St-Germain, Mr. Black, and DonQ, among others. His expertise has earned him features in The Wall Street Journal, TIME, Esquire, HBO, the WB Network, and numerous industry publications.
With a background in experiential brand-building, John is known for leaving a lasting impression on every customer he meets — sparking the kind of word-of-mouth growth that fuels authentic brand momentum. As both an educator and event producer, he has led major initiatives such as Cocktail 101/102 and New York Cocktail Week for Liquor.com, as well as Botanical Mixology classes for Auberge. John has designed and executed events from Boston to Miami. John is also a founding partner of ArteAgave.com.
John has served as one of the first Brand Ambassadors for both The Classic Malts and Maker’s Mark.
A West Point graduate, John approaches every venture with passion, precision, and a plan. Beyond the spirits world, he is a professional actor with credits in films such as The Good Shepherd, Cop Land, and Mergers & Acquisitions. John’s sharp eye for talent and storytelling help him forge brand narrative. And he’s ready to stand and help deliver your story. Your brand.
If you don’t have word of mouth street presence for your brand, well… you don’t have a brand. John Henry knows brand-building. He knows the street. John has dealt with the harsh, cold realities of brand ownership and craft distribution for over 20 years. He can help you command the local land for your brand.
Check out John's insight into the philosophy and mentality of this fine art form.
