1. Before we dive into the business side of things, let’s start with you. Who is the person behind William George and ShakaCan? What experiences, passions, or moments shaped your journey into the world of Rum?
At heart, I’m a bartender, curious, collaborative, and drawn to storytelling through flavour. My journey into Rum began behind the bar, where I was fascinated by its diversity and history. William George Rum was born out of a desire to honour both my grandfathers; William and George, who had very different personalities but a shared sense of integrity and warmth. The world of Rum gave me the space to build something meaningful while connecting with others. ShakaCan came later, driven by creativity and a love for problem solving by transforming a full-aperture can into a cocktail shaker, felt like bringing a bartender’s ritual into people’s homes.
2. William George and ShakaCan each have a distinct personality. What inspired their creation, and how do you see them fitting into the wider Rum market?
William George is an un-aged blend made with respect for transparency and flavour. It appeals to bartenders and Rum lovers who want something clean, bold, and versatile without marketing gimmicks. It fills a gap between premium but opaque brands and geeky but inaccessible bottlings.
ShakaCan, by contrast, is playful and innovative. We’re shaking up the ready-to-serve category, literally, with a patented shaker can top and cocktails made with real spirits and no shortcuts. The inspiration came from seeing how consumers want quality and interaction without complexity. We see both brands as serving different ends of the spectrum. One rooted in bartending culture, the other built for accessibility and fun.
3. The spirits industry is constantly evolving, with shifting consumer trends and new challenges. What has surprised you the most about navigating this space?
The speed at which consumers are becoming more informed and demanding is both exciting and challenging. They ask smarter questions about provenance, additives, sustainability and rightly so. What’s surprised me is how uneven the pace of change is between sectors. In bars, there’s a hunger for education and experimentation. In retail, packaging or familiarity can still override quality. It keeps you on your toes and forces you to keep refining your message.
4. Building a brand is never a solo effort. Can you share how key partnerships have helped shape your journey?
Absolutely, none of this happens alone. E&A Scheer has been instrumental in helping us create blends that are consistent, high-quality, and tailored to our needs. For William George, they brought the expertise and flexibility we needed to build something from the ground up. For ShakaCan, they’ve helped us scale without compromising integrity. Beyond that, our design partners, canning partners, and bartending community have all shaped our journey. The best partnerships are ones where there’s mutual respect and an openness to solve problems together.
5. ShakaCan brings a fresh approach to ready-to-serve Rum. What excites you most about the concept, and how has the response been so far?
What excites me most is how ShakaCan bridges the gap between craft and convenience. We’re not dumbing down the cocktail experience, we’re making it more engaging and joyful. The patented ShakerCan Top lets people feel involved in the process, even if they’ve never made a cocktail before. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Consumers love the novelty and bartenders appreciate that we’re using proper spirits and balanced recipes. Of course, educating the market takes time, but we’re building momentum with every shake.
6. Moments of uncertainty come with any entrepreneurial journey. Was there ever a turning point where you had to trust your instincts and take a leap?
There have been many, but launching William George without any outside investment was a huge leap. It was just us, the blend, and a belief that if we focused on quality and honesty, people would respond. With ShakaCan, committing to the engineering and patenting of our ShakerCan Top was another big moment. It wasn’t the easiest route, but it aligned with our values. In both cases, we trusted that solving real problems for real people would get us somewhere worthwhile.
7. Branding plays a huge role in consumer connection. How do you want people to feel when they experience William George and ShakaCan?
William George should feel like sitting at a bar with a bartender you trust, genuine, thoughtful, and a bit refined. It’s a brand that respects your palate and doesn’t need to shout to be heard. ShakaCan, on the other hand, should feel like a good time with great friends: colourful, inventive, and a little cheeky. Both brands are about connection, but expressed in very different tones.
8. Quality is everything in the world of spirits. What do you look for in your ingredients and suppliers to ensure the best possible product?
We look for clarity, consistency, and collaboration. With E&A Scheer, for example, we can have open discussions about origin, profile, and how a blend might evolve over time. We avoid artificial additives and look for raw materials that do the talking. Our standards aren’t just about taste they’re about working with partners who care about process and transparency as much as we do.
9. The journey of a brand owner is filled with highs and lows. What’s one lesson you’ve learned that you think every entrepreneur should keep in mind?
Adaptability is everything. You can have the best plan in the world, but the market, supply chain, or life itself will throw you curveballs. Being able to pivot without losing your values is the key. Also don’t underestimate the power of persistence. Sometimes just showing up again and again makes all the difference.
10. Looking ahead, what’s next for William George and ShakaCan? Any exciting projects or dreams on the horizon that can be shared?
For William George, we’re developing two new SKUs designed specifically for rum geeks expressive, limited, and focused on technique and challenging perception. For ShakaCan, we’re expanding our lineup with a Margarita and investing in smart digital marketing to bring our cocktails to a wider audience. Behind it all, we’re building stronger distribution partnerships and streamlining operations to scale more sustainably. There’s plenty more to come, we’re just getting started.
