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📢I talk🎙️with Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo👏🍷 🎇 🎉 ✨ 👏 🥂 😁

When Costco canceled her order at the start of COVID, El Guapo CEO Christa Cotton was ready to close shop. Instead, she pivoted online — and sold out in weeks.

Now her New Orleans brand is in 3,000 stores and won Tory Burch & James Beard awards. Here’s how she turned crisis into cocktail success 🍸✨

From near bankruptcy to 882% growth 💥 Christa Cotton of El Guapo Bitters shares her journey from Georgia to New Orleans, mentorship, resilience & building a cocktail empire 🌿🥃 @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST

Engaging Summary + Key Takeaways:
In this Thirsty Thursdays episode, host Jessie Ott sits down with Christa Cotton, CEO of El Guapo Bitters, to explore her journey from small-town Georgia roots to leading one of America’s most respected non-alcoholic cocktail brands.

🍸 Key Takeaways:

• 🚀 Pivoted to 92% DTC sales during COVID → 882% growth in weeks
• 🏆 Earned the Tory Burch Foundation Founders Award & James Beard Fellowship
• 🌿 Built El Guapo on sourcing transparency, sustainability & bar inclusivity
• 💪 Mentorship & community power her journey from distillery to global distribution
• 💫 Launched canned NA bitters & sodas — now in 3,000 stores across 8 countries

🎧 Watch for inspiration on resilience, brand building & beverage innovation!

Call-to-Action:
👉 If you love stories of bold entrepreneurs reshaping the beverage industry, hit 👍 and subscribe to @ThirstyThursdaysat3PMEST.
💬 Which part of Christa’s story resonated most with you?

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Host Jessie Ott's Profile on LinkedIn