I recently went one-on-one with Ken MacKenzie, founder and CEO of Fresh Victor.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Ken: Getting here has been a very lucky journey for me. I was fortunate enough to fall in love with a girl from Guadalajara who was scheduled to return home after completing her studies here in Northern California. Upon returning home, I ended up following her and eventually proposing. This led me to seek a financial vehicle to remain in Guadalajara, and I was actively looking for investment or business opportunities there. In the mid-1990s, I was lucky enough to be introduced to 100% agave tequila through my wife’s family and learned as much as I could to create a business for us.
Much like many young and optimistic people, I had grand notions of what I knew I wanted to accomplish for myself. I had set goals that I wanted to reach as quickly as possible. However, like most things in life, the only way to truly understand something is through practical experience and living it. While there were many facets of consulting where I could add direct value, when we decided to launch our brands, I did not fully understand the politics and pitfalls that occur when attempting to build your own brand equity within the three-tier distribution system.
Adam: How did you come up with your business idea? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas?
Ken: All great ideas must be developed through things that an individual is truly passionate about. In my case, I love entertaining and celebrating with loved ones, friends, and family alike. This gives my wife and me great joy. For many years, this was facilitated through sharing knowledge and products within the 100% agave tequila space. However, as this category developed and matured over the decades, it also became increasingly saturated and competitive, with many celebrities launching tequila brands of varying quality. I was always encouraged to find ways to stand out or be different, with a competitive edge or advantage. Find three distinct things that make your offerings different from your direct or indirect competition, so people have a reason to purchase your products as well as share them actively with others.
Adam: How did you know your business idea was worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea?
Ken: Business concepts are worth pursuing when they directly fill a real need and solve a problem. When people want or need something (whether they realize it or not at the time) it becomes a great business proposition. In my case, we realized that the broad market needed better-quality cocktails and mocktails created with both speed and ease of use – no easy thing to figure out. This was a market opportunity that needed to be directly addressed for both on-premise (Industry restaurants, bars, casinos, nightclubs, resorts, hotels, cruise ships, etc.) and off-premise (home consumers) segments. Figuring out how to deliver a superior product offering became a strong business model for doing what we do now. We knew that we were onto something when we could see the need being met and the problem being solved in those two markets through the launch of Fresh Victor. The only way to truly know is to test one’s hypothesis and go out to market.
Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?
Ken: Growing one’s business requires a lot of time, patience, and perseverance. Often, overnight success stories take all of 10 years to develop, get right, and scale. There is no easy answer to getting it right instantly. It is truly a trial-and-error process when it comes to adapting to market demands and identifying your target audience that is interested in learning more about your product offerings. Once you can effectively identify the channels for distribution, wholesale, and consumer that work best, you need to make certain that you can assure manufacturing and distribution, so there are no interruptions to your supply and ability to replenish. Scale in areas where you see results. Don’t take on too much, as this will compromise your focus. Build on what is working and continue to build until a pivot point is necessary. Everyone likes a success story as it is a good compass to indicate that your business is worthwhile and reaffirm that it was a good idea in the first place. Data points and success stories help one to spread the word that the business has the right stuff.
Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips?
Ken: Identify where your product or service can be used most effectively right away. Who needs you the most? How can you establish initial customers who will be successful using your product and services, so they can share their findings with others like them? When people become truly excited about something, they want to share it with others and get them involved as well. The best marketing occurs when third parties, such as consumers, validate you by expressing their enjoyment of working with you or utilizing your products or services. You can spend a lot of time and money on creating your marketing, whether it be through traditional or social media. Still, the bottom line is people want to know from others how much they like what you do and if it is an ongoing relationship of repeat purchasing or staying with your company for ongoing services. You cannot create that through mere messaging. This is also an example of you needing to experience it firsthand through recommendations and shared viewpoints. It comes back to grassroots or viral marketing. You can certainly telegraph this or amplify the message through the sharing of these success stories via social media or print. Still, you want them to come organically through people talking about you and your product services.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Ken: Good leaders should believe in their teams and their abilities to make good decisions. A leader should be a supportive person who leads by example. Passion for one’s work and product needs to be infectious. Seeing is believing. If a leader feels that this is just a job, then it reflects to others just like looking into the sun. Not a good environment, as people need to feel less like this is work and more like a team effort of building something truly exceptional and different. Something that makes a difference and has an impact in a way that is rewarding and creates a sense of pride. Attempting to sell something that someone does not believe in or is excited about is apparent from the moment they begin talking about it. A good leader will ensure that they surround themselves with critical thinkers who can communicate effectively and are not afraid to express their thoughts. Executive leadership need not be rooted in ego, but rather, in the ability to be collaborative, as they know that they can both trust and depend on their teams to do what is right for the brand and the company alike. Company culture is so vital in 2025. This is not a competition between team members, but rather a team rowing in the same direction, as we all rise or sink together. Being supportive and respectful of one and another’s viewpoints is instrumental in building this type of environment. We may not always agree on everything, but we are all here to think critically and pull in the same direction as we ultimately want the same thing: to be successful.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
Ken: Managing teams is managing personalities. You need to be able to identify people’s capabilities and strengths so you can utilize them to the very best of their abilities. Not everyone is great at everything. There should be a clear purpose behind who is doing what and achieving what. Focus is crucial, and you should establish milestones and benchmarks to determine if you are progressing toward your objectives and if the individuals you are managing are making a significant impact on your business goals. This is not easy when you are small, and people are wearing many hats. As you grow your company, you need to take stock in what is working and what is not working. It is about always evolving and making the necessary changes, even when it is very difficult to do so. Business is not always fun. Growing has its pain points that must be addressed and managed as you progress. Do you have the right people doing the right jobs? Ongoing and open communication is key as you continue to grow. Problems do not resolve themselves. Tough conversations must be had from time to time, and people need to feel that they are being heard and not dismissed. Team means team.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Ken: Leaders/Executives must be good listeners. You cannot lose touch with what your advisors, team, and customers feel is most important.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to pace yourself to persevere and get through the difficult times. In many ways, being an entrepreneur is a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. You have tremendous ups and downs. You need to recognize that as you are living through it as otherwise it can take a terrible toll.
You need to have understanding people and support systems around you, so you are not in constant conflict. Loved ones who truly understand your vision and share in it are the best when it comes to lending purposes and feeling good about what is being built as well as sacrificed along the way. If this were easy, then many more people would be doing it. You are already taking a big risk by starting a company and taking the time to build it. The best risk mitigation you can ever hope for is supportive family and friends. That makes a huge difference.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Ken: Failure is not the end; it is merely the beginning of learning what works and what does not. Nothing is absolute when it comes to the entrepreneurial journey. You cannot judge yourself by one endeavor or set of circumstances. How you react and what you do going forward says everything. You need to realize that failure is a part of the learning process, and no one is guaranteed success. Success is earned through actions and your ability to commit and recommit to your dreams and singular vision.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Ken: I appreciate you speaking with me, as I deem it so important to be supportive of other entrepreneurs. Anytime I can lend advice or support to someone who is attempting to set out on their own to build a dream for themselves, I will. Not everyone has the resources or capital to create something without worrying; in fact, most people don’t. That is what makes this country great in so many ways. The American dream is still very much alive in the sense that if you have an amazing idea and enough determination, you are afforded the chance to succeed, potentially. While not easy by any stretch of the imagination, it is indeed possible. Lending support to people who wish to fulfill their dreams, I think, is important. Not everyone has the experience or insights to know what to do immediately, so whenever I can have a conversation or lend perspective to someone who may be struggling, I do my best to do so. I know it has made a big difference in my life, and I am truly grateful for that.
