"Seek out every resource you have and find a way to make it work" with Zsuzsa Palotas
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Boardroom Spirits owners and founders Vlad Mamedov, Zsuzsa Palotas, and Marat Mamedov
Photo credit: Boardroom Spirits
Zsuzsa Palotas’ strong head for business combined with an unbridled passion for (and fond memories of) pálinka led her to found Boardroom Spirits with her husband and business partner Marat Mamedov and his brother Vlad. Together, they took everything they love about the liquor industry in America and added intricate parts of the European drinking culture that were missing to make it even better.
Born in Hungary and raised in both Europe and the U.S., Palotas studied economics and international marketing at the University of Pécs, Hungary, earning a BA in Economics. She continued her studies at the University of Pécs, the University of Arnhem in The Netherlands, and San Diego State University, where she earned her joint MS in Economics. With a decade of professional experience in sales effectiveness consulting for major companies across the U.S., Palotas specializes in sales compensation and territory, quota, and sales performance management.
One day, while traveling for work, she looked up at a Boeing Plant and thought, “Why don’t we do that? Let’s create something of our own.” As a team, they created a distillery that incorporated Hungarian traditions with modern innovation to create a unique product and dynamic drinking experience, and after six years in the spirits business, their mission of distilling clean spirits, with clean energy and clean ingredients has earned them success in the industry including a partnership with celebrity Chef Robert Irvine producing Irvine’s Spirits.
Palotas is proof that the trail of entrepreneurship is a path that takes unexpected, yet exciting and interesting turns.
What inspired you to start your business?
In my career I was traveling around the globe, consulting for companies, helping build their businesses and reach their own goals, but at some point, I knew I wanted to create something myself and put all that effort and skill into something I was truly passionate about. I knew with our combined efforts, Marat, Vlad, and I could do it.
Where is your business based?
Our distillery is based in Lansdale, PA and in six years it has grown so much. Most recently, we’ve more than doubled the size of our headquarters and in addition to a production line, warehouse, tasting room event space, and retail sales, we also house a 528-gallon still, which is the largest in the state.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
All three of us had jobs in corporate America when we decided to leave the ‘Boardroom’ hence our name. As consultants, we started with research which led us to purchase a Hagyo still, one of the only stills in this country with precision technology to produce such clean and finished products. Coming from Hungary, I understand the nuances of the art of distilling – so do Marat and Vlad – which is how we came to research then purchase the still that has grown with us and is now the largest in the state of PA. Like our spirits, we married and blended our traditions and then added our modern spins to how we both operate and create.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
By immersing ourselves in the community we serve and staying true to our roots. We started in 2016, and we have our local community to thank for raising our brand awareness. Our first expansion came in 2018, where Lansdale proclaimed November 2 as Boardroom Spirits Day in the borough and named Boardroom the official “Spirit of Lansdale.” It is truly inspiring to see how far we’ve come since we all first dreamed of owning a distillery and to be able to grow in the place, we call home is so rewarding. We’re thankful for the support of the community, every day.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
I can't single out one challenge; now when I look back, they've all simply been opportunities to up my game or parameters and constraints we had to build into our business model or personal life. So how do you overcome challenges? Know where you're going and learn to adapt. I think 2020 was a year we all learned from and our quick pivot to sanitizer and ready-to-drink cocktails isn’t exempt from that notion.
How do you stay focused?
Block out multitasking at least a couple of hours a day and immerse yourself in one topic. You'll deliver a higher quality, and more focused product when you do one thing at a time.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
While listening to our customers may sound standard, we believe in it and live it at Boardroom. Through taking customer feedback and observing customer behavior, it helped us pivot during the pandemic and it helped us to focus on our successful ready-to-drink cocktails and canned cocktails. This change helped transform our business and has now put us ahead of the curve where competitors are releasing SKUs, we released more than a year ago. This strategy has been so effective, our distillery even offers consulting services to other companies throughout the US, and it’s all thanks to our loyal fans.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
There are so many different marketing strategies we utilize from digital newsletters and social media campaigns to earned media and product samplings. I strongly think that diversity is helpful as consumer behavior changes. Over the last year, we invested more in digital advertising, and it’s been amazing to see fans from throughout the state discover new products. For example, someone might have only tried our Ship’s Cat Rum varieties before, and then discover our Vodka Soda and Vodka Iced Tea cans. It’s a great way to highlight seasonal products and deliver information to customers.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
My favorite expression is that “pressure bursts pipes, but also creates diamonds.” In business, there is going to be stress, there are going to be failures, there are going to be challenges and changes. It’s important to not fold under that pressure. Instead, seek out every resource you have and find a way to make it work. When mistakes happen, you don’t let them hold you down; you learn from them, and you grow.
What's your favorite book? Why?
Any of Doug Tallamy's books like "Bringing Nature Home" or "The Nature of Oaks". Doug is a renowned wildlife ecologist who opens a whole world of magic that's right in our backyards and parks. Especially during the last couple of years, his writing helped me appreciate the natural world around us even more.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
I like the basics. If you use Outlook Calendar well, it makes a big difference in your day-to-day.
Who is your business role model? Why?
I don't have one specific person. However, I have huge respect and try to learn from entrepreneurs, scientists, architects who are working on new, sustainable concepts that hit on basic, fundamental needs. That's where we need to start if we want to take care of the one planet we have. For example, check out some of the cutting-edge work that Isha Datar does in food science.
How do you balance work and life?
This may not be a popular response, but… accept that you can't have everything all the time. Be in the moment, and when you're doing something, give it your all. You'll be more satisfied and stop questioning yourself.
On a more practical note, I am very regimented when it comes to sleep. Always 6 hours, always waking up at the same time.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
I really love to travel and visit new cities, restaurants, distilleries, and wineries with my husband and our families; Puerto Rico is a favorite destination. Day to day, I decompress by doing native landscaping which includes restoring small suburban ecosystems using local and native perennial and tree species. We’ve done this on a few acres at our own home, at local parks, and at the distillery. I’m also a passionate animal lover and work with local rescues to support cats and other animals in need of adoption.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
We have some exciting new releases planned for this year, as well as returning events like comedy shows, cocktail workshops, and culinary pairings.
How can our readers connect with you?
Readers can connect with us via social media @boardroomspirits or directly at info@boardroomspirits.com