786 Jen Hardell: Founder & CEO of Subourbon Life

Jan 12, 2026

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On today’s episode, we welcome Jen Hardell, Founder & CEO of Subourbon Life — the bourbon-based ready-to-drink cocktail brand redefining how—and when—America’s native spirit is enjoyed.
Jen is a visionary founder with deep operational experience in consumer and spirits businesses. With Subourbon Life, she identified a clear gap in the fast-growing RTD category: while vodka and tequila dominated shelves, bourbon lacked a lighter, more social, lifestyle-forward expression. She set out to change that by creating non-carbonated bourbon cocktails made with real aged bourbon, thoughtfully sourced ingredients, and a strong emphasis on community through the brand’s “Find Your People” philosophy.
In this episode, Jen shares how she translated operational rigor into building a founder-led spirits brand, the challenges of bringing an RTD bourbon from concept to shelf, and how Subourbon Life balances quality, consistency, and scalability in a crowded market. From flavor development and branding to distribution and leadership, this conversation offers valuable insight for founders, operators, and anyone curious about innovation in CPG and spirits.

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To learn more about Jen Hardell and Subourbon Life:
https://www.subourbonlife.com
https://www.instagram.com/drinksubourbon
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-hardell-287715334/