Cocktails & Commerce Podcast

A conversation with John Rossman - author, advisor, keynote speaker, former leader at Amazon. Welcome to another episode of the Cocktails & Commerce Podcast. This week, we continue our inaugural series of the C&C Pod with another great episode. Bill and I are joined by the insightful and charming John Rossman. John is a multiple-time author, keynote speaker, longtime strategic advisor, and founding leader of Amazon’s Marketplace. I had the pleasure of meeting and working with John many years ago at Amazon, and have had the opportunity to enjoy many great conversations with John over the years - and it is great to bring one of those to you today.John recently released a new book, together with his co-author Kevin McCaffrey, and he joined us to mix up some Negroni’s and discuss many of the insights packed into Big Bet Leadership. The book is a bit of a departure from John’s very successful Amazon Way book series, but draws on many important lessons on how Amazon approaches ‘big bets’, as well as looking at T-Mobile where John and Kevin together led major transformations. The book is packed with insights and stories, and it was a pleasure to dig into those on the pod with John. John also publishes a great newsletter on Substack we recommend - The Digital Leader. We lead off - as always - with a bit of cocktail talk. Some of that I elaborate on below, but you can also hear what John’s ‘Big Bet GPT’ has to say about the Negroni on the episode. I include the spec for the variation I made below - my Barolo Split Negroni. I know you will enjoy the episode, but as always, look forward to your thoughts and comments.Cheers!It’s great to have you here! If you are already a subscriber to Cocktails & Commerce, thank you! If you are new here, welcome! Please do subscribe, we want to be sure you make it to the next party!Become a Member of the Cocktails & Commerce Society!Looking for time with us? Want to talk about our articles and our perspectives - what it means for you and your organization. Want to discuss the state of the market and how your company is competing? Want to talk over your strategy; sales motions and challenges; your career; your start-up idea; or… our favorite topic, cocktails? Though we often try to find time for those who reach out, if you buy a membership to Cocktails & Commerce you are guaranteed priority access to us. Plus we will throw in some amazing C&C swag, an invitation to our annual Cocktails & Commerce party in NYC during NRF, as well other member events we plan to mix-up for members.We are only offering a very limited number of memberships at this time, so act now if you are interested. We are calling this thing the Cocktails & Commerce Society, because - well, because we want to. Yes, it costs $500/yr, but you can expense it! This is research! If interested, simply email us at ccs@strategyem.com and we will go from there. (And it will all be under NDA!)This Weeks ‘Podtail’? The iconic Negroni - with a variationThe Negroni is perhaps Italy’s most prominent contribution to mixology and the cocktail pantheon. The history of the Negroni is relatively clear in its general outlines, but like many cocktail origin stories, there are gaps and perhaps some - shall we say - creative license introduced along the way. The first account of the Negroni was contained in a letter written sometime between the end of World War I and October 1920 by Count Camillo Negroni, a Florentine aristocrat. He apparently was quite the character - having spent time as a professional gambler, a fencing instructor, and even in America as some sort of cowboy. As he recounted in the letter, that once back in Florence after the war he took to having the bartender at Florence’s Caffè Casoni make him an Americano, only boozier. The bartender swapped in gin for the Americano’s soda water, and wala! - the Negroni was born. But it was really in Paris that the drink took off during ‘The Roaring Twenties’. It apparently became so popular that American humorist Nina Wilcox Putman apparently joked that, “All Gaul was divided into three parts; one part gin; one part vermouth, and one part Italian bitters.” Later, those bitters became somewhat standardized as Campari - but back then they were probably using all sorts of Italian-style orange bitters which are close cousins of Campari. The drink fell out of favor with the rise of Italian fascism and WWII, but then had a renaissance when it was adopted as the drink of dopoguerra (“postwar”) Italy and of la dolce vita (“the sweet life”). Italy was suddenly very glamorous, and the Negroni became the drink of the jet-set in America, Europe, and beyond. Today the Negroni still carries that air of sophistication - appealing to those of refined palate (looking at you!) - and has become a seminal and foundational drink in the world of mixology. It’s simple 1:1:1 ratio and balance of herbaceousness, bitter, and sweet proved to be a phenomenal template upon which to riff. Here is one such riff discussed on the episode which I enjoy, where the sweet vermouth is split with Barolo Chinato - a fortified wine from Piedmont that leverages that region's legendary Barolo wine. Barolo Chinato borrows much of its nature from sweet vermouths - leveraging quinine and other bittering agents used in Italian and French vermouths - but is sweeter and richer. So this one is a nice one to try if someone claims that Negroni’s are a bit too bitter (challenge them with this one!), and also a wonderful rich variation Negroni lovers will enjoy.Cheers!Barolo Split Negroni Cocktail Spec, Serves One1  oz (~ ml) - Dry Gin )Botanist or Plymouth recommended)1 oz (~ ml) - Campari.5 oz (~ ml) -  Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi de Torino or Carpano Antica Formula recommended).5 oz (~ ml) -  Barolo ChinatoGarnish - orange twist or oliveThe process:Add all ingredients to a mixing pitcher and then add ice. Stir until cold, or approx. 30 seconds. If you prefer having it up, strain into a couple or cocktail glass, or add a large ice cube to a rocks glass and pour the drink over it. Express the oils from the orange peel, rub on the rim (and stem it you are using a coupe or cocktail glass) and then drop in. (Preparation time: 3 minutes)There is plenty of room for others at the cocktail party! Why not share a drink and an interesting perspective to talk about while you enjoy it! Please share with you network or workplace today. Thank you!Thank you for reading and listening. If you have a guest suggestion or feedback for us, please reach out. If you are looking for Brian online, you can find him here, here, and here. And find Bill here and here. Be well, be safe, and here is to good business! Cheers! - Brian & BillCocktails & Commerce™ is a wholly owned subsidiary of StrategyēM, LLC. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cocktailsand.substack.com

We are back with another great episode of the C&C Pod, this time with the delightful Vicki Cantrell, founder of Vendors in Partnership. Many of you know Vicki, not only did she found Vendors in Partnership, she has held many key leadership roles in the commerce and retail community, including Shop.org and NRF, as well as COO and CIO roles across retail and fashion.Vicki joined Bill and I to mix up some Margaritas and discuss the client and technology vendor relationship, what it really means for businesses and their vendors to truly partner. It is a great conversation, looking at this critical relationship from a new perspective. For the spec on the Tommy Margarita we discussed (perhaps too much!), see below.Cheers! And do let us know what you think of the podcast!It’s great to have you here! If you are already a subscriber to Cocktails & Commerce, thank you! If you are new here, welcome! Please do subscribe, we want to be sure you make it to the next party. Thanks in advance!Become a Member of the Cocktails & Commerce Society!Looking for time with us? Want to talk about our articles and our perspectives - what it means for you and your organization. Want to discuss the state of the market and how your company is competing? Want to talk over your strategy; sales motions and challenges; your career; your start-up idea; or… our favorite topic, cocktails? Become a member of the Cocktails & Commerce Society and you can!Though we often try to find time for those who reach out, if you buy a membership to Cocktails & Commerce you are guaranteed priority access to us. Plus we will throw in some amazing C&C swag (see an example below) - plus a VIP pass to our annual Cocktails & Commerce party in NYC, as well other member events we plan to mix-up for members.We are only offering a very limited number of memberships at this time (we are very busy!), so act now if you are interested. We are calling this thing the Cocktails & Commerce Society, because - well - because we want to. Cost is US $500/yr, but you can expense it! This is research! If interested, simply email us at ccs@strategyem.com and we will go from there. (And it will all be under NDA!)About a Tommy’s MargaritaIf you listen to the episode, no doubt you will be sold on a Tommy’s Margarita just as Vicki was on the show. As we discussed, the traditional Margarita recipe features tequila, fresh lime juice, and orange liqueur, but as with most classics, bartenders and enthusiasts have found many ways to riff on the original formula. One such twist has become a modern classic, the Tommy’s Margarita, which was created by bartender Julio Bermejo in the early ’90s at his family’s San Francisco restaurant Tommy’s Mexican. It focuses on the holy trinity of Mexican mixology - 100% agave tequila, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice.Sweetened solely with agave nectar, the Tommy’s Margarita is built to feature the tequila - so if you have  a great, 100% agave blanco tequila that is free of refined sugar or additives blanco tequila, this one is a great one to try. The Tommy is a slightly less sweet Margarita that puts the focus on tequila while saving the drinker a few calories (who’s counting!). In the ’90s, the Tommy’s Margarita became emblematic of a lighter, fresher style of eating and drinking that was taking place in California and which still drives much of the culinary and bar scene today.Like the classic, the Tommy’s Margarita is typically shaken and served on the rocks in a salt-rimmed glass. It is quick and easy to make in batches, so features well at the summer barbeque. If you want to go deeper on a Cadillac Margarita - my own riff on the classic - check out C&C Issue No.8, where I go deep on a wonderful original, the Kickback Cadillac. Meanwhile, here is how to make a classic Tommy:Tommy’s Margarita Cocktail Spec, Single serving:2  oz (~60 ml) - Blanco tequila (recommend 100% agave tequila, such as the excellent Fortaleza Blanco)1 oz (~30 ml) - Fresh lime juice.5 oz (~15 ml) -  Agave nectarGarnish - salt rimThe process:Rub the rim of a rocks glass with a lime wedge, dip the rim in salt to coat, and set aside. Add the tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar to a shaker with ice. Shake until well-chilled (minimum 15 seconds). Strain over fresh ice into the prepared glass. (Preparation time: 5 minutes)There is plenty of room for others at the cocktail party! Why not share a drink and an interesting perspective to talk about while you enjoy it! Please share with you network or workplace today. Thank you!If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, or have a guest suggestion, please reach out. If you are looking for Brian online, you can find him here, here, and here. And find Bill here and here. Be well, be safe, and here is to good business! Cheers! - Brian & BillCocktails & Commerce™ is a wholly owned subsidiary of StrategyēM, LLC. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cocktailsand.substack.com

Well, we are finally here, dropping our first episode of the C&C Podcast. We have a whopper of a first guest, none other than the venerable Kelly Geotsch. Many of you know Kelly well - he is a commerce thought-leader, multiple-time author, Chief Strategy Officer at commercetools, and co-founder and former Chair of the MACH Alliance. Kelly joined Bill and I on the inaugural podcast to mix up some Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioneds, discuss the future of the MACH Alliance - including my recent article - as well as commercetools, the state of the commerce platform market, and much more. I know many of you will find our discussion about my recent article on the MACH Alliance very interesting. Thanks to Kelly for jumping on and being our first guest as we work out the kinks on the C&C pod, but I do think it turned out great. For the spec on a Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned we discuss on the show, see below.Cheers! And do let us know what you think of the podcast. It’s great to have you here! If you are already a subscriber to Cocktails & Commerce, thank you! If you are new here, welcome! Please do subscribe, we want to be sure you make it to the next party. Thanks in advance!Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned Cocktail Spec: Single serving:2 oz (~ ml) - Brandy (Korbel recommended)1-2 oz (~ ml) - Lemon-lime soda, sour soda, and/or seltzer2 dashes - Angostura bitters1-3 - Sugar Cubes1 - Orange wedge 1 - Cocktail cherryThe process:Place the sugar cube(s) in the bottom of an Old Fashioned or rocks glass. Dash the bitters on top of the sugar cube, then add the orange wedge and cherry in the glass. Muddle the sugar, bitters, orange, and cherry - being sure to muddle the orange peel to express the oils - muddle until the mixture becomes a slushy, grainy mix (~5-6 crushes with the muddler should do it). Add the brandy, giving the glass a swirl before you add ice and top with the lemon-lime soda, sour soda, and/or seltzer water. (Preparation time: 5 minutes)Notes:* “Sour soda” refers to tart sodas like Squirt, which is in my book the way to go in a Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned.Please share! There is plenty of room for others at the cocktail party! Why not share a drink and an interesting perspective to talk about while you enjoy it! If you are interested in being a guest on the C&C Pod, or have a guest suggestion, please reach out. If you are looking for Brian online, you can find him here, here, and here. And find Bill here and here. Be well, be safe, and here is to good business! Cheers! - Brian & BillCocktails & Commerce™ is a wholly owned subsidiary of StrategyēM, LLC. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cocktailsand.substack.com