WYNK - Educating Consumers One Sip at a Time

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Angus Rittenburg, Co-Founder and CEO of WYNK, to explore one of the fastest-growing trends in the beverage industry: low-dose THC drinks. Angus shared his incredible journey from engineering at Tesla and SpaceX to launching a scrappy startup with a vision for healthier, more social alternatives to alcohol. What struck me most was how much of WYNK’s story is about holding onto a vision—even when the path forward wasn’t clear and staying scrappy, adaptable, and true to quality. In this episode, Angus and I discuss everything from his early mentor, who taught him to value education over money, to the inventive mobile production systems that helped WYNK break into multiple states, to the massive regulatory unlock that allowed hemp-derived THC beverages to finally reach mainstream shelves.  Along the way, we also explored the challenges of consumer education, the better-for-you movement in beverages, and what it takes to not just build a product but build a category. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: * How a mentor’s belief in vision over money shaped Angus’s entrepreneurial journey * The scrappy origins of WYNK and how a mobile canning trailer became the company’s launchpad * Why low-dose THC beverages are poised to disrupt alcohol consumption trends * The regulatory shifts that allowed WYNK to expand beyond dispensaries into bars, restaurants, and liquor stores * How WYNK is investing in quality and compliance to build not just a brand, but an entire category Join me, Ramon Vela, as I listen to this fascinating episode of 'The Story of a Brand,' where we explore the vision, challenges, and triumphs behind WYNK, a brand rewriting the rules for social beverages.   For more on WYNK, visit: https://drinkwynk.com/   If you enjoyed this episode, please leave The Story of a Brand Show a rating and review.  Plus, don’t forget to follow us on Apple and Spotify.  Your support helps us bring you more content like this! * Today’s Sponsors: 1 Commerce: https://1-commerce.com/story-of-a-brand Scaling a DTC brand becomes harder the bigger you grow, especially when you’re limited to selling on just one channel.  While you’re focused on day-to-day ops, your competitors are unlocking marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and even retail shelf space—and capturing customers you’re missing. That’s where 1-Commerce comes in.  They help high-growth brands expand beyond their sites, handle end-to-end fulfillment, and scale through a revenue-share model that means they only win when you do.  As a Story of a Brand listener, you’ll get one month of free storage and a strategy session with their CEO, Eric Kasper.    Color More Lines: https://www.colormorelines.com/get-started Color More Lines is a team of ex-Amazonians and e-commerce operators who help brands grow faster on Amazon and Walmart. With a performance-based pricing model and flexible contracts, they’ve generated triple-digit year-over-year growth for established sellers doing over $5 million per year. Use code "STORY OF A BRAND” and receive a complimentary market opportunity assessment of your e-commerce brand and marketplace positioning.