2 Fat Guys Spirits, Mike Long and Richard Parker
"Who would have thought a business idea would start from a 40th birthday party in Bozeman Montana in 2010? One of the two fat guys was celebrating his birthday and one of his professors from Montana State University came to the party with her significant other, Greg. Greg handed a mason jar to the birthday boy and said “Happy birthday”. After seeing a quizzical face, he said “It is homemade gin”. The gin was so incredible we asked him if he could show us the secrets to the good life and the rest is history.
Sadly this genius is no longer with us but his inspiration in distilled spirits lives on with us. One of the two fat guys is a microbiologist, the other a mechanical engineer; a match made in distillate heaven. Our spirits are created through a meticulous product development process within a laboratory environment with the result being a very well-engineered product… Who are we kidding? Years of practice along with some dumb luck have allowed us to produce some great spirits which we are so proud to share with you. We hope you enjoy our line of products created in our wonderful Gallatin County in Montana."
"In December of 2020 (yes, we started a gin company during a pandemic), our first product, Ginger Bear Gin, hit the Montana liquor stores. In our 1st year of operation, we sold more gin than over half of the Montana-based gin producers.
We have been awarded gold medals in 3 tasting competitions for our Ginger Bear Gin in the San Francisco World Spirits, Las Vegas World Spirits, and American Distilling Institute tasting competitions. Not bad for our first year in operation. The ginger-forward spicy American Gin has a fantastic marriage of orange citrus and ginger which complements the traditional flavors and aromas of a gin. But wait, there’s more!
In November 2021, we released our 2nd gin, Sarcastic Dry Gin. This is more of a traditional dry gin with its juniper forward nosing and strong angelica root and coriander following. This is more like the gins from the old country.
We make gins - award-winning gins - non-traditional gins. That’s why we say our gins are “outside the lines”. To be successful in the distilled spirits market, you can’t be boring. Well, we definitely are not boring with our light-hearted brand name, logo, and gin names. We make people smile when they see our packaging and make them even happier when they taste our products."
Being handed a mason jar of homemade gin at my 40th birthday party by a former college professor's partner started the journey. I asked him to show me how it was done and the rest is history. Along with that experience, seeing the rise of micro-distilleries throughout the country also inspired me to follow my dreams of being a business owner.
One of the two fat guys was celebrating his birthday and one of his professors from Montana State University came to the party with her significant other, Greg. Greg handed a mason jar to the birthday boy and said “Happy birthday”.
We make non-traditional gins. Extremely flavorful gins. Only gins. Being based in Montana where whiskeys are perceived to be the main spirit of choice, we are breaking that mold and teaching some cowboys/girls that gin is not just for the big city folk. Having the flare of being a member of the LBGTQ+ community, the work ethic of a veteran, the technical knowledge of a mechanical engineer, and the life experiences of living in Montana give us a unique position in the industry.
Never having taken business classes in my secondary education and not having business management experience in my career, I knew I needed help starting a company. The wife of a Navy buddy started her business in the Seattle area and recommended I see if SCORE had a presence in the Bozeman area. Well, it did and tapped into the resource giving me the confidence and guidance on successfully starting a business.
Rick and Elizabeth reviewed my business plan making recommendations to make it more appealing. Rick's bookkeeping presentation helped with my first-year accounting and tax preparation. During the brand development process, Rick and Elizabeth's opinions helped define the demographic our products would appeal to, build a brand that reflects our personalities, and guide us in marketing the brand.
What Success Have You Achieved with SCORE?
Our business is started, have products on the market in Montana, and are working on getting distribution in the California and Florida markets initially. SCORE helped get us on a national stage recommending we apply to be part of the Perfect Pitch Competition with the hope of finding funding to push us into the national market.
They have extensive knowledge of the business startup procedure, marketing, and business development. Their insight into product packaging and marketing was instrumental in getting our light-hearted personalities represented in our company image, style, and packaging. They also do not hold back with criticism when it is warranted.
Putting 110% effort into creating, developing, and growing your business is required to be successful with the end goal being something you are proud of and continue to thrive.
Tap into all the resources they have to offer. Their connections in the business world are far-reaching and will help you in any way they can to reach your goals.
