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🎙SMB15: Buying a Distillery Out of Bankruptcy with Jordan Griffie, Co-Owner of Valor Peak Distillery

Jordan Griffie went from buying assets out of bankruptcy to building a veteran-backed distillery in Colorado, with lessons on cashflow, culture, and not treating business like a hobby

Author

William Fry
September 03, 2025

This is SMB15, a rapid-fire interview series featuring small business owners, investors and service providers. We dig into different industries, business models, and SMB topics. Hosted by Will Fry, founder of Mainshares.

Listen now on Spotify or YouTube.

From $2M worth of equipment bought for just $265K to building a team around veterans and experienced distillers, Jordan Griffie’s story isn’t your typical spirits launch. In this episode, Jordan shares how Valor Peak Distillery came together out of a bankruptcy auction, and the systems, culture, and discipline that keep it running like a business instead of a hobby.

Some takeaways:

  1. Treat it like a business, not a hobby. Most distilleries fail because founders chase passion for “making great juice” but forget the basics: systems, sales, distribution. Jordan and his team flipped that, prioritizing revenue channels (like private label) and business discipline over chasing perfection in the product alone.

  2. Buy assets smart, not retail. The Valor Peak team picked up a $2M setup for $265K out of bankruptcy. Auctions and bank-owned assets are opportunities if you know where to look, and they let you launch at scale without crushing debt.

  3. Use private label as a revenue bridge. Brand awareness takes time. Cashflow can’t wait. Valor Peak’s private-label program (36-bottle minimum with your logo) funds operations and distribution pushes while the Valor Peak brand grows.

  4. Don’t lock into long distribution deals. Distributors want 5–7 year contracts. Jordan insisted on flexibility, a 2-year deal with a 90-day out. It’s better to learn the industry before locking yourself in.

  5. Manage by lead measures. Instead of obsessing over last week’s revenue, Jordan asks his managers: “What does it look like to win the week?” Lead measures drive the lagging results, and if lagging results aren’t there, you adjust the leads.

  6. Change nothing for 90 days. Whether starting or acquiring, the first rule is: don’t change anything. Observe, map systems, then implement strategically. Overloading teams too soon destroys trust.

  7. Build culture with personality insights. Every employee takes the Enneagram test. It helps managers tailor communication and motivation. Add the rule: if you bring a problem, bring at least one possible solution. Ownership is built into the culture.

  8. Anchor your drive in family. Jordan’s why is clear: provide a life for his kids without the stress of bills hanging overhead. That clarity informs how he structures, operates, and grows every business he touches.

Where to find Jordan and Valor Peak Distillery:

In this interview, we discuss:

  • 0:00 First Business

  • 0:41 Lessons on Saving vs. Leveraging Debt

  • 1:19 Starting Valor Peak Distillery

  • 2:32 Buying Distillery Assets Out of Auction

  • 3:30 Launching with a Full Spirit Lineup

  • 4:17 Why Most Distilleries Fail

  • 5:06 Private Label Strategy

  • 6:01 Distributor Terms

  • 6:42 $2M Distillery Bought for $265K

  • 8:51 Alcohol’s Three-Tier Pricing Explained

  • 10:13 What Distributors Want

  • 11:23 Building the Team

  • 13:36 Win the Week

  • 16:15 The 90-Day Rule

  • 19:33 What Drives Jordan