Meet Ben Branson, founder of the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits company. There’s a huge focus on nature at Seedlip, as you’ll see from their amazing branding in the photos. Jorge brought a few bottles home for us to try and we loved them. There’s the spicy and woody Seedlip Spice 94 and the green and floral Seedlip Garden 108. Both make excellent mixers and you can check out some of their recipes if you’re curious! Their drinks are stocked in some prestigious places like The Savoy, The Ledbury, Selfridges, Chiltern Firehouse, The Clove Club, Claridges and Sexy Fish to name just a few.
Below, Ben shares the story of his company’s beginnings, three books that have inspired his business and three of life’s little luxuries he’s experienced lately.
Little Observationist: Give us your tweet-sized elevator pitch. What’s your business all about?
Ben Branson: A nature company called Seedlip that makes drinks to solve the dilemma of what to drink when you’re not drinking.
Photo: Seedlip Spice 94
LO: Now tell us more: What sets you apart from your competition?
BB: We are the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits company offering people adult, unsweet and sophisticated drinks. We’re slightly biased but we’d take a Seedlip & tonic over a coca cola or orange juice any day!
Photo: Seedlip Spice 94
LO: Share a bit of background about yourself and your company.
BB: Seedlip’s story begins in the 17th century. Apothecaries were distilling non-alcoholic herbal remedies and my family had just begun farming in Lincolnshire using baskets called Seedlips to sow seed.
Fast forward to 2013, I was running my own boutique brand design firm and came across a book written in 1651 called The Art of Distillation that documented these remedies. With my little copper still in my kitchen, I began recreating the recipes and bringing together my family’s heritage and my career into a bottle to solve a modern dilemma.
Photo: Seedlip Spice 94
LO: Which social media platforms do you use for your business? Has this been time well invested? Any tips for newcomers?
BB: I am more of an analogue person but have found that for Seedlip, Instagram has been a great way to show our story and share our journey. Nature is extremely visual and we have found some good early traction through posting there. My only tip is to start sharing your journey even before you think you have something to show as it’s a way to allow people to feel part of the process.
Photo: Seedlip Spice 94
LO: What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given that still resonates with you today? And your favourite resources for small business?
BB: “Focus” – I’m easily distracted.
I love three books:
1. Predatory Thinking by Dave Trott.
2. Do Purpose by David Hieatt.
3. Brutal Simplicity of Thought by M&C Saatchi.
Photo: Seedlip Garden 108
LO: What have been your biggest challenges and greatest rewards as a small business owner?
BB: Biggest challenge has been letting go of doing everything myself; greatest reward has been watching others do things far better than me!
Photo: Seedlip Garden 108
LO: What are your hopes for your business going forward: what would you most love to achieve as a short-term goal? And long term?
BB:
Short term – I have a very very new team and so spending time with them is critical to our future.
Long term – Big scary dreams!
Photo: Seedlip Garden 108
LO: Little Observationist is all about appreciating life’s little luxuries. Name three you’ve enjoyed recently.
BB:
– Wild strawberries in my garden
– The bees finding pollen on my thistles
– An evening walk with the dogs and my girlfriend in our pyjamas in the meadow behind our house.
Thanks Ben!
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