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The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My FriendsAuthor: jeffpelaccio
Interviews with successful leaders and company founders sharing stories of their career journey, great leadership, and not-so-great. It will help you become a better leader while poking fun at all the crazy shit that happens in corporate America. Hosted by Jeff Pelaccio who has over 40 years of leadership experience for every t-shirt size company - Small (4 employees) to XL (over 1 million employees). Listen, learn, and laugh each week to learn from great leaders from all walks of life. Language: en Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Brian Rosen: No Half Measures - From Family Business to Billion-Dollar Platform
Episode 216
Monday, 20 April, 2026
What do Ironman races, bourbon barrels, and billion-dollar investment funds have in common? Brian Rosen. In this episode of The Corporate Couch, Brian (see his bio below) shares a wildly entertaining and insightful journey through three generations of the adult beverage industry from his grandfather’s Chicago saloon days (with some “alleged” connections you’ll want to hear about) to building one of the most sophisticated investment platforms in the space today. Brian is the General Partner of InvestBev, where he’s turned a lifetime in the business into a powerhouse platform managing nearly a billion dollars across equity, credit, and insurance strategies. But his story is anything but traditional. We talk about: • Why Brian believes in going “full” at everything (including Ironmans and leadership) • How a $5 million bourbon barrel bet turned into a $19 million return • The truth about celebrity tequila brands (and why most don’t work) • What’s really happening with alcohol consumption, cannabis beverages, and the future of drinking • The biggest misconceptions people have about the industry. Brian also shares incredible stories from his early days hustling in Chicago bars, building a $100M family business, and the eye-opening moment at PwC when he realized corporate life wasn’t for him. Along the way, you’ll hear his unfiltered take on leadership, including why failure is your best teacher and how great leaders let their teams own the spotlight. This is a conversation about grit, reinvention, and seeing opportunity where others don’t. And yes…we also cover tequila, gummies, and why moderation might be the biggest shift in the entire industry. If you like business stories with a little attitude and a lot of insight, this one delivers. This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on improving your culture, increasing employee engagement, and retention. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff. About Brian: Brian Rosen is a third-generation veteran of the adult beverage industry and the General Partner of InvestBev, the largest private equity platform dedicated exclusively to spirits and beverage alcohol. Under his leadership, InvestBev has grown into a global powerhouse, managing over $500 million in assets across equity, credit, and insurance strategies. Brian is known for thinking differently. He pioneered a bourbon barrel arbitrage strategy that’s delivered top-tier returns for nearly a decade and helped redefine spirits as a legitimate alternative asset class. Before InvestBev, he built and ran a $100 million retail liquor business, served as a partner at PwC, and worked with industry giants like Anheuser-Busch. A frequent keynote speaker and recognized industry leader, Brian has been featured in Forbes, CNN, and Wine Spectator, and has earned multiple honors, including Retailer of the Year and Wine Innovator of the Year. Bottom line: if there’s a smarter way to build value in the spirits world, Brian’s probably already figured it out.
