Impact investing is an investment strategy that is built on the intention of generating positive social or environmental impact through business investments. On this episode of the Park Street Insider podcast, Andrew Merinoff, the founder of DisPact Ventures and Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur, sits down with Emily Pennington to discuss the intersection of impact investing and brand development.
He’ll take listeners through his investment strategy and help them understand the decision-making process behind how he allocates funds. He also covers the values his company operates under and the types of change he hopes to inspire in the wider bev-alc market.
Merinoff will also get specific about the models brands should adopt to succeed in the long term. He offers his perspective on the importance of building the right team, what he wants to hear from brands when sizing up a potential investment and how brand owners should approach an exit strategy.
Listeners will also hear how his experience in the impact investment sector helped inform the brand development strategies he adopted when founding Chinola. He’ll dive into his motivations for starting the brand, how his team brought the brand to market, and the models he thinks brands should use to succeed long term.
Episode Breakdown:
Merinoff’s background – 3:36
Merinoff’s principles of team building – 11:05
Investment strategy at DisPact Ventures – 13:55
Merinoff on industry disruption – 23:09
Brand exit strategy – 34:24
The founding of Chinola – 36:50
Route to market strategy – 41:51
Key Quote:
“I think there are certain brands that need to chase top-line revenue, but most brands don’t need to do that. They need to find their path for organic growth because companies will not buy you if there is no route to eventual profitability. If you can’t leave a piece for acquisition that allows them immediate growth, you’re going to fall short of that target.”
In this episode you’ll hear from:
Andrew Merinoff, Founder, DisPact Ventures and Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur
Mentioned in this episode:
- DisPact Ventures: https://www.dispactventures.com/
- Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur: https://chinola.com/
This episode was recorded in September of 2022 as part of the Park Street Insider Podcast’s “What’s Trending” series.
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