cover of episode Ep 103: Raj Bhakta Created WhistlePig; Now He's Reinventing the Whiskey Industry (Again)

Ep 103: Raj Bhakta Created WhistlePig; Now He's Reinventing the Whiskey Industry (Again)

2024/11/29
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Raj Bhakta讲述了他从海军陆战队退役后，在投资银行、房地产、政治和电视真人秀等领域的经历，以及他如何创立WhistlePig威士忌品牌并取得成功。他还分享了他收购一所大学的计划，以及他希望通过教育来重建社会道德基础的愿景。他强调了坚持梦想、从错误中学习以及永不放弃的重要性。他还谈到了他独特的创业理念，以及他对美国未来的乐观态度。 Jill Lonsdale作为主持人，引导Raj Bhakta分享了他的人生经历和创业故事，并就他的观点和经历进行提问和探讨。她对Raj Bhakta的创业历程和人生哲学表示赞赏，并就一些关键问题进行了深入的探讨，例如他如何克服逆境，以及他对于美国社会现状的看法。

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Raj Bhakta discusses his decision to acquire Green Mountain College in Vermont and his vision for building a new university grounded in American founding values.
  • Raj bought the college during the COVID-19 lockdown.
  • He envisions the college as a place for fundamental education based on classical virtues.
  • The college will also house a world-class spirit library.

Shownotes Transcript

Raj Bhakta is best known as the founder of Whistlepig Whiskey. But he also served in the Marines, rode an elephant across the Rio Grande while running for Congress, won a spot on The Apprentice with Donald Trump, recently purchased a college, and is reinventing the whiskey game (again). He's a patriot and creator of one-of-a-kind spirits — with a personality to match.

The son of immigrants, Raj grew up learning his father's hotel business before setting out on his own. After adventures in investment banking, reality TV, and politics, he saw an opening in high-end American whiskey — and he seized it. WhistlePig quickly became one of the premier craft whiskeys. After exiting in 2019, he secured one of the world's oldest stashes of Armagnac and launched his newest ventures: Hogsworth) and Bhakta Spirits).

Raj recently acquired the now-defunct Green Mountain College in Vermont, where he plans to build a new university grounded in our Founding values, along with a world-class spirit library. We sample his newest whiskeys, joke about religion and politics, and learn from a great American entrepreneur.

00:00 Episode intro

01:44 Why Raj bought a college

03:32 Riding an elephant across Rio Grande

08:49 Origin story of WhistlePig

11:32 Growing up in America; joining Marines

18:32 Acquiring world's biggest stash of Armagnac

23:20 Building Hogsworth / how to blend whiskey

24:13 Catholicism vs Judaism

29:11 Working with Trump on The Apprentice

32:03 Bhakta Spirits & why drink Armagnac

39:40 Why Raj is building a new college

44:35 Advice for entrepreneurs

51:25 Bullying and adversity This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.joelonsdale.com)