What is Soju? Inside The 13th-Century Spirit Taking Over the West | Hello Soju CEO Elisabeth Baron

<p>Today, we discover the magic of soju.</p><p><br /></p><p>Despite its 13th-century origins and massive global popularity, this incredible rice-based spirit is still a mystery to many in the US. I sit down with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-baron1" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Elisabeth Baron</a>, the CEO of <a href="https://hellosoju.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Hello Soju</a>, to taste five distinct flavors of their sparkling spin on the spirit (plus the core juice) and get to the bottom of the "K-Cal culture" phenomenon.</p><p><br /></p><p>From Asian Pear to Green Grape, we learn how Elisabeth is blending traditional Korean culture with the modern California lifestyle. We dive into the science of modernizing a historic beverage, the secret to getting "liquid to lips," and how to build a vibrant community around a brand.</p><p><br /></p><p>Plus, stick around to the end to see how to execute the perfect, high-octane "Soju Bomb," before Elisabeth shares some incredibly vulnerable advice on balancing family, knowing your worth, and making bold career leaps.</p><p><br /></p><p>00:00 Intro &amp; The Rise of K-Cal Culture</p><p>01:19 Asian Pear &amp; What is Soju?</p><p>06:44 Lychee &amp; Innovating Heritage Brands</p><p>12:05 Lemon Yuzu &amp; Taking Career Leaps</p><p>17:20 Peach &amp; Breaking into the Market</p><p>20:45 Green Grape &amp; The Lightning Round</p><p>24:37 The Hello Soju Bomb</p><p>26:46 Last Call: Choosing Family Over Prestige</p><p><br /></p><p>#businesspodcast #pittsburgh #thoughtliters</p><p><br /></p><p>WHAT IS THOUGHT LITERS?</p><p>Thought Liters is a series created and hosted by Adam Conner. On the show, Adam learns from the top of the world through the bottom of their glass. Each episode, we share a flight of local craft with the best and brightest brand minds around – whether it be an entrepreneur, an athlete, an artist, or otherwise. The questions evolve as the sip changes.</p><p>The show is proudly founded and produced in Pittsburgh, PA.</p><p>The whole goal is to have conversations about business with a more lighthearted look and feel. Adam thinks most business content is dry, and wants to change that.</p><p>If you’re interested, follow along! If not, that’s cool too. But if you wanna be where the thought leaders are…you’ll tune in to where Thought Liters is.</p>