Restaurant Owners Uncorked · 2026-04-28 · 1h 5m
Brandon McCraney, the owner and master blender of Old Raleigh Distillery in Zebulon, North Carolina. Brandon details his diverse career journey. from working in hospitality during college to serving as an Air Force officer and a corporate executive - before a pivotal "failure" to secure a VP role led him to pursue his passion for bourbon. He describes the grueling four-year process of opening his distillery, which involved navigating the intense regulations of the spirits industry, facing twelve bank rejections, and eventually emptying his 401k to open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Central to Brandon's leadership philosophy is the concept of "Extreme Ownership," where he takes full responsibility for team outcomes to create better protocols rather than placing blame. He also explains his strategic decision to focus on the art of blending over traditional distillation, allowing for greater creative freedom and the ability to master his craft through high-volume experimentation . Ultimately, Brandon attributes the distillery's success and its hundreds of five-star reviews to his team's ability to flourish within established "field goal posts" of autonomy.
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