Bimble Beverages' Jay Moscowitz on the Power of Sampling and Direct-to-Consumer Marketing

I'm not exactly sure how we got here, but a few minutes into my chat with Jay Moskowitz (and eventually his wife Janet), I confessed.

We've had some Bimble stashed in the fridge at the office for a minute, and like some sort of obsessed yet suddenly zen prison break, I'd been sneaking it out on the downlow. It probably had something to do with the fact that these tend to be a pretty refreshing way to chill out, these CBD and honey concoctions, blended to help you downshift.

Along the way, we learn about Wharton MBAs and what it's like to be a beekeeper. We ask why so many ex-finance guys end up running successful brands, and why someone might take up bookkeeping 'to relax.'

With Bimble, apparently, the first sip is just the beginning.

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1. What will be your primary focus in 2023 as a business owner?

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Survival. Surely there will be a lot of economic headwinds next year, and it will be more important than ever to watch your expenses and focus on low risk methods of growing revenues.

2. What is the best-kept secret that more founders should know about?

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I don’t understand….it’s a secret!

3. How are you managing your mental health as a founder?

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I always took pride in handling my mental health as a bond trader, but it’s been an entirely different story as a Founder. It’s 24/7, and it’s our money so we try our best. Luckily we have our mini Sanctuary outside of NYC where we keep bees, garden, water ski and wakesurf and enjoy sunsets.

4. What is your dream collaboration?

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We dream of collaborating with Bumble. Have a Bimble when you Bumble. Chill, then swipe. Our beekeeping mission, our providing a healthy way to deal with social anxiety, it’s a perfect fit!

5. If you were starting from scratch as a DTC founder, where would you allocate 90% of your capital?

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First thing, I wouldn't spend on strategy consultants. Everything has to have an immediate impact on revenues. Take that money and plow it into sampling. Get the product out there. In our case, get bottles (or cans) in hands.

6. What do you think is the most common mistake founders make?

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This question hurts too much, because I’ve probably made most of them!

7. What is your go-to marketing channel?

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Marketing channels, particularly paid Social, in the CBD business is like playing a game of Whack-a-Mole. Right now we’ve had some success on FB, but ask me again next week and it might be different!