Good-bye 2017 & Happy New Year!

As I sit down to write my year-end post I find myself a bit at a loss for the words to explain how I’m feeling about the closing of another year. On the one hand, I’m incredibly proud of what the Bourbon & Banter Team has accomplished in 2017 and excited for what 2018 holds for us. From hosting our biggest-ever Bourbon Heritage Month celebration, celebrating our 5th Anniversary in style with a trip to KY, and writing content they can be proud of, the team has gone above and beyond in 2017. But on the other hand, 2017 has been an incredibly difficult year personally with the loss of my job in August and my son’s continuing health issues. If it weren’t for the fantastic team behind Bourbon & Banter, I don’t think I would have had enough energy to keep the lights on in the second-half of this year. Thank you all for your hard work and support. It means the world to me.

The bottom line is that I’m ready to put 2017 behind me and focus on the promise of 2018. Come January 2nd it will be full-speed ahead on several fronts. Allow me to give you a few brief updates to set the stage for what’s to come in 2018.

NEW CONTRIBUTORS

We’re currently in the process of recruiting new writers for Bourbon & Banter. About a week ago we put out our Help Wanted post, and the response has been tremendous. The application deadline is midnight tonight. If you’re looking to join our team, don’t forget to complete the application process by the deadline. We’ll start reviewing applications on January 2nd and will follow-up with applicants with next steps shortly after that. You can expect to start seeing some sample blog posts near the end of the month.

EXPANDED CONTENT

We’re recruiting more than just new bourbon writers for the blog. We’re seeking out those who have a passion for gin, tequila, rum and whiskeys of all types. We’ve long felt that expanded coverage was a natural step for us and we’re excited to start the process of helping people #drinkcurious beyond bourbon. But don’t worry, our coverage of all things bourbon won’t change. We promise.

#DRINKCURIOUS

Speaking of drinking curious, we’ve got big plans around this concept that folks have been requesting for a few years now. We’re not going to show our hand quite yet, but we’re sure you’re going to love it and find it very useful as you continue your very own journey to #drinkcurious.

INTRODUCING DISTILLED MEDIA GROUP

On the personal front, I’ve decided to launch a new company to provide digital marketing and media services to small and medium-sized organizations. We will be open to providing services to companies in any industry, but our primary focus will be on helping alcohol-related businesses like distilleries and breweries. If you’re a business owner that would like to learn more about our services, please visit our website and request a free consultation. We’d love to help you take your business to the next level.

We’ve got a lot more planned for 2018, but we want to keep most of it a secret. It should be an exciting year for everyone that reads and contributes to Bourbon & Banter. As always, feel free to drop us a line and let us know how we’re doing. We love to hear feedback from our readers, and many of our new features and improvements are a direct result of reader feedback. We look forward to spending 2018 with you as we all continue to #drinkcurious.