Meet Jen Taylor | Owner, Founder | El Jets’ Tequila

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jen Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’m a brand person, so for me that’s where it all starts. After developing several brands in the Outdoor, Real Estate & Hospitality Industries, it’s almost a curiosity for me to crack the code on different industries. How the brand fills a space, and how the business framework parlays into the storyline. To me, a brand tells a story almost like a book with characters, plot lines, etc. Once you step inside the house of a brand, how are the senses populated? Sights, smells, tastes, textures, sounds… in developing the house of the El Jet’s Cantina & Sky Outpost brand (the story began with the vision for a Cantina & Outdoor Adventure Basecamp on the riverfront in Grand Junction, CO), the house tequila was the obvious first next launch. El Jet’s cigars to follow. While I began this brand journey in 2003, I didn’t dive into the tequila until 2018. It was then I engaged my business partner, Paul Aieta, to help with product development. The ‘best time’ in a business is always a point of reflection, and in my sage older years I’m very aware that we are in the best time right now… bringing a tequila brand and product line to market!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
El Jet’s Tequila is a woman-owned business focusing on premium tequilas aged in whiskey barrels, inspired by the grit and hell-yeah attitude of the outdoor & cycling industries from whence we came. The one-day house brand for El Jet’s Cantina, our brand is rooted in an authentic origin story dating back to 2003 – a 14-day road trip down the Baja on a quest for the best fish tacos & margaritas. By the time we came back across the border we knew the best tacos & margs were still out there. At that moment, the “El Jet’s Cantina” brand was born. That story sets us apart. The business is totally bootstrapped by my day-job in real estate. Sustainable growth, expanding wholesale distribution one state at a time (it’s only available in Colorado at this time). Nothing in business is really ever easy – it’s carving your own path the entire time. It should be a lot of FUN though. One challenge at a time… they tangle less and unravel easier that way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Grand Junction is the outdoor basecamp to the West, so it’s fun to explore the immediate terrain, eateries and watering holes, as well as day-trip to any of the mountain towns, hot springs, national parks/forest/monuments within a 2-3 hour drive. We have a favorite food truck called Pronto Pronto that we try to hit when it’s at Ramblebine Brewery. Hot Tomato in Fruita is our other go-to. Bin 707 & Taco Party are on the short list as well.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
In developing the El Jet’s Tequila collection we have learned from and leaned on several insightful professionals in the spirits industry – some consultants whom we happily paid for their time, others generously offered their hard-earned insights to contribute to a more direct path to success for our brand. I certainly give a shout out to my business partner, Paul. We have both hustled through the years to maintain our day jobs, and he with his young family and traditional working hours was more challenged to carve time; yet, he has been a champion for our company. For me, I look further back in the rearview mirror to my work families of past lives. Growing brands & businesses from startup (Mountain Sprouts) through high-growth years (Mountain Khakis) to working within a mega-house of brands and launching new product collections therein (Remington), there are several mentors whose voices are regular guests in my decisions. Naming names, Ross Saldarini, Victoria Payne & Scott Blackwell are top among them all.

Website: https://eljetstequila.com

Instagram: eljetstequila