Meet Nathan Wannlund | Founder

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

Hi Nathan, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk-taking for me is an essential part of growing as a person, and it expands the boundaries of what is possible. I have found, more often than not, internal risk calculations have major blind spots, which can make a decision look safer than it is or much more dangerous than it really is. I have a fairly high risk tolerance, which is important to know because it creates miscalculations if I am not careful. Truly knowing this and recognizing how it skews decision-making has been the hardest part, but the most important step forward in my career and life. I am still not perfect at managing this, even now in my 40s, but I can say with certainty I am much better than I was 10 or 20 years ago. Taking risks is the only way to change and grow—ideally, you find your tolerance and expose yourself to the amount you just barely can handle. More may break you, and less will lead to apathy and decline.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have almost always worked for someone else and their vision for the company. The plan for this venture is to leverage my experience and ideas to bring something new and unique to life. I’ve worked in many different roles—both as an individual contributor and team lead—across a range of industries. Most recently, I’ve worked with small to large producers of packaged products. This will be my second attempt at launching a business; my first effort failed, but it left me with a lot of valuable lessons. “Education isn’t free” is a saying I know all too well.

I believe those failures, along with everything I’ve learned in past roles, have built a strong foundation for this new endeavor. I can step into this brand with a much clearer understanding of how hard it will be to make it work.

The biggest thing I want people to know about this brand and story is this: METTLE will be built on the values and understanding that everyone involved is critical to—and will share in—the company’s success. It will take a community to build something special, and that community should be rewarded when we get there. It’s about the ecosystem first.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love this scenario! Colorado has so much to offer, and oftentimes I love to approach it as if I am a tourist for the day—looking for new and exciting things to do. If they are here for a bit, there will be some mountain excursions for sure—especially in the summer. Finding a beautiful hike and mountain town to spend the day would be fantastic. I love to go to the resort towns, but even more so the ones that aren’t as well-known. Leadville and Twin Lakes come to mind (but the locals may not want too many more people up that way).

As far as Denver goes, a tour of the city is always a great idea—from South Broadway up through Downtown and RiNo, then over to the Highlands. Regardless of the food or drink styles you’re into, there’s a spot to hit. The best part of the city’s growth has been the amazing places to eat and drink. A go-to for me is walking along the alleyways in RiNo to check out the street art, then eventually finding my way to Pon Pon for a drink. Love that spot.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a tough one, since so many people, ideas, books, and experiences brought me to the point of launching this business. I’d have to say the biggest inspiration has been the creators, artists, musicians, and chefs who put themselves out there each and every day. They create new, interesting, and inspiring work that enriches every aspect of culture and life. The cocktails we make are a toast to the courage it takes to share your work with the world.

As we build this brand, our goal is to support and shine a light on the vibrant and diverse creative communities in Colorado and beyond. Most importantly, I would like to give a shoutout to Izzy Esber, who oversees the strategy and voice of METTLE. They have a deep passion for the brand’s mission and the skill set to bring it to life—we’re incredibly lucky to have them as part of this.

Website: https://mettlebeverage.com

Instagram: @mettlecannedcocktails

Facebook: Mettle Beverage

Other: Still building out our socials, but Instagram and our Website are the best place to start

Image Credits
Blake Borgeson