Meet Maggie

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maggie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with maggie below.

Maggie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

Being true to myself, trusting my intuition and appreciating the importance of the small tasks.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am an owner/operator of Salida Distillery. A high mountain distillery with a focus on small batch spirits and environmental sustainability. My husband, brother and I concocted this idea in 2020 as we drove past a sign that literally said “make a plan, not a dream”. It came to fruition last spring, opening our doors in Salida CO in may of 2024. Gabe, my husband, had been working for another craft distillery in eastern PA at the time. I was a working artist at a large non-profit art facility and we had just given birth to our second child. In four years time, we relocated back across the country with our young family, my career path took a complete 180 turn, started a new company in a flooded industry, and built out the brick and mortar production and tasting room areas. I was (am) balancing raising young children, establishing a new business, tight budget, and entire lifestyle change.
I feel the fact that the three of us looked at these daunting feats with faith and determination, rather than fear and doubt is remarkable. We each individually had trust and resilience and collectively built out of nothing something that is bigger than any one of us could have imagined.
We are currently producing and self distributing our three flagship spirits; StagRabbit, a blended bourbon, Water Rights, a botanical gin, and Aquamarine a double filtered vodka. We get our grains from the San Luis Valley and donate a portion of all bottle sales back to a local non-profit. From its origin we wanted to build a company that lifted up this local economy and participated in environmentally consciouses practices. We are the only distillery in the state of CO to be recognized as a gold level Colorado Green Business Network, and two out of three of our products have received medals in an international spirit competition put on by the ADI (American Distilling Institute).
This coming spring we’re looking forward to our second annual Kentucky Derby event. Where we shut down the street and host Hobby Horse Derby races. It’s a fun community event that brings life to the tail end of the shoulder season. We also have a few new products we’re in the R&D phase of, including a possible NA Gin, collaboration with a tequila distillery from Mexico and possibly releasing a canned “Gin & Booch”.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Optimism, work ethic and communication have been the most helpful tools in my toolbox. Regardless of my role; non-profits, for profits individual or team endeavors. My optimism traditionally stems from a deep routed belief I have in myself; I can do anything I put my mind to. I would advise other entrepreneurs to understand what it is that makes them tick, what are you passionate about, and how that naturally overlaps with your intrinsic talents and skills? Once you understand why you are putting in the endless hours, the what, or relentless work ethic, comes a bit more gracefully. And finally, communication – possibly the most challenging. At the end of the days its about connection. Nothing happens in a vacuum. the better I can hear and understand from my piers, clients, mentors; the better I can respond, pivot, and ask for help.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

When I was a kid, my grandfather would take some amalgamation of his grandkids (there are 24 of us spanning over 20 years of an age difference!) on three week camping trips across the country. Looking back on those summer experiences; they were simply magical coming of age stories where personal responsibility, met freedom and a bigger sense of belonging. From setting up tents that 8 of us would sleep in. I remember being one of the younger smaller kids and always getting squished into the corners. On rainy evenings, or just mornings with a heavy dew, I would be soaked and have to make sure to sundry my bag before stuffing it up and returning it to its space in the camper. Always making sure you were accountable for your things. Because Poppop would throw that crap out the camper window without a moments hesitation! There was no time, space or tolerance for lazy excuses. My parents not only let me and my siblings go on these feral trips to the Wyoming Mountains and bayous of Florida, but encouraged them. This instilled in me a sense of adventure and understanding that this world was one that you could take by the wheel and steer yourself into any space you choose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.SalidaDistillery.com
• Instagram: @salidadistillery
• Facebook: Salida Distillery

Image Credits

Lance Kittle, Amanda Podesta