Most business content only shows the outcome.

The revenue. The growth. The success story.

But almost nobody talks about the cost.

In this first episode of Built the Hard Way, Joshua Pies sits down with Brandon McCraney, founder and master whiskey blender behind Old Raleigh Distillery, to talk about what it really took to build a craft whiskey company from scratch.

Brandon shares the full journey: leaving corporate leadership behind, risking his family’s future on an SBA loan, renovating a distillery during COVID, nearly running out of money before opening day, and ultimately building one of the most unique whiskey brands in the country.

This conversation goes far beyond bourbon.

It’s about entrepreneurship, resilience, creativity, leadership, craftsmanship, community, and the mindset r ...