Distilling Greatness: From MLB to Field of Dreams Whiskey with Drew Storen
Release Date: 04/02/2025
The Athletics Of Business
What does it take to build a championship team, grow a nationally recognized brand, and create a lasting culture that performs under pressure? In this episode of The Athletics of Business, Ed Molitor welcomes back JJ Gottsch, CEO of the Austin Gamblers. They dive into the leadership, culture, and disciplined execution behind one of PBR Teams’ most successful organizations. JJ shares how the Gamblers’ success began with ownership that did more than set a bold vision. They backed it with trust, resources, and support, giving the team what it needed to build a year-round brand around a...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
What if the most powerful thing a coach does never shows up in a box score? Every athletic department tracks wins and losses. Many track all-state selections, district championships, and tournament appearances. But the metrics that often matter most — the ones tied to connection, resilience, attendance, joy, accountability, academic growth, and long-term student development — have largely gone unmeasured. Until now. In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, Ed Molitor is joined by Kyle Craighead and Joshua Childs to talk about the transformational impact coaches have on student...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
What happens when a sport’s history is bigger, deeper, and more culturally revealing than the story most people have been told? Soccer has always been part of the American sports landscape. Union soldiers played it during the Civil War. Crowds of 46,000 showed up for soccer in New York in the 1920s. Pelé brought nearly 200 journalists with him when he played for the New York Cosmos. But the real story is not just about soccer. It is about how culture is built, how momentum grows, how narratives take shape, and how the stories we choose to tell can either limit what people see or expand what...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
Most people spend their lives trying to avoid failure. Gavin Mlinar has built his life around walking straight into it. From leaving home to pursue freestyle skiing as a teenager, to returning after multiple knee injuries to earn a starting role on the football field, to walking away from a successful executive career without a clear plan for what came next, Gavin has repeatedly chosen uncertainty over comfort. And more often than not, those decisions began with a simple phrase: "Yes, I'll figure it out." In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, Ed Molitor is joined by Gavin...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
What if the best captain on your team is not the loudest, most talented, or most popular player? For John O’Sullivan and Dr. Jerry Lynch, true captaincy is not about status. It is about skill, choice, relationships, and the daily behaviors that help a team become more connected, accountable, and resilient. In this episode of The Athletics of Business, Ed Molitor is joined by John and Jerry to discuss their new book, Captain: The Athlete’s Guide to Being an Exceptional Leader. Together, they unpack why leadership in sports is often misunderstood, why teams should stop automatically...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
What changes when the work you lead is deeply personal? For Jeff Schaffnit, his career in the pharmaceutical industry is directly connected to his son, Carter, who was born with severe hemophilia. That personal experience shaped not only the work Jeff chose to pursue, but the kind of leader he strives to be. In this episode of The Athletics of Business, Ed Molitor and Jeff dive into what it takes to build a culture where purpose and performance strengthen one another. Jeff shares why patient stories serve as a North Star for his team, how he evaluates talent through the lens of heart, mind,...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
What keeps a coach grounded after more than 40 years, over 900 wins, 27 NCAA Tournament appearances, five consecutive Women’s Final Fours, and a national championship? For Bob Starkey, the answer has never been about the record. It has always been about the relationships. In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, Ed Molitor is joined by one of the most respected assistant coaches in women’s college basketball for a conversation about leadership, preparation, connection, and the standards that build great teams. Bob traces his coaching philosophy back to Alan Osborne, the...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
What does it take to build a championship culture that lasts? For Scott Howard, it starts with mentorship, trust, relationships, and a commitment to putting the team above yourself. In this episode of The Athletics of Business, host Ed Molitor reconnects with longtime friend Scott Howard, currently completing his 11th season with the Denver Nuggets organization after nearly four decades in basketball, including 17 years coaching in the college game and over two decades in the NBA. At the heart of this conversation is what truly builds championship culture. Scott shares how growing up in Iowa...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
Why do the same teams keep winning without the most talent? Is it because they’ve learned to embrace the grind, celebrate small wins, and lead people as humans first—so they’d run through a wall for each other? In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, host Ed Molitor is joined by , Area Vice President of US Surgical Sales at . As a former Division I Lacrosse captain at UNC-Chapel Hill, Meghan understands what it takes to build a winning culture. Today, she brings those same principles into her work, leading high-impact growth and turnaround efforts across the medical device,...
info_outlineThe Athletics Of Business
What if every frustrating conversation, every missed connection, and every stalled coaching moment with your team could be traced back to just four hidden forces, forces you've never been taught to see? In this episode of The Athletics of Business Podcast, host Ed Molitor is joined by Paul Bramson, elite leadership trainer, global keynote speaker, and author of Connecting Like A PRO®, to explore the hidden drivers behind every conversation, conflict, and coaching moment. Paul reveals the four underlying motivators that shape how we respond under pressure: the Need to Be Liked, the Need to Be...
info_outlineOur Guest
Drew Storen is a former Major League Baseball veteran of 8 seasons. Storen was drafted out of Stanford University by the Washington Nationals in the 1st round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2010 and quickly became a key figure in their bullpen, serving as their closer for several seasons.
Storen played for several teams during his career, including the Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and Cincinnati Reds. Storen retired from professional baseball after the 2020 season.
After his baseball career, Drew Storen founded the Field of Dreams Whiskey Company, a brand that distills the actual corn from the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa. The company focuses on connecting whiskey and baseball lovers alike through nostalgia and premium bourbon.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- How Drew’s bullpen mindset helped him thrive as an entrepreneur
- The story behind Field of Dreams Whiskey and how it came to life
- Why asking questions and learning from others is a competitive advantage
- How delayed gratification shows up in business vs. baseball
- The role of design, storytelling, and nostalgia in building a premium brand
- Why being coachable and resilient translates across industries
- How to trust your gut and make decisions under pressure
- The power of authenticity, humor, and creativity in leadership
Resources & Links
Drew Storen
- Website: https://drinkfieldofdreams.com/
- LinkedIn: Drew Storen
- Instagram: @drinkfieldofdreams
Check out this PLAYER SERIES BOTTLE LOOKUP and look for your player!
Ed Molitor
- LinkedIn: Ed Molitor
- Website: https://www.themolitorgroup.com/
Click here to learn More about the 2025 Coaching Effect Summit