Meet Carlos Soto & Mike Arbanas

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carlos Soto & Mike Arbanas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlos, Mike, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Carlos: I am originally from Costa Rica, which is a rum drinking country and really only discovered tequila when I moved to California for college. Nosotros began as a college project back in 2015 after a professor told the class to come up with a business idea that was not technology-based. Not only did I discover tequila in college, but I also met my friend Mike, who is my Co-Founder.

I realized that with creativity and curiosity, I could create a unique tequila that was premium and different from anything else on the market. So, I took a personal loan out of the bank, went to Jalisco, and worked with a distiller to create what is now our Blanco tequila. While we have grown a lot in the five years we have been on the market, we still remain so rooted in what matters to us.

Mike: The name “Nosotros” translates to “us/we” in English. The decision to name our company Nosotros came down to how much we value spending time with loved ones. Nosotros is meant to be shared and to be part of building memories with family and friends.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Mike: Since the beginning, it has been important for us to find ways to be unique and stand out amongst the competition, especially all of the celebrity-owned tequila brands. As Carlos mentioned, we started Nosotros with a small bank loan, we’ve never relied on dollars to grow our brand, we have needed to rely on our product. For our Blanco, we were among the first brands to blend Highland and Lowland agaves, which has resulted in an amazing balance of light citrus and earthy complexion, the product that ultimately put us on the map after it won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Carlos: Once we found our voice as a growing brand with Blanco winning Double Gold, we hit the drawing board to figure out how else we could remain different. That is when we had the thought to age our Reposado in white oak rather than the traditional red oak, and why our Mezcal is also made with a blend of two agaves (Espadín and Tobalá).

Our journey has not been easy, but what startup journey is? If it seems easy, someone is just really good at covering up the road bumps. We are constantly seeking opportunities to grow, evolve, and think innovatively about how to take the brand to the next level. We plan to continue growing in our home state of California, and beyond. We are now sold in eight markets across the U.S., plus Costa Rica, Honduras, and Mexico, while always figuring out what the next market is going to be.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Carlos: Neither Mike nor myself are from LA originally, and part of what brought and kept us here is that LA has so much to offer. Nosotros is very West Coast centric, so we would definitely take advantage of what makes LA special, when showing a friend around. The first thing we would do with a friend visiting LA is bring them to the private tasting room at our office to try our tequila and mezcal. Being located near the airport, it is an easy first stop, and our tasting room is a component of our brand that we really love. Next, we would head to Manhattan Beach to soak up some sunshine and catch some waves.

Mike: In the evening we would probably head to Gran Blanco in Venice to grab some delicious cocktails like their Nosotros Espresso Martini, finishing off with dinner at Elephanté in Santa Monica. Watching the sunset from Elephanté really rounds out the LA experience and shows off the beauty of the city we call home.

Carlos: We are all about creating memories with friends and family, and appreciating all that this life has to offer, which is easy to do in a place like LA. One of my favorite sayings, which resonates with why we both love LA so much is, “Tip the world over on its side and all the loose screws will land in Los Angeles” (Frank Lloyd Wright).

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?

Mike: For me, the first person I have to thank is Carlos, for asking me to go on this journey with him as his Co-Founder. I feel really lucky that he wanted me along for the ride and thought that together could make something of the amazing idea and product that he had on his hands. And then, of course, the rest of our team has been a core part of what we have built.

Carlos: 100% the rest of our team deserves so much credit. We might have been the initial idea and driving force behind the company, but everything you see today of the brand has happened because of the family we have been able to grow. When I last spoke to Shoutout in October 2020, our team was lean – only 11 people. Now, not even two years later, we proudly have 21 full-time employees and have additional plans to expand the team this year. And obviously, I have to throw a shoutout back to Mike – this guy believed in my idea and wanted to hit the ground running with me to see what we could create.

Mike: And what we have created is pretty special, and we love and appreciate everyone who has supported us along the way.

Website: www.nosotrostequila.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/nosotrostequila

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nosotrostequila/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true

Twitter: www.twitter.com/nosotrostequila