Meet Trey Lockerbie | Founder

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

Hi Trey, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When Ashleigh and I met at a birthday party in Los Angeles, thanks to mutual friends, it seemed overdue. We were riding high on the waves of successful careers, touring globally with iconic artists like Rihanna and Lady A. The road, however, can be a tiring and unhealthy place and we both had a growing passion for health and wellness. This shared interest took a profound turn when my sister, Brittany, called with the news of her breast cancer diagnosis. It was Brittany who introduced us to kombucha, a beverage known for building back your microbiome after cancer treatments. This discovery deeply inspired us, and just six months into our burgeoning relationship, we made a life-changing decision to leave our music careers behind and start a beverage company. We were driven by a vision to not only craft enjoyable drinks for our loved ones but to also pack each can with real health benefits.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets us apart from others is our unwavering commitment to health and wellness, driven by personal experiences and a deep-seated passion. We started from humble beginnings, selling our kombucha at farmers’ markets in Los Angeles. The early mornings and hard work paid off as Better Booch grew into a top 5 national kombucha brand. Today, Better Booch mirrors our continuous growth and commitment to innovation. We have now created Future Beverage Group, dedicated to the latest scientific findings on prebiotics, probiotics, and post-biotics. FBG now offers three different brands: Better Booch Kombucha, Live Soda and Cha Sparkling Iced Tea.

The path to where we are today has been anything but easy. We faced numerous challenges, from leaving behind successful music careers to navigating the complexities of starting a new business in a new industry.

The lessons we’ve learned along the way are numerous. One of the most important is the value of persistence and staying true to your vision, even when others might not understand it at first. We’ve also learned the importance of surrounding ourselves with people who believe in us and can provide valuable guidance and support.

I’ve come to think about business as a game of poker. If you can stay in the game long enough, even through a stretch of bad cards, you can eventually win a big hand. It takes some bluffing, but it mostly takes calculated risks and yes, sometimes you even have to be willing to go “all in.”

We want the world to know that Better Booch is more than just a beverage company. It’s a testament to our commitment to enhancing health and wellness, born out of personal experiences and a desire to make a tangible impact. Our story is one of passion, resilience, and unwavering belief in the power of health and wellness.

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?
Our favorite destination in Los Angeles is Largo at the Coronet Theater. Some of our dear friends hold residencies there, including the Watkins Family Hour, which hosts a monthly variety show featuring the best comics and musicians in the world. There’s also a monthly Shakespeare Improv Show that is equally impressive and hilarious. They take a prompt from the audience and transform it into a two-hour improvised play, all while rhyming in iambic pentameter. Largo consistently offers incredible performances that never disappoint.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who have supported and encouraged us throughout our journey. In the early days, people understandably thought we were crazy for swapping successful music careers for working at farmers’ markets. However, after the brand took off, we needed to raise outside capital. Initially, our friends pooled together and invested in us, which was such a validation. Then, we met some experienced veterans in our industry. One of our board members, Michael Silverstein, built the consumer arm of the Boston Consulting Group. Michael not only brings decades of wisdom, knowledge, and experience, but he also brings an unwavering belief in us as individuals and founders. This is a tough business, and it’s easy to get discouraged. Michael has been there for us, constantly bringing joy and motivation back to the challenge.

Website: https://www.betterbooch.com

Instagram: betterbooch

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trey-lockerbie-18353ab7/

Twitter: treylockerbie

Image Credits
Elspeth Vincent