Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Sloan.
Hi Adam, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The short story is that I ordered a cocktail 10 years ago that blew my mind. It featured rye whiskey and two Italian liqueurs. Until then, I had never tasted Averna or Meletti, much less heard of an amaro. I asked the bartender for his specs (which was taboo at the time) and bought every bottle the next day.
Similar to how a home cook learns from recipes, I became obsessed with bartender specs and cocktail books. I’d find a new recipe to try, then immediately buy the bottles I needed to make that drink at home. When I eventually learned what I liked and didn’t like, my focus turned to making riffs on popular cocktails and creating new recipes altogether.
Now for the long story…
Before launching Soundtrack My Drink as a full-time job, I spent 15 years in marketing for both retail & hospitality. I started as a graphic designer in 2007, eventually ran music, entertainment & social media for a large footwear company, and after jumping to hospitality, ran partnerships for an international hotel chain. Marketing has felt like second nature to me for a very long time – embracing a story, finding a hook, unlocking potential, etc.
Soundtrack My Drink started as a vanity project. Early on, it was a way to curb my creative burnout and blend two of the worlds I love the most – music & cocktails. So, for a while, my little Instagram account was just a fun hobby. I connected with other creators, bartenders, and brands from all over the world. I found my voice and defined my taste. I learned as much as I could about cocktails and cocktail photography. I discovered new music. And, somewhere along the way, I realized there was untapped potential in what I was building.
I became confident in my tastes – both music and cocktails. And, I began to appreciate the relationship between music and cocktails. Music, for example, is an effective way to introduce someone to an unfamiliar ingredient. Hey, I know you like this band; this song sounds even better when you’re drinking a Negroni. Similarly, a cocktail can help introduce new music. Have you ever listened to old-school hip hop while drinking an Old Fashioned? It’ll blow your mind.
So, in December 2022, my hobby turned LLC when I became a full-time consultant. This year, I’m pushing the boundaries of what my business can be – recipe development, content creation, business development, private bartending, home bar concierge, playlist curation, etc. Cheers to following your passion!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Early on, my biggest struggle was impostor syndrome. I still get a little embarrassed thinking about those early conversations I tried to have with professional bartenders about my home bar.
Having started Soundtrack My Drink as a social media account, another struggle was constantly comparing my content and my audience to other accounts. I still catch myself counting “likes” and “views” more than I should.
And now that I’m a full-fledged business owner, a newer challenge has been converting networking & prospecting conversations into an actual business.
So, yes, there have been and still are struggles. But, early on in my career, I overheard someone in the music industry give an intern this advice: “If you can see yourself being happy failing at anything else, go do that.”
I think about that a lot and, honestly, I’m living my dream.
We’ve been impressed with Soundtrack My Drink, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started Soundtrack My Drink as an Instagram account, highlighting the intersection of music & cocktails.
Soundtrack My Drink is rooted in memories, some that are mine and some that are [hopefully] universal – the moment that sleepy little bar suddenly erupts into “Sweet Caroline” and the drink you spilled on your shirt when your favorite band played your favorite song during their encore. Or, the first, second, and 100th time you tasted an Old Fashioned. The band your friend dragged you out to see, and you ended up standing in line to buy their poster.
My tagline is “pour taste in music” because, in everything I do, music and cocktails are intertwined. Whether I’m developing recipes for Coca-Cola or Tito’s Handmade Vodka, creating cocktail content for brands like Victrola, photographing menu items for local bars, bartending private events for Nashville-area clients, consulting on home bar designs or leading a small cocktail class, I’m always pairing music and cocktails together.
Sure, Soundtrack My Drink is still an Instagram account. But, it’s also a fun and thoughtful people business. And in its soul, Soundtrack My Drink is a fan just like everyone else.
What are your plans for the future?
2023 is going to be a year of exploration for me and Soundtrack My Drink. The question I keep asking myself is, ‘How far left and right can I move, and still have everything I do make sense? And while I test new things, this year is also about building a foundation of regular clients – more brands, more individuals, more content, more experiential, repeat.
In the long term, I’m interested in writing more. Specifically, I’d like to write more long-form content about cocktails and bars – guest contributor for a magazine, developing a cocktail book, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: soundtrackmydrink.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/soundtrackmydrink
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soundtrackmydrink/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/user/31u24prok3m4xsvenwxl2voorbje
Image Credits
Kanishka Biddanda and Soundtrack My Drink
