Taylor Stuart (MBA ’16) and Drew Leyes (MBA ’16) share how they shifted from the corporate world to own their own craft spirit distillery, and why their Stern background helped them take a customer-first approach.

When Taylor Stuart (MBA ’16) and Drew Leyes (MBA ’16) started traveling together as Stern students in the full-time MBA program to places like Papua New Guinea, they didn’t know that one day their love of adventure would eventually lead them to own and run a craft spirits business. But the seeds of a joint venture were already there—conversations about opportunity and untapped markets.

“We would always be asking ourselves, how could we do this better?” shared Taylor. That spirit of adventure and analysis cultivated during their time at NYU Stern and sharpened through consulting careers, now powers Pure Distilling, their Colorado-based startup which is redefining how craft spirits are made and marketed.

Drew Leyes (MBA ’16) (left) and Taylor Stuart (MBA ’16) on one of their many adventures together

From Military Veterans and Consultants to Distillers

Both Taylor and Drew were military veterans before they were MBAs, and consultants before they became distillers. After graduating from Stern, they followed similar paths into top-tier firms—Taylor at BCG, Drew at McKinsey before he ended up at Google. But by 2022, both had reached a professional crossroads, restless for change.

“A lot of people hit that moment—do I double down to become a partner, or do I try something new?” Taylor said. “We both had this itch to build something ourselves. But a lot of acquisition opportunities are in industries or locations that are not that exciting.”

Unlike many in the craft spirits world, the Pure Distilling founders reverse the typical process. “Most distillers make what they like, and then try to find someone to sell it to,” Taylor explained. “We start with the customer first.”

A Customer-First Philosophy

Unlike many in the craft spirits world, the Pure Distilling founders reverse the typical process. “Most distillers make what they like, and then try to find someone to sell it to,” Taylor explained. “We start with the customer first.”

Their debut product, St. Bernard Mountain Whiskey, is a chocolate-peppermint bourbon designed for the après-ski crowd—playful, flavorful, and made with all-natural ingredients. Their second, Rocky Mountain Sunshine, is a lemon-honey vodka sourced with Colorado wildflower honey and fresh citrus peel. Both are positioned not just for taste, but for experience: crisp mountain air, campfires, ski lodges.

Taylor and Drew credit NYU Stern for preparing them to lead every part of a business—from financials to branding and operations. “We had amazing professors—Aswath Damodaran, Scott Galloway, Sonia Marciano, to name a few. Overall, we learned the foundations of business,” said Drew.

Power of the Alumni Network

The alumni network has proven powerful, especially the military vets they met at Stern. When they launched their first products online, more than half their initial sales came from Stern alumni. “That kind of support keeps you going,” said Taylor.

Taylor leads sales and branding, while Drew manages operations and finance, but as they put it, “It’s all hands on deck.” From renting equipment to filing permits to designing labels, they’ve touched every part of the process. “One of the best moments was walking into a store and seeing our product on the shelf,” said Drew. “It started as an idea, and now someone’s choosing to spend their money on it. That’s incredible.”

Staying Engaged with Stern

As for what’s next, Taylor and Drew are focused on growing Pure Distilling and refining their distribution. But they also look forward to staying engaged with the Stern community. For several years, Taylor has lectured for a section of the operations consulting course taught by Professors Harry Chernoff and Kristin Sosulski. They both miss the camaraderie at Stern—especially meetups at Amity Hall. Next year, they plan to participate in the annual Stern alumni gathering at Vail Resorts to showcase their products, and one day, they hope to join the Stern Food and Beverage alumni group’s Taste of Stern event.

Though entrepreneurship has grounded them geographically, the pair haven’t lost their taste for adventure. Now, instead of trekking through Southeast Asia, they explore Colorado’s mountains—sneaking in ski days, golfing, and working delivery routes into road trips. “We’ve had to put rafting down the Mekong River aside for now,” said Taylor, “but it’s still beautiful here.”

When they do get rare downtime, Drew reads nonfiction—his latest favorite, The Death and Life of the Great Lakes—and Taylor unwinds with audiobooks like Shoe Dog, a memoir by the creator of Nike, Phil Knight. “It’s relatable,” he said. “Small idea. Big ambition.”