Fawn Weaver is the definition of a game-changer. Because the founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, she didn’t simply enter the spirits business— she disrupted it. With no prior expertise in whiskey or distilling, she constructed the fastest-growing American whiskey model in U.S. historical past and best-selling African American based spirit model of all time. In the identical breath, Weaver uncovered and amplified the misplaced legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Inexperienced, a previously enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how one can distill.
Her journey is a masterclass in imaginative and prescient, technique, and fearless execution. For Black Ladies’s Historical past Month, we’re breaking down the important thing moments in Fawn Weaver’s success and how she made historical past.
Pour #1: See the Alternative Others Miss
2016 – Whereas studying a New York Instances article about Nearest Inexperienced, Fawn noticed a photograph of a Black man sitting subsequent to Jack Daniel. It was greater than only a compelling story— she noticed a possibility to study the historical past, appropriate it, and create one thing lasting. As a substitute of ready for another person to behave, she took the lead. She started researching Nearest Inexperienced’s legacy, uncovering a hidden piece of American historical past that had been missed for over 150 years. Weaver found that Inexperienced was really a grasp distiller and mentored a younger Jack Daniel. This impressed her to new depths.
Lesson: Success begins with imaginative and prescient. The most important alternatives typically come from seeing what others ignore.
Pour #2: Wager on Your self & Go All In
2017 – With none prior expertise within the spirits business, Fawn launched Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey— the primary main model named after an African American within the business. She self-funded the corporate at first, investing thousands and thousands of her personal cash to make sure it was constructed the correct means. Inside a yr, Uncle Nearest was profitable prime whiskey awards and gaining nationwide recognition.
Lesson: While you consider in one thing, don’t half-step—go all in. Confidence and dedication separate game-changers from the remaining.
Pour #3: Construct with Objective & Inform a Story That Issues
2019 – Fawn didn’t simply create a whiskey model, she constructed a motion. She made it her mission to make sure Nearest Inexperienced’s story would by no means be forgotten. She bought and preserved the Dan Name Farm, the place Nearest Inexperienced initially taught Jack Daniel how one can distill. This land is now house to the Nearest Inexperienced Distillery, the primary in historical past to honor a Black whiskey maker. She launched the Nearest Inexperienced Basis, providing scholarships to Nearest Inexperienced’s descendants.
“I don’t consider you personal the model until you personal the land. It’s particular to us. But it surely’s additionally extremely particular to Black individuals,” Weaver advised Forbes in a 2024 interview.
Lesson: Success is greater than cash. When your mission has function, individuals rally behind you.
Pour #4: Redefine the Trade & Make House for Others
2021-Current – Uncle Nearest turned the fastest-growing American whiskey model, proving that Black excellence belongs in each business. However Fawn didn’t cease there. Uncle Nearest has received over 900 awards worldwide and was named “World’s Greatest American Whiskey” a number of occasions. In 2022, she launched the Nearest & Jack Development Initiative, a partnership with Jack Daniel’s to diversify the whiskey business and open doorways for Black entrepreneurs. By 2023, Uncle Nearest hit $100M in gross sales.
Lesson: True success isn’t nearly profitable—it’s about altering the sport so extra individuals can win, too.
Pour #5: Maintain Increasing & By no means Get Snug
Fawn Weaver doesn’t consider in limits. As a serial entrepreneur, bestselling creator, and investor, she continues to broaden her influence. In 2024, she turned the first Black girl to solely personal a significant spirits model valued at over $1 billion. She’s now investing in different Black-owned companies, utilizing her platform to assist others construct generational wealth.
Lesson: The journey doesn’t cease while you win. Maintain pushing, continue to grow, and maintain creating new lanes.
Final Name: Legacy Over All the pieces
Fawn Weaver’s success isn’t nearly whiskey… It’s about rewriting historical past, uplifting communities, and proving that Black girls belong in each business. Her story is proof that imaginative and prescient, function, and unapologetic boldness are the final word blueprint for achievement. And, whereas her playbook remains to be being written, one factor is for positive… Fawn Weaver isn’t simply making historical past—she’s constructing a legacy that may final for generations.