Ryan Gill - How to Win in Off-Premise Wine & Spirits Retail

On this episode, we’re joined by Ryan Gill, the Director of Marketing at Three Chord Bourbon, and a spirits industry veteran with deep roots in off-premise retail.

Before joining the team at Three Chord, Ryan spent over a decade running top-tier off-premise locations across the South, managing $XXM+ stores and building high-performance teams. That front-line retail experience gave him a rare lens on what really moves bottles - insights he now brings to one of the fastest-growing bourbon brands in the U.S.

Ryan unpacks how his time on the floor shaped his philosophy on brand building, distributor management, and the power of field marketing. He shares tactical advice for emerging brands trying to stand out on crowded shelves, plus his playbook for training retail staff, building local market awareness, and executing limited drops that actually drive velocity.

We also dive into Three Chord’s unique origin story, why music plays into their blending process, and how they’re scaling into 40+ states while staying connected to the whiskey community.

Episode Highlights:
🏪 What 10 years in off-premise retail taught Ryan about winning in spirits
📊 Why so many brands misunderstand the off-premise buyer
🛒 Tactical tips for activating in retail without huge budgets
🏀 How spirits distribution has become like the NBA
🥃 How Three Chord Bourbon trains retailers to become brand evangelists
🎸 From guitar riffs to mash bills: Three Chord’s musical roots
📍 Building a national brand with limited resources
🔁 Navigating the 3-tier system from the brand side
🧃 Lessons in merchandising, demos, and field marketing

Table of Contents:
00:00 – Intro & Retail Background
05:00 – Lessons from Off-Premise Retail & Frontline Sales
12:00 – Joining Three Chord & Shifting to Brand Side
18:30 – Field Marketing & Retail Training
25:00 – Limited Drops & Community Building
30:00 – Scaling Distribution with Focus
40:00 – Final Thoughts & Industry Advice

Links:
Three Chord Bourbon – https://www.threechordbourbon.com
Follow Ryan on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-gill-3chord/
Follow me on LinkedIn – Adam Steinberg
Check out https://www.kitprint.co/ for CPG production design support