When you manage a gin company based in the North East, you’ll often find yourself locked away in the distillery serving up batches of gin, or out and about at events and markets.
That’s pretty much how managing director Yazz spends most of her days, on top of balancing being a mum to her one-year-old son, Odin.
But who really is she? It’s time to get to know her a little better…
What did you want to be when you were younger and why?
I wanted to be a vet; I have always been an animal-orientated person. You’d often find me playing games where I’d be looking after animals, whether that be on my Nintendo or playing with toys.
Can you remember when you first tried gin?
Yes! It was Brockmans – it’s still probably my favorite gin aside from Dragon Slayer. if I can’t get to a Dragon Slayer, like when I’m on holiday, I’ll always reach for a Brockmans.
Who was your inspiration growing up?
Probably my dad, as cliché as that is – he’s extremely successful, and I want to follow in his footsteps and achieve what he has.
What is your biggest achievement to date?
It’s got to be our Strawberry and Mint Gin winning in The Gin Guide Awards! Below having Odin, obviously.
What do you wish you could tell your younger self?
Probably to take more risks and go for it – don’t delay as much as we did.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I’d like to still be the managing director of Dragon Slayer Distillery, and maybe have a few subsidiaries to one side too – another Dragon Slayer-type company; maybe in gym wear, who knows! We want to grow our business on so many levels.
What’s the main thing you’ve learned since launching Dragon Slayer?
There is a solution to pretty much everything if you’re willing to go the extra mile to solve it.
We’ve encountered a handful of problems, but we’ve always found a solution. I think the biggest thing I have probably learned is to take a breath and go into problem solving mode, instead of panic mode – just take it in your stride!
If there’s one thing you could change about your journey so far, what would it be?
Probably researching a little bit more, so that we didn’t encounter problems which could have been dodged, it would have helped things sail a bit more smoothly.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
It’s definitely the trialing and tasting! I love creating new recipes – it’s super fun, and the distilling process never gets old, too.
What advice would you give fellow small business owners?
Stick through the stormy weather, as there’s always sunshine at the end.
