Help our Featured Sponsor and friend Punzoné Vodka win a commercial spot at this year’s Super Bowl!
Intuit is giving one small business a TV commercial spot during the 2014 Big Game. Vote for the vodka scoring huge points up and down the US East Coast – Punzoné Organic Vodka from Italy!
Punzoné is proud to have been selected as one of the small businesses to advanced to round two of Intuit Small Business Big Game program. For round two, Founder and CEO Frank Guerrera of Punzoné shared some tips and milestone moments in our business.
What keeps customers coming back to your business?
The product really speaks for itself. I spent years sourcing the finest, all natural ingredients in Italy to make this product. I worked with a world renowned winery to blend the flavors to perfection and create the perfect formula that appeals to the palate. Our customers agree that the taste is great and they keep coming back. We also engage with our customers and listen to them. We love to interact with our audience and we enjoy getting them involved. As an Italian American, family is very important in our culture. This heritage is also very important to the Punzoné brand. Our customers are our family. We treat them that way.
What has been your proudest moment?
When I visited the warehouse in Italy and gazed up at a wall of thousands of Punzoné bottles – fresh out of production and ready to ship, I realized that this venture had become a reality, but it wasn’t until I went into my local liquor store in Staten Island and saw Punzoné on the shelf, ready to sell, that I had my proudest moment. We had arrived.
What is your best advice to a small business owner?
Simple: Never give up. I threw my heart and soul into forming Punzoné, paying painstaking attention to every detail of the business. If I knew beforehand what it would involve, I probably would have walked away… no, ran away! It took an insane amount of work and didn’t always go as planned but I persevered and was never discouraged from following my vision. I pushed the limits every day and was exhausted but ultimately I brought this great product to market and we are now reaping the benefits. So to others I say: Persevere and surround yourself with people who believe in you. Without my family and friends’ support, Punzoné wouldn’t be here.
What makes your business special?
Punzoné is infectious. Punzoné is passion. Punzoné is luxury. Most everyone who comes in contact with our brand turns into a loyal supporter and wants to help us succeed. Why? Because our vodkas are an authentic one-of-a-kind drink and we make all of our customers feel like they are part of the family. People love our story and heritage too – it’s personal and inspiring. The idea for Punzoné germinated from a homemade punch I used to make for friends and family in my kitchen (Punzoné means punch in Italian, by the way). With my family’s encouragement and support, I was able to turn this into a real product and company. We sourced the finest organic ingredients from Italy and created a very unique product. In one year, we have seen record growth and reorders that exceed industry standards and we are the only organic vodka to receive the 5-Star Diamond Award – the gold standard for luxury brands. It’s amazing and we are very grateful!
For a brand like us, this would be a dream come true. To make it happen, we need your support! VOTE FOR US!
You are allowed to vote ONCE EVERY DAY — so vote and vote OFTEN! Your support will help us advance to the next round. We couldn’t have gotten to where we are without our fans and we are eternally grateful. Help us win so we can tell our story to the whole country.
