Contenders Wanted

Episode 10 - Success isn’t linear with Bret Caretsky

November 02, 2020 Rob Cook / Bret Caretsky Season 1 Episode 10
Contenders Wanted
Episode 10 - Success isn’t linear with Bret Caretsky
Show Notes Chapter Markers

Show Notes:

Do you ever look back on your life and notice things that appeared to be random changes or events in your life at that time that then later turned out to be key stepping stones to where you are today? Well our guest on the show today is Bret Caretsky and he walks us through the ups and downs and random twists and turns of his story that have all paved the way for where he is today. Bret is the CEO and co-founder of Unicorn Drinks, an innovative CPG and food service brand known most widely for their hugely popular drink the Unicorn Frappuccino. Bret went to the University of Maryland and the University of Massachusetts where he studied Business Communication and Economics while playing Varsity Lacrosse attending 3 Final Fours and a National Championship. Out of college, Bret worked across Finance, Healthcare and Construction sectors as a strategic business consultant for Morgan Stanley, United Healthcare and Turner Construction, where he excelled in dynamic cross-functional roles alongside company leadership. After leaving his corporate jobs he became the co-founder of two highly successful brands and companies, Montauk Juice Factory and The End Brooklyn. On the show today we cover:

  • Who is Bret and what does he do (3:19)
  • Lessons learned from sports (4:23)
  • Bret's favorite book (14:24)
  • How Bret's corporate jobs set him up for success now (19:21)
  • Lessons from starting his own companies (28:05)
  • The real life of a start-up company CEO (41:54)
  • The importance of clear communication (48:00)
  • Why boundaries are important (51:05)
  • What it means to him to be a contender (55:27)


Resources:

How to learn more about Bret and what he does:

Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:


Contact Me:

As always, feel free to reach out to me by emailing me at rob@contenderswanted.com for suggestions of ways to improve the show, to let me know how the show is helping you, or to even suggest a future guest.

Who is Bret Caretsky
Lessons learned from sports
Persevering through multiple injuries
Bret's favorite book
How his corporate jobs set him up for success
Why Bret left his corporate jobs to start his own companies
Lessons from starting his own companies
What lead to the success of his companies
The Starbucks case
The real life of a start-up company CEO
What he is doing in his company now
The importance of communication
Why boundaries are important
What does it mean to him to be successful
What does it mean to him to be a Contender
How to contact Bret
My key takeaway