Meet Buster Brown | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Buster Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Buster, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My passion for kombucha and belief in its medicinal benefits spurred me to try every brand and every flavor I could get my hands on. This quest for the best kombucha stretched many years and many states. A natural progression led me towards my hobby as a kombucha homebrewer. This was an exciting 5-year experiment of trial-and-error, formulating new flavors and tinkering with my recipes. As my hobby increased in volume and precision, an opportunity arose when the only local commercial kombucha brand relocated to Texas. The void was apparent, and time was of the essence. It was only a matter of time before another local homebrewer transitioned from hobby to business. With the confidence of knowing I could make a quality product and the minimal investment that was needed to get the business started, these factors outweighed my reservations about having no experience in the food industry. My passion for the product and the pressure to capitalize while the timing was right were potent motivators to jump on this rollercoaster.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am most proud of our commitment to all things local. We source as much as possible from local companies, promoting a more dynamic sustainable economy and fighting the effects of climate change. We source ingredients from local farms, packaging from local manufacturers, and artwork from local artists. We supply our products to small local businesses: cafes, restaurants, bars, grocers, gyms, yoga studios, specialty stores, and even a dental office. Our business model is sustainable and forward-thinking. In order to slow or reverse the effects of climate change, economies must condense and localize. Small businesses will lead this transition.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Shark Valley (Everglades National Park) and South Pointe Park (Miami Beach) are two of my favorite outdoor destinations. Bahia Honda State Park on Big Pine Key is my favorite beach. Watching a sunrise on any beach in Miami or the Keys is truly spectacular. Assuming there is an event that interests us, the Miami Beach Convention Center is a beautiful indoor setting.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many special women who played an integral part before and after the start of the business. My mother (Nancy Brown) was the first person to encourage me to drink kombucha and the first to encourage me to make it at home. The author (Sally Fallon) of my favorite diet/recipe book convinced me to overhaul my eating habits and unlearn many of the disastrous principles of our culture’s modern diet. My first customer and also my first employee (Laura Sutton) insisted I turn my hobby into a business and reassured me when I was feeling hesitant. My partner and also co-owner (Natalie Bixby) helped me form a vision and path forward for the business. My sister and also co-owner (Angela Brown) helped refine, and when necessary, redefine our focus and goals.

Website: www.counterculture.miami
Instagram: drinkliveculture

Image Credits
Maria Periera