What's Your Endgame?

In Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos wasn’t just collecting Infinity Stones for fun—he had a vision, a goal, and (love it or hate it) a perfectly clear endgame. Every calculated move he made, every world he visited, and every sacrifice was aligned with that ultimate outcome.

Now, I’m not saying you need to snap your fingers and halve the universe. But as a leader at a beverage company, you do need to think with that same long-term clarity. What’s your final page? Your ideal ending?

Too many founders jump into the business grind without ever considering where they truly want to end up—whether that’s selling the company, passing it down, going public, or building a lifestyle business that funds their freedom. But if you don’t know the destination, how can you map the route?

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to not pay so much attention to your own industry that you don’t leave any time in the day to follow others. The most groundbreaking ideas and inspiration are often connected and sourced from outside your own.

In addition to Marvel, one of those sources for me has always been professional wrestling for its character development, entertainment, and long-term storytelling. A few months back, I stumbled across a clip from a podcast that took fans behind-the-scenes, featuring Paul Heyman (WWE Executive) and Logan Paul (YouTuber, WWE Superstar, and Prime Hydration’s Co-Founder).

I’ve since shared the video with close friends and many have thanked me afterward, finding a number of ways to apply such a simple philosophy to their own business dealings. The key takeaway? Don’t just plan the next chapter—write the last page first.

Since joining BrightBev, I’ve spent hours on the phone each day with fascinating beverage founders. And so many of the questions I receive require me to first ask back: “What’s your endgame?” Because in almost every case, the desired ending is the filter through which today’s decisions should pass. Without clarity on that final destination, the story becomes harder to tell—and even harder to sell.

Three Examples Where Knowing Your Endgame Can Shape Smarter Strategy:

1. Building a Family of Brands

A number of craft breweries and beverage startups are rolling out new Delta-9 THC drinks—everything from sparkling waters to sodas, lemonades, mocktails, NA beers, and beyond. Nobody should launch in all these categories on Day 1. But anyone creating a brand identity or packaging design today should ask: How does this system scale over time?

As Paul Heyman said, “I never write a script without knowing the final page.” Similarly, if you know your endgame is to become a platform brand that stretches across formats, then the choices made in logo placement, naming conventions, and design hierarchy today should support that vision.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it” can lead to a fractured brand house, internal confusion, or costly redesigns later. Instead, show investors and distributors you’re building something with foresight. As in wrestling, a brand that’s clearly building toward WrestleMania 43 earns more buy-in than one just hyping its next appearance.

2. Distribution Paths