Anish Patel
You know the story of the little Dutch boy who saves his town by putting his finger in the damn to stop it from leaking and flooding the countryside? Well, that’s part of Anish’s role here. Working in Customer Support, Anish plugs holes and saves countrysides.
Happy. Happy. Happy.
In customer terms, this means that when they have issues with their website or the app – for example, inventory products missing or photos not showing – Anish is there to resolve the issue. “I’m going to make sure I get everything done right, and I’ll work on it until the client is happy.” Plug the hole, fix the problem, make the client happy. That’s what Anish does.
A winding road.
Anish’s path to Bottlecapps is semi-interesting. He was born and raised in Kenya, lived a short time in England, and graduated in 2008(?) from the University of Texas in Fine Arts. (Yeah, we know, Fine Arts.) With the country in a recession, Anish did what any Fine Arts major with a little oomph and a few responsibilities did - he went to work at a Subway. From there, he moved on to grocery store management to warehouse management to sales and finally to BottleCapps, where he fits as close to perfect as a Fine Arts major can fit.
All in.
“Bottlecapps is better with me because I’m open-minded, willing to listen to and work with others, and always ready to give 100% to help our team fulfill our goals.” He once tried to give 110% but soon learned that it was a mathematical impossibility. (At BottleCapps, we don’t trust anyone who claims to give 110% because we know they’re lying.)
As a “people person,” Anish loves to communicate, talk, BS, discuss, etc. But, he’s also driven - finishing tomorrow’s tasks today and today’s tasks right now is advice that guides Anish’s approach to work. Our customers like that approach.
It’s not all dam plugging.
In addition to helping Bottlecapps take over the liquor solutions industry, Anish loves to golf and paint (go figure). And while he’s dreaming of going back to Kenya for a Safari, he’s drinking Scotch…or a beer.
Bish Mubarak
As the Chief Revenue Officer, Bish Mubarak brings over 25 years’ experience in building and growing enterprises. As a CEO, Chief Sales Officer, entrepreneur, and investor in other businesses, Bish founded his first company in 1998 that he operated across North America for two decades.
Bish enjoys inspiring others to reach their full potential; he maintains several business consulting clients and personal mentorships. He also has been a speaker and sales trainer throughout the U.S. and Canada. Bish graduated from the University of Western Ontario in London, ON. He resides in the Dallas, Texas area, and is the proud father of two beautiful children.
Lupe Lopez
"I see Bottlecapps going straight to…."
Meet Lupe Lopez, Bottlecapps' Marketing Specialist.
Marketing specialist? Isn't that what people who don't have a specific skill claim to be? Sometimes. But not this time. Having worked on a marketing team for a national staffing firm, then leaving there to start his own video production company, Lupe has learned how to make sure Bottlecapps is both seen and heard. And in today's cluttered and over-saturated world of messages, this ain't all that easy.
To make sure Bottlecapps grabs attention, Lupe not only stays within trends but strives to pioneer new ideas and strategies. After all, you can fly with the flock for only so long before you need to break away and look for the airstreams less traveled. Or something like that.
Lupe graduated from the University of North Texas. A football powerhouse that once lost to Portland State 66-7, one of the most embarrassing losses ever of a larger division college team to a smaller division opponent. Hey, not everyone can say they've done that. Lupe did NOT play football btw.
Speaking of videos (1st paragraph), when asked what he is most known for, Lupe responded, "My videos. Some are good, some are bad." Not mentioning a style or genre leaves a lot to the imagination, and this could be worrisome here at Bottlecapps. Hopefully the ‘bad’ ones will never resurface…fingers crossed.
Moving on to movies, Lupe's favorite is Catch Me if You Can. "This movie taught me to go for what I want and let no one stop me." It's disconcerting that the movie's lead got everything he wanted illegally, without earning any of it. But Lupe quickly added, "if you want something bad enough, find a way to get it – legally and reasonably, of course. And always be honest, compassionate, and humble." Good catch, Lupe.
Looking forward to his favorite drink, Tequila, Lupe finished his initial thought:
"…the top. We have a dynamic team that is crazy ambitious and loves to innovate. So, it's not a matter of if we're going to succeed, but WHEN!"
Gotta love the optimism.
Curtis Patton
Being an elite runner takes someone that’s tough, determined, persevering, and a little off-center. Some of that describes Curtis. As a top runner in high school Curtis ran the 1 and 2-mile, the 5k, was a member of several relay teams, and received Division 1 scholarship offers. Perhaps his most famous run though came during a high school football game where, as a gorilla, he sprinted his way to national notoriety.
Today, Curtis is the Sales Manager at Bottlecapps. Prior to working at Bottlecapps, Curtis worked in sales. And prior to that he also worked in sales. And prior to that, too.
Curtis is successful at Bottlecapps because, 1) he understands the liquor industry, 2) he understands the struggles that liquor stores are experiencing, 3) he listens to his prospects and customers, 4) he knows how Bottlecapps can help any liquor store grow, and 5) he believes that BottleCapp’s will change the way retailers operate.
Not surprising, Curtis admits that he does talk to himself…often. But it’s not (always) crazy talk, it’s a lot positive self-talk, and he’s guided by some great advice he once received:
In life you don’t get what you want, you get what you are worth.
Can Curtis still run? Stand between him and his favorite drink, Jameson, and you’ll find out.
Run Curtis, run.
Fastest Growing Liquor Store App
in the industry.
Scott Mcdonald
Scott’s parents had dreams of him becoming a big, successful, Texas lawyer. And after graduating from Texas A&M and entering law school those dreams looked like they would become a reality. Until…Scott dropped out to become a sports talk radio host.
After a time, Scott left talk radio(really, how long can someone listen to talk radio callers?) and began working in sales which eventually led to him Bottlecapps where Scott proudly works in our marketing department. We’re happy he’s here; his parents may never recover.
At Bottlecapps, Scott has ONE MAIN FOCUS – to help our stores develop a loyal following by using their APP as a mobile storefront. As Scott explains it, “many of our customers are small businesses, often family owned, and it's important to give them an edge in a world inundated with large, encroaching corporations and pervasive technology. Bottlecapps gives them that edge and I’m their point person.”
From training them how to use the APP to providing ongoing assistance, Scott is there for the store. To sum it up, Scott gives our technology a human touch. According to Scott, “the key in everything I’ve done, and the key to future endeavors, will always be relationships with people. This is important to me.”
More than just a law school dropout, Scott is a husband, plays the guitar, loves Aggie and Cowboys football, and wants to either be an inventor or a dragon when he grows up.
The best advice Scott has received is: Never be dependent upon anyone else for your personal happiness.
And whatever drink Scott has in his hand at the moment is his favorite. It’s good not to be picky.
WE FOCUS ON
Mobile and
in-store strategies
The liquor business has evolved from Brick and Mortar stores to one of Bricks & Clicks. Our app helps your store keep up with the industry and engage customers online.
If you don’t currently have a mobile APP for your store and for your customers, you are in a precarious situation. Your market is too competitive to let your competitors launch an APP before you do.
But creating, developing, and launching an APP is not easy – that’s where we come in. With our products, our expertise, and our staff we can make this much easier for you, helping you leave your competitors in the dust.
54%
of surveyed users have recommended the app to a friend
MEET OUR STAFF
Anirudh Reddy
Anirudh is a co-founder of the company and brings with him over 17 years of experience in leadership, Information technology and business acumen. Ani has worked with some of the top Fortune 500 companies as a solution advisor, architect and a lead. These clients have trusted him to successfully deliver large scale projects, help drive business process transformation and develop product roadmaps. His key focus areas were CRM, ERP & Enterprise Mobility.
Ani has a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Electronics. He currently resides in Irving, Texas with his wife and two sons. Ani enjoys problem solving, tennis and golf.
Anirudh Reddy
President, Chief Technology Officer, Partner
Bish Mubarak
Chief Revenue Officer, Partner
Corey Gerstner
Corey’s favorite word? Baseball.
Corey was one of the lucky and one of the few that was good enough to play baseball beyond Little League, beyond high school, and all the way through college. At Texas Tech, Corey won the team award for Post Game Cleanest Uniform (why slide, or dive, or sweat?) and was a pitcher on a team that made it to the National Junior College Championships. So, what is Corey’s favorite pastime today? Sports Chat. Yep - from player to chatterer. According to Corey, “being a top-level chatterer has helped my past sports exploits go from pretty darn good to legendary status that improve with each retelling.”
Corey’s second favorite word? Bottlecapps.
Corey has been with Bottlecapps for 7 years and has helped us grow from a good idea to a proven APP to a successful business with 299 accounts and 14,000+ customer downloads, in 37 states.
Part of the reason behind Bottlecapps’ rapid growth is the level of energy, the high expectations, and the business approach Corey brings to his role.
It’s this work ethic and dedication that, when asked what he sees in his and in Bottlecapps’
future allows him to answer, “money…and beer.” And this only happens if Corey and his team can help their customers be successful, which leads to ---
Corey’s third favorite word? Bottlecapps’ Customers. (Okay, that’s two words, and the order may not be right either. And truth is these may not be Corey’s favorite words, but they could be.)
Having worked in sales and marketing for more than 13 years Corey has been fortunate to learn from incredibly sharp, incredibly successful thinkers and doers. This experience, together with his Advertising/Marketing degree, gives Corey the skills and the knowledge to guide his team to better serve our customers.
Corey’s favorite adult beverage is beer. Specifically, free beer.
Corey Gerstner
Kraig Springer
Did you ever see the Cheers episode where Rebecca, relieved that Woody and Sam were only asking for raises not titles, was willing to grant them their demands? But once Woody and Sam, no ordinary simpletons, believed that titles were actually more valuable, changed course and demanded these instead of raises. And that day Woody became Senior Bartender and Sam became Executive Senior Bartender. And everyone was happy.
Well, like the fictional Woody and Sam, Kraig fell for the same ruse and, foregoing a substantial raise, asked for and received the title of not just Vice President, but that of Executive Vice President.
As Executive Vice President, Kraig, in his words, “makes sure that the sales, marketing, support, and development areas are functioning properly.”
Does having Kraig on the Bottlecapps team benefit you? Again, in his words:
“I’m well aware of what faces so many owners and managers in today’s challenging environments. Having personally owned and operated a company and having worked in many different roles in service industries I’ve gained experiences that have provided far-ranging insights and skills. These include best operations practices, process analysis and mapping, distribution methods, and managing people. All of these help me help our customers.”
Born in Texas, raised in Texas (Denton), attended college in Texas (North Texas State), married to his Texas high school sweetheart, Kraig likes to vacation in…Texas (West) at his family’s 145-year-old adobe home.
Are titles really that important to Kraig? Not according to a piece of advice he received years ago and still uses to guide his life today: Respect isn’t something that comes through name, profession or money. Respect is something earned through the things you do and the way you live.
Kraig’s favorite adult beverage: Bourbon. Neat.
Kraig Springer
Executive Vice-President
Corporate Secretary
Anand Dharmarajan
Anand loves squashing bugs, thinks he’s a bridge, wants to be a cross between Elon Musk and a West Texas cowboy, and dreams of owning a Raptor.
The bugs.
If there’s a bug in the Bottlecapps APP, he wants it squashed. Immediately.
The bridge.
There’s the sales and marketing team (A) and there’s the software development team (B) and in between these two opposing groups is a bridge and that bridge is Anand. Anand understands the needs and requirements of A and can convert them to the technical terms B understands, then get it built, tested, debugged, launched, and debugged again.
Anand 1) graduated from the University of Texas with an MS in Information Systems, specializing in Business Analytics and Project Management, 2) built an Android smartwatch app for Verizon that helped him understand the technical skills required in an app company, and 3) as a graduate assistant in grad school he learned how to teach others. That’s a trifecta - kind of. These sets of experiences armed Anand with the perfect skills for Bottlecapps and our clients.
Elon Musk, the cowboy and the Raptor.
If he grows up, Anand wants to be an entrepreneur like Elon Musk (before Elon’s problems). He wants to own a ranch, too, near Big Bend National Park. He also wants 10 dogs. But wait, that’s not all. Anand wants to survey all he owns from the behind the wheel of his customized F 150 Raptor. As Anand says when he talks to himself, “believe you can and you’re half way there.”
Refreshingly, Anand’s hero is his dad and if you knew his dad’s story he’d probably be your hero too.
Anand likes his water with some barley & hops!
Anand Dharmarajan
Director
Product Support & Development
Curtis Patton
VP of Sales and Customer Experience
Scott Mcdonald
Jessica Sanchez
How many of you roller skate or know someone who roller skates? Exactly what we thought. No one. Throughout its three-century history, the popularity of roller skating has had its ups and downs, and in today’s world, it’s more down than up - the same position most who have skated usually find themselves in.
This Ain’t Your Typical Roller Derbying Lady.
At Bottlecapps we’ve found what may be the only roller-skating graphics expert, Jessica Sanchez, our Lead Creative. Jessica roller skates and dreams of becoming a professional roller skater (Yeah, we didn’t know there was such a thing either.) Skating here, skating there, skating everywhere – just like the Beatles’ song only with little wheels instead of notes.
But wait, that’s not all. Jessica likes to draw, design non-app stuff, and fall asleep while watching movies.
But back to Bottlecapps.
But Jessica is more than just a dreaming skater. Jessica is a designer, a creative, an assignment juggler, and a valued member of the Bottlecapps team.
Jessica uses her design and graphics skills to make sure Bottlecapps looks good, and our incredibly recognizable brand stays consistent. Whether it’s putting the design together for a promotion, creating an app screen, or making our social media pages look professional, fun, and energetic, Jessica is there.
Let’s admit it – we all talk to ourselves, and Jessica is no different. What does Jessica say to Jessica? “I like to remind myself to keep rolling with the punches and keep trying my best.”
Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’.
The future. We’ve all got one. In Jessica’s future, she sees herself as a traveling designer, maybe even a vlogger, seeing the world in a never-ending adventure. On skates. Stopping here and there to drink a bit of Peach Sake.
A Piece of Wisdom from Us (BC):
There’s a skater inside everyone; it’s up to us to set it free.
Jessica Sanchez
Hayley Morris
“When I grow up, I want to be Dolly Parton. She’s kind, brilliant, and unapologetically true to herself. Oh, and she’s GLAMOROUS,” exclaimed a worshipping Hayley. While Dolly may be a bit over-the-top, according to Hayley, “it’s better to be over-the-top than underwhelming.” She’s not wrong.
“But if I can’t be Dolly, I want to dress up as an RC Cola.”
This would be part of Hayley’s dream trip – to attend the RC Cola and MoonPie Festival in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Honest. We’re not lying here, people. “The locals dress up like cans of RC, have a parade, make a giant MoonPie, and even hold a pageant. The ideal scenario would be me winning the pageant and being crowned the MoonPie Queen,” said an overly excited Hayley. “I’m just not sure I’d qualify for that honor.” Dolly would be so proud.
Crazy puts the creative in creative.
At Bottlecapps, Hayley wears many hats, from program scheduling and management to copywriting and creative. Writing just felt like the right thing to do. She’s creative like most writers, but she also has a collaborative nature, unlike most writers.
Hayley creates messaging that combines the unique, distinctive, and thoroughly entertaining Bottlecapps’ voice with that of the brands Bottlecapps partners with. That’s not easy to do.
Hayley is also a content planner for the digital ad and sponsorships departments at Bottlecapps. This responsibility is a piece of cake.
Speaking of cake.
Hayley loves to bake. Her motto is, “whatever problem you may have, there’s a cake for that.” And in her future, Hayley sees cheesecake. A lot of cheesecake. Sometimes without the cheese. (Suggestion: Next time you’re in New York, eat at Junior’s Cheesecake – nothing compares.)
Mom.
“Cue the corny music, but my mom really is my hero. She’s fierce, dynamic, and hilarious. She’s the textbook definition of a ‘strong female lead.’”
Odds and ends.
Hayley’s favorite movie is, You’ve Got Mail. “I can quote the entire movie by heart.”
She’s ADHD which for Hayley translates into nonstop chatter. Non. Stop.
The best advice anyone’s told her – “You can always start again.”
She goes to baseball games for the hotdogs.
What time does her day begin and end? “I have a coffee-to-cocktails mentality.” Which means she likes liquids almost as much as cake.
She’s not sure which is the odd and which is the end.
Favorite drink.
Anything with gin and fresh herbs. “Basically, I want my cocktails to taste like a garden.” And she wants her garden to taste like alcohol, but who doesn’t?
Hayley Morris
Kyle Herrod
“Having Kyle brings a smile, baby! I like to have fun, and I’ve brought several systems into play that boost productivity and fun.” That’s how a shy and reserved Kyle answered the question, why is Bottlecapps better with you.
Kyle works directly with Bottlecapps’ customers starting with the “moment of conception all the way through the process” (his words). While this might appear a little too up-close-and-personal for some, Kyle seems to enjoy it. To try and interpret his meaning, Kyle helps with the onboarding of new clients, which involves getting their app up and running. From there, he is our clients’ friend and service manager, helping with the upkeep of and improvements to their Bottlecapps experience. Or as Kyle says, “I help our customers serve their customers better.”
Life before BottleCapps, had Kyle working with Chick Fil A for 8 years, 6 months, 16 hours, and 56 seconds. Exactly. Because exactly is how Kyle is - which is why he is perfectly suited to assist and guide our customers. Success is often about the small details that are often overlooked by many. But not by Kyle, because Kyle, being exact, is known for his memory and for noticing small details about people and things such as our customers’ apps and websites.
Kyle is younger than most of us, graduating high school in 2012. Maybe that explains his need to be noticed, or perhaps it’s a glitch with his synapse, and he’ll always be this way. Only time will tell.
As Kyle looks into the future, what does Kyle see? Well, he sees living in a house and having a family with “like 54 kids”. I also want to mentor the next generation.” While we respect the desire to mentor, we’re not sold on the idea of Kyle siring the entire next generation. A little Kyle goes a long way.
When it comes to his favorite adult beverage Kyle (claiming he’s easy) goes with Whiskey & coke, or a Whiskey Sour, or a cider, or a – Kyle, this is getting less and less easy.
Kyle Herrod
Tim Hughes
I am the Sales Manager. I am the Tool Man. I am the Tim Hughes!
Tim Hughes calls himself the Tool Man because he is always prepared for when “life happens.” We don’t call him that, and we don’t know if others call him that, but we often hear Tim walking around the office proclaiming, “I am the Tool Man.”
Lucky for us, TTTM (Tim the Tool Man) recently brought his preparedness toolbelt to Texas and Bottlecapps.
What Does a TTTM Do?
Tim’s primary job is to grow Bottlecapps through finding, educating, and signing new clients. His secondary role is to help control and make Curtis Patton look good. This may be the most difficult of his duties, luckily Tim’s motor is always running.
Tim explains that “by partnering with Bottlecapps, our customers experience a growth in sales through new orders which allows them to better compete and to expand their business.” Helping Bottlecapps grow helps their retail partners grow and vice versa. Tim’s job is one of those win-win situations.
“Bottlecapps is lucky to have me. I bring a skill set that includes marketing, sales, and customer service that allows me to understand and interfere in any of our departments,” says a self-assured Tool Man.
You Can’t Run from the Past.
Tim hails from the great Midwest…growing up near South Bend, Indiana – so, he’s a Notre Dame fan.
On the other hand, he’s a baseball fan. Tim was fortunate enough to grow up going to Cubs games at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. He was also unfortunate enough to root for a team that never won. Expect once a couple of years back. But now Cubs’ fans are back to chanting, “Wait ‘til next year”, which Tim will undoubtedly be doing also.
If Tim could choose another career, what would it be?
A golf pro. Why? Because in college, he once won a $5 bet, making an unmakeable shot. We think he’d like to be a golf pro because he can play and drink Yuengling Lager at the same time.
Tim Hughes
John Rind
"I learned just about everything I know in Lubbock, Texas.” This is how John explains his smarts. Lubbock, a city of 256,000 located in northwestern Texas is ecologically part of the southern end of the High Plains. And High Plains Drifter, starring Clint Eastwood, is a pretty darn good movie. However, John ain’t no Clint Eastwood, and Texas Tech can’t be a school for brainiacs because, well, it’s located in the middle of nowhere, Texas, although it does have a campus in Costa Rica, which is very cool. Great surfing down there. But, if John learned just about everything he knows in his four years in Lubbock…well, that leaves a lot of years with no learning, right? And this may be why he still doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up.
Other than to learn everything he knows, why did a kid from Plano, Texas head out to Texas Tech in the first place? His buddies – he had five friends saddle up and head out west with him and his dad had also gone there, so good on him for carrying on a small family tradition. After graduation, John immediately started working at BottleCapps as part of the sales team (John prefers the title: Sales Executive). Sales is not for everyone. It’s hard. But John loves his job and its importance. “Our customers might not have heard of us if it wasn’t for the sales team,” he explains. And he’s right. Sales is important in getting the name out and in getting customers in.
How hard is sales? Just getting through to the right person is a 1-in-10 proposition - “Smiling and Dialing,” as they say at BottleCapps. And that’s the easy part of sales. But the good ones keep at it, and that’s John. With all the negatives encountered in selling John stays positive. He probably learned that in Lubbock. What’s the fastest he’s ever closed a sale for BottleCapps? The same day – from a cold call. And the dumbest thing he’s heard from a store owner? “I’m too dumb for this and I don’t have time.” That’s the store everyone should want as a competitor. Friends, family, coworkers are some of the things John values most in life. His mom is his hero and when he looks at his future, he sees himself growing old with his family and friends. “What more could I ask for?”
Jack and Sprite are among his friends.
John Rind
Ash Sengara
It all comes down to one word. Sales.
What did Ash do before Bottlecapps? Sales (real estate).
What does Ash do at Bottlecapps? Sales.
Why is Bottlecapps better with Ash? Increased Sales.
Although it may seem that Ash has a limited skill set – and vocabulary – sales is an essential skill. For Bottlecapps. For our customers. And for life. Without sales, not much happens.
Sales is more than just sales. To be a good salesperson requires that salesperson to be great at customer service. That’s Ash. And That’s why Ash is good for Bottlecapps and good for our clients.
Ash is also a Curtis disciple, which means some wayward souls believe Curtis is worth following. It takes all types.
Not just a one-trick pony.
Ash has no favorite authors, books, movies, or quotes. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have other interests. Ash just hasn’t found them yet. He will, though. Someday. Hey, as long as he can sell, we’re not too concerned about him. But it’s evident Ash is indeed a one-trick pony; the headline was just to intentionally mislead you.
Oops. Spoke too soon.
Turns out there is something else out there that interests Ash. Competitive sports – it’s his favorite pastime (we’re not sure if by that he means watching or competing, but we think it’s watching). Especially golf – in fact, when he grows up, Ash wants to be a professional golfer. Reality? Who knows? But it’s always good to have a plan B.
Heroes and other favorite things.
Michael Jordan is his hero (that’s because he’s not a Utah Jazz fan).
G is his favorite letter.
Spain is his dream vacation. The Spanish like people who can sell – they’ll love Ash.
Sales is his favorite noun, and selling is his favorite verb.
When Ash talks to himself, he says, “I am the Greatest.” Because of this, he often refers to himself as Big G. Other times he calls himself “the closer.” Because that’s what a top salesperson should be – a closer. Sometimes Ash sings, “I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” just like the other “I am the Greatest” used to do.
Adult beverage of choice.
Scotch. That’s it, just scotch. And only scotch. He has a dog named Scottie, a best friend named Scott, and he loves to play hopscotch. Who doesn’t?
Ash Sengara
Braden Smith
“Show people, don’t tell people.”
That’s a quote from one of Braden’s favorite motivators and fitness freak, David Goggins. And that’s what Braden tries to do. Show people.
Behind the bar.
Braden previously worked as a psychiatrist and relationship guru. Well, not exactly a degreed psychiatrist and not really a trained relationship guru either. Okay, he was a bartender, and many people think bartenders are both of these. Hence, they share their problems, their successes, and their loneliness. And Braden was good at lending an ear and helping provide solutions – some good, some bad, but all delivered with sincerity.
Behind the app.
Behind every good salesperson and every good liquor app is a good client services specialist. That’s what Braden is at Bottlecapps - a good Onboarding Specialist. This role requires a knowledge of psychiatry and relationship creating and mending. Lucky for us, Braden has that.
Braden’s job is to make sure new clients are correctly onboarded – meaning they get trained and up and running with their app and all the products and services that come with Bottlecapps. “Mine will be the most personal relationship clients have with Bottlecapps, whether that means reaching out to them regularly or being ready and able to receive their calls, texts, and emails and help solve any problems they encounter,” explained Braden.
You may lose the battle of the morning, but don’t lose the war of the day.
Another quote from Goggins that helps Braden win the day. No matter how big the problem, Braden will help fix it because that’s what a onboarding specialist does to win the war of the day.
Be the hero of your own movie.
That’s the best advice Braden’s ever received. (We like the quote and don’t really have anything else to add to it, so we’ll let it breathe on its own.)
Free time ain’t that free.
When you don’t have much of it, you value what you have. Braden’s free minutes consist of slowing down and hanging out with his girlfriend and daughter.
And then there’s playing video games, bowling, playing pool, lifting weights, and running – which is why Braden doesn’t have much free time.
Favorite adult beverage: Tequila, usually a Reposado or Anejo with soda water. “Low carb, sugar, and calories and keeps me hydrated. But if you put anything in front of me, it can and will go down.” Attaboy.
Braden Smith
Choi Linh
Let’s be honest – all websites occasionally have troubles, even ours. That’s why we have someone like Choi on board. Choi is a Customer Service Technician and handles the troubleshooting and resolution of all technical aspects of the app and our websites. He also provides QA testing for developers. If things are working well, it’s partly due to Choi. If things aren’t working, it may be due to Curtis.
What this all means is that you’ll have a reliable working, robust e-commerce experience for your customers. And that means happy customers. And happy customers return, which is what we all want.
Before Choi came on board with us, he served in the Navy for ten years, where he was an information systems technician and a 2nd Class Petty Officer. That’s where he acquired the troubleshooting skills and technical knowledge he uses to the benefit of our customers.
Deep down, all Texans are cowboys of one type or another – some real, some drugstore. Choi? He wants to be a space cowboy when he grows up. So, you’d think he’d be out flying planes or studying the skies in his free time. But nope, this space cowboy wannabe and tech-nerd at heart geeks out playing video games. Makes no sense. At all.
Remember the bad times and use them to remind you why you want to succeed. Failing is part of succeeding; pick yourself up, and never quit trying. That’s a portion of the best advice Choi says he has received and used during his life.
His Hero? An astronaut, a pilot, a Texas Ranger, Bill Gates? Nope. It’s his father. “The sacrifices he has made for our family to thrive are beyond legend,” explains Choi. And this makes sense because every father should be a hero to his kids.
Choi’s favorite adult beverage? Coke and rum. It’s what space cowboys drink.
Choi Linh
Kristen Salsgiver
“There aren’t enough Disney Theme Parks in the world!” That’s according to Kristen Salsgiver, the newest graphic designer on the Bottlecapps creative team. She’s touristed at the parks in Florida, California, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, leaving only Disneyland Paris and Tokyo to complete her goal of visiting them all.
Graphic Designer - essential?
We think so. After all, at Bottlecapps, it’s the Kristen Graphic Designer Salsgivers of the world who make sure your app looks pretty, professional (or pretty professional), and matches your brand. Kristen will also rework marketing materials such as rack cards, counter mats, social media posts, window clings, banners, and all that other essential marketing stuff to give it life and further expand your brand.
Her one true love.
Kristen is married, and from what we know, her husband is a fairly good guy, but he’s not her True Love. That honor goes to her corgi, Flynn, who was named for a dog in the Disney movie, Tangles. Cute, right? From Wales, corgis are short, powerful, sensitive, bright, and were bred to help herd cattle. Kristen doesn’t have any cows.
A few of her favorite things.
Kristen loves to travel, and, thanks to the wanderings of her parents, she has visited most of Northern and Southern Europe, the Greek Islands, China, Japan, Tibet, and been on more cruises than the average corgi-loving graphic designer.
Her favorite movies are 500 Days of Summer (not Disney) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (Disney), and her favorite pastime is annoying her corgi with constant affection.
No mention of her husband.
Feelings.
“I haven’t been with a company that is so motivated and passionate about what they do. It’s inspiring to work with such goal-driven people and hard not to see success for BottleCapps’ future.” However, Kristen is concerned that when this pandemic period is over, Curtis, being who Curtis is, will find a way to start a new one.
Her favorite Disney ride: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Her favorite adult beverage: “Anything fruity. The fruitier, the better – something like a Pina Colada or a Strawberry Daiquiri.” Do they make a cotton candy flavored drink?
Kristen Salsgiver
Jasmeet Kaur
Here a title, there a title.
Jasmeet claims she’s a Super Skilled Ninja and wants us to use that title when referring to her. Bottlecapps had a ninja on staff once. He’s gone now, and apparently, Jasmeet feels she can just walk in and lay claim to that moniker. We’ll play along and let her use it on an unofficial basis - until we change our minds.
Jasmeet also has a second title - Beer Buddy. And sometimes, she refers to herself as a Samurai. She’s a title seeker and collector. We think she may be confused, but everyone needs a hobby.
Data Analyst.
Jasmeet’s also one of those. “Data is one big problem, and a data analyst is the Samurai, rushing in to save the day,” explains Super Skilled Ninja, Samurai, Beer Buddy, and Data Analyst Jasmeet (SSNSBBDAJ for short).
Here’s how Jasmeet explains her job:
“Just like you have a find button in MS-word which lets you find a word or text from the big chunk of information. I am that find button, but with Bottlecapps’ databases😊 I also help bring clarity to the data.”
From India with love.
Jasmeet was raised in India and sometimes also goes by India Jones. After studying at St. Theresa’s Convent School (she’s no angel), Jasmeet graduated from Kurukshetra University with a bachelor’s degree in Commerce.
Hero worship.
“My papa is my hero, my teacher, my best friend. He’s successful, hardworking, honest, multi-lingual, a tennis player, and an amazing storyteller. His knowledge and life experience have always guided me through all, thick and thin.”
Good things and other stuff.
Jasmeet’s favorite author is Paulo Coelho, and his book, The Alchemist, is her favorite book.
Her favorite movie is 3 Idiots – the version starring Curtis.
Favorite quote – “Life should be great rather than long.” – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. We think life should be both great and long, but this is Jasmeet’s bio, so what we believe doesn’t much matter.
Best advice – Good books are your best friends (from her papa).
Favorite adult beverage: Budweiser. Not very exotic for someone with such an eclectic array of titles, but you like what you like.
Jasmeet Kaur
Steve Jarmana
Simply put, Steve has issues with issues that have issues. As a Retention and Systems Manager, Steve’s job is to focus on any customer issues and the fluidity of Bottlecapps’ incredibly sophisticated systems.
Attention equals retention.
In other words, Steve’s attention to detail ensures that everything from sales to onboarding new clients runs smoothly. “Happy client means successful client, which leads to a long-term relationship. That’s the lane I try to keep everybody in,” says Steve.
Though rare, issues do occur, and when they do, Steve attacks them with the vim and vigor of a person with issues himself. “It takes someone with issues to understand, find, and destroy them – especially issues that may affect our clients,” explained Steve. “Fortunately for our clients, I’m better at solving systems issues than personal ones.”
Why does Steve have issues?
Easy. He’s successfully and patiently dealt with people from sales reps to employees to customers for more than 20 years. “I bring people together and keep them together,” states an overly proud Steve. “You know, like that old song, come together right now, over me. Or like super glue.” (Sometimes Steve needs to get over himself.)
Unfortunately, dealing with people often means dealing with issues that, at some point, can lead to psychological misfires. But no worries, he’s not contagious. Before Steve started with us, we had him thoroughly checked out, refurbished, and rabies shotted, and Steve’s now almost good as new.
When Steve grows up.
Although Steve is no spring chicken, he’s still on the journey of growing up. And when he does, Steve wants to be a fireman. We occasionally let him light a match and blow it out. This exercise helps satisfy the fireman harbored within.
Well-traveled and traveled well.
First. Steve’s from Canada, which means he spells traveled with two l’s. While grammatically correct in the British form of English (which really isn’t English at all), it’s not correct in Texas.
Second. Steve’s been to 27 countries. Which is a good bit of travelllllllling until you find there are 195 countries in the world, then you realize that he’s only been to 14% of the world, which doesn’t seem so well-traveled, after all.
Third. Steve’s driven, and with that drive, we expect him to double his country count in the next 20 years or so.
Fourth: Steve likes beaches. His dream trip is to the Maldives, and he pictures a future sitting on a beach in the South Pacific, which is also his favorite musical. He often sings Bali Ha’i as he does his issue solving thing.
Favorite adult beverage: Beer. There’s a surprise – a Canadian who likes beer. Steve favors Kroenbourg 1664 and Kokanee and prefers drinking his beer anywhere and everywhere, but especially in front of a televised hockey game.
Eh?
Steve Jarmana
Rew Butler
Sales Development Representative
Daniel Turner
Client Success Manager
Jake Stiener
Kayla Quintana
Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America 2024
BEHIND THE SCENES
IN-STORE PROMOTIONS
TEXAS PACKAGE STORES ASSOCIATION 2019 TRADE SHOW
Texas Package Stores Association 2018 Trade Show
TEXAS PACKAGE STORES ASSOCIATION 2017 TRADE SHOW
TEXAS PACKAGE STORES ASSOCIATION 2016 TRADE SHOW
NEW JERSEY LIQUOR STORE ALLIANCE 2015 TRADE SHOW
MEET OUR NEW OWNERSHIP TEAM
Dr. Prashant Desai
Prashant is the Chairman of the Board and is responsible for the vision, culture, and business execution of the company. He has a medical degree and has worked in the biotech industry for over 15 years. He has launched multiple blockbuster ($1B) products and executed the strategy to build some of the largest biotech brands.
His business acumen has allowed him to use these transferable skills at Bottlecapps. His background includes investments in Oil & Gas, Real Estate, and Technology. His leadership allowed Bottlecapps to complete it’s first funding round and ultimately propel it’s growth as the leader in the mobile app space.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and watching sports.
Preet Dhillon
Preet is an entrepreneur and has been a business owner for the past 16 years. Several of his businesses have grown to multimillion-dollar companies. Some of his clients include TXU Energy, AT&T and Direct Energy. Preet has led sales teams across 20 offices and over 250 staff across the U.S. and Canada. His leadership has generated over $1B(USD) in customer revenues from past and present clients.
Preet holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geomatics Engineering and lives in Houston, TX with his wife and two sons. He enjoys travel, running marathons and climbing mountains.
Anirudh Reddy
President, Chief Technology Officer, Partner
Anirudh is a co-founder of the company and brings with him over 17 years of experience in leadership, Information technology and business acumen. Ani has worked with some of the top Fortune 500 companies as a solution advisor, architect and a lead. These clients have trusted him to successfully deliver large scale projects, help drive business process transformation and develop product roadmaps. His key focus areas were CRM, ERP & Enterprise Mobility.
Ani has a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Electronics. He currently resides in Irving, Texas with his wife and two sons. Ani enjoys problem solving, tennis and golf.
John Abraham
John is a highly experienced start-up executive, having launched several successful technology companies including Bottlecapps, a manufacturer of ultra-efficient power generation systems, Global Capacity Inc., a $300M data networking service company, and Shango, a cloud services software platform for large mobile telecom carriers.
John has over 25 years in technology startup companies in a variety of roles including finance, business development, and software development. He currently serves as CFO of M-Trigen, and Bottlecapps as well as Treasurer and advisory board member for Bottlecapps. John holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Houston. He resides with his family in Katy, Texas and is an avid sports enthusiast.
Bish Mubarak
Chief Revenue Officer, Partner
As the Chief Revenue Officer, Bish Mubarak brings over 25 years’ experience in building and growing enterprises. As a CEO, Chief Sales Officer, entrepreneur, and investor in other businesses, Bish founded his first company in 1998 that he operated across North America for two decades.
Bish enjoys inspiring others to reach their full potential; he maintains several business consulting clients and personal mentorships. He also has been a speaker and sales trainer throughout the U.S. and Canada. Bish graduated from the University of Western Ontario in London, ON. He resides in the Dallas, Texas area, and is the proud father of two beautiful children.
Mitesh Patel
Chief Information Officer, Partner
Mitesh Patel is a member of the Board and brings to the company over 18 years of experience in information technology and business acumen.
Mitesh has worked with some of the top Fortune 500 companies as an Architect, Security Consultant and Technology Solutionist. For these organizations, he has delivered innovative solutions to drive further growth and develop an agile business model. His key focus areas are IT Security, Enterprise Mobility and Innovation.
Mitesh holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration degree in Management Information Systems and also holds a CISSP certification. He currently resides in Richmond, Texas with his wife and son.