How I Lead This: Behind the Leadership Brand Of Lobos 1707 Tequila’s Diego Osorio
Everyone knows tequila is synonymous with Mexico. But what if you added a little taste of Spain into the mix?
It would take a special entrepreneur — and a unique thought leader — to rebrand an entire industry. But Diego Osorio, founder of Lobos Lobos 1707 Tequila and Mezcal fits the bill.
In the early 1700s, Diego Osorio’s great-great grandfather filled sherry casks with tequila and transported the product back to Spain from Mexico. After learning this story about his relative, Diego decided to launch his own brand of tequila and mezcal.
To replicate the traditional agave-based recipe enjoyed by his forefathers, he brought together his family’s sherry winemaker and a Jalisco-based Master Distiller. The final results are recipes that marry both Mexican and Spanish cultures, representing the heritage of old and new world flavors simultaneously.
Today, the four-year-old Lobos 1707 is competing head-on with other major celebrity tequila brands. Lebron James is an investor – along with Arnold Schwarzenegger – and is the face of the brand.
As Founder & Chief Creative Officer at Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal, Diego has established a powerful leadership brand for himself, as well. He uses his voice and his personal brand to set Lobos 1707 apart from competitors.
He leans heavily into his family’s legacy, emphasizing the strong cultural and historical connection with his product. His authenticity and rich storytelling give him a leg up on more established tequila brands.
He also seamlessly blends his own image and lifestyle with Lobos 1707. On Instagram, his main social media channel, Diego weaves together content that reflects his active pursuits (skiing, motorcycle-riding) and promotes Lobos 1707. His passion for storytelling has also led this former actor to produce and direct several documentaries focused on environmental and immigration issues.
I’ve always said that I want Lobos to be like the Air Jordan 1 Chicagos.
Here’s what Lobos 1707’s Diego Osorio shared with The Helm:
Emoji you can’t live without: 🙏 is definitely my most-used. I’m usually using it as a “thank you,” so it’s the one first that pops up on my list. I don’t use a ton of emojis, but my other big ones are the salute and face-palm.
TED Talk you’d really love to give: I’d love to do a talk on brand-building through art and storytelling. Storytelling has always been a passion of mine, and building a company with a strong narrative that sparks emotion in its audience is a craft that I think I excel at. I’d also love to do a standup comedy TED Talk, but it’d probably be terrible!
Secret sign from childhood you were destined to be a leader: I grew up the youngest of five siblings, with three sisters and one brother. My oldest sister was 14 years older than me, so I had a strong survival instinct instilled in me. Beyond my siblings building my sense of resilience and independence, my father’s passing when I was 11 also quickly motivated me to step up and take care of my family. Stepping into a leadership role and offering help was in the cards since I was young, so I would say my upbringing really built me into the leader that I am today.
Stories are everything in business. What’s your go-to story that consistently moves people? I’ve always said that I want Lobos to be like the Air Jordan 1 Chicagos. Growing up as a kid in the ’90s, you’d see someone wearing Jordans and give them a little nod of approval. It symbolized a recognition of shared taste beyond just sneakers; it indicated that we see each other and share the same values for diversity, individuality, doing things differently and doing them your own way. With Lobos, we’re sharing more than just a taste in tequila. We’re building a brand that has strong values and an identity that its drinkers mutually respect.
As a leader, what keeps you up at night? I’m kept up by the thought that I could always be doing more. Have I done enough? Is there someone I can call or text to move things forward? Is there an email that I might have missed? I’m constantly wondering whether I could be doing more for my brand and my team, but I’m also surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the business who help ground me.
What three words or phrases define your leadership style? Authentic, appreciative, hustle.
What is your biggest insecurity about how people perceive you as a leader? My leadership style is very visual. I need to be able to physically see and touch things to fully understand them, so I imagine that can get frustrating if you’re working on my team. I also love being in one room to talk things out and brainstorm creatively. I’d much rather be in the room with someone or jump on the phone than have to sit down by myself and write down my ideas.
If I’m feeling stuck, I’ll often turn to Instagram to get inspired and energized; it’s the closest thing to going for a walk or getting in a workout for me.
Social media as a leader: love it or leave it? I love and hate social media in equal parts. I love social media because I’m able to curate my feed to find inspiration and look at what the people I respect are doing in their fields. If I’m feeling stuck, I’ll often turn to Instagram to get inspired and energized; it’s the closest thing to going for a walk or getting in a workout for me. I dislike social media for all the same reasons as everyone else. It wastes time and can often make you feel like you’re not enough, your company isn’t big enough, you’re not doing enough. It can feed into a lot of the negative voices in your head.
Your #1 must-follow account on social media: Mylo the Cat on Instagram. Best account for people my age.
What is the biggest benefit you’ve seen from building your leadership brand? Building my brand has allowed me to become more secure in my decisions – both the good and the bad. Even if things don’t go to plan, I’m learning from every decision I make in order to inform the next decision. I have a stronger belief in my instincts as a result of watching my brand succeed.
Thanks to Diego Osorio for sharing his thoughts and expertise on building a leadership brand with The Helm. You can follow Diego on Instagram or stay up to date on the Lobos 1707 website.
