Muzai

Around 2010 "Ad Tech" - advertising technology to the rest of us - was a hot space to be in, specially the emerging world of Social Ad Tech. Oracle, Experian and Salesforce each spent hundreds of millions of dollars acquiring companies in the space, to create their own "marketing cloud."

I was lucky enough to work with all of them during my time on Facebook's Preferred Marketing Developer Program team (they're now called Facebook Marketing Partners - a much better name).

And I was tasked with "owning" Facebook's Ads API relationship with Salesforce. Which meant I spent a lot of time with London-based creators of Facebook Ads tool Brighter Option. Brighter Option sold to Buddy Media and then the lot was sold to Salesforce a few months later.

The Brighter Option/BuyBuddy/Social.com team were some of the best people I ever worked with. Fun, down to earth, customer focused, nimble. They loved good food, good drinks, and a good time.

One of them, Tom Shellard, stayed at Salesforce for five years but left in July 2017 to create Muzai.

I'm very glad he left Ad Tech. If he hadn't, I'd have never tasted Muzai. It's incredible.

Muzai is a selection of "mindful cocktail mixers" in healthy flavours: Yuzu & Thyme, Hibiscus, Lemongrass & Ginger. Each is fantastic, but Lemongrass & Ginger is my new go-to to spice up Bourbon, Gin or Vodka drinks. I've also grown fond of adding it to a glass of water with ice.

The most fun part? Have one-too-many alcoholic drinks created with it and you'll barely notice a hangover. Must be all those herbs and spices. Check out Tom's story here and buy Muzai here.