Episode Overview

Carmen Sandor is the founder and CEO of Green Owl Vodka, one of the only female owned and led spirits sold at the LCBO. Green Owl is Canada’s first sipping vodka infused with green tea extract from Japan. 

Carmen started her career as a reporter for CTV News and TSN. She then switched gears and started working at RPIA as a Vice President on their Client Portfolio Management team, a Toronto-based investment management firm and was the youngest person to be promoted to Vice President at the firm. Last May, she honed in on her financial industry expertise, her entrepreneurial spirit and her passion for clean ingredients to launch Green Owl Vodka. 

Carmen graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and Sociology, and was a former professional tennis player and captain of the Penn State varsity women’s tennis team.  

“It was challenging to get into the LCBO, however getting consumers comfortable with our product, a new kind of product, has been more challenging.”

In this week’s episode of the #StartupPodcast, sponsored by Mastercard and Scotiabank, Carmen Sandor shares what the largest challenges have been while developing and growing Green Owl Vodka.  

Podcast: Play in new window | Download