Today we’d like to introduce you to Mollie Lewis.
Hi Mollie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Louisville with a deep love for art, Kentucky, and the beverage alcohol industry. After studying at Parsons School of Design in New York, I spent my early career exploring the world through wine – from California’s Culinary Institute of America to several years in Italy managing international exports. Those experiences taught me how global spirits brands are built: with craft, patience, and a clear point of view.
In 2011, I came home to Kentucky to join my father, Ken Lewis in launching New Riff. What started as a family dream over the dinner table quickly became an important mission: to build an independent, world-class distillery rooted in Northern Kentucky. Over the past decade, I’ve worn just about every hat – from sales and brand building to internal culture and community partnerships and collaborations. In 2024, I stepped into the role of president as the second generation of New Riff’s family’s leadership.
Today, my “why” is simple: to honor what has been created, continue to push the brand forward and make sure New Riff continues it’s important work as being a force of good in NKY and the greater Cincinnati community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
1. Being the daughter of the founder
Carrying your father’s legacy is both amazing but also a tremendous responsibility. It came with an unspoken expectation to always “earn” my seat at the table. Learning to trust my own voice has been a continuous evolution.
2. Growing a fast-moving company with a small team
In the early years, New Riff was scrappy. We all wore lots of hats. I was traveling nonstop, selling, building distributor relationships, writing our story and keeping the wheels on.
3. Learning the bourbon industry
Coming from a wine background, some things, like the three tier system, were similar and many things were different. Bourbon is a very special category – America’s only native spirit!
4. Guiding New Riff through change
Becoming president wasn’t just a promotion, it was a transition for the entire company. Shifting from founder-led to a second-generation leadership team requires trust-building, cultural work, long-term planning, and navigating resilience.
5. Staying independent in a consolidating industry
Every year, big bourbon gets bigger. We’ve had to say no to offers, yes to risk, and figure out how to scale sustainably while continuing to protect the soul of our brand.
6. Carrying the emotional weight of community impact
New Riff is woven into NKY. People look to us for leadership, support, partnership and presence.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What I’m most proud of today isn’t just what we’re building inside the walls of New Riff – it’s the ripple effect we’re creating outside of them. Over time, my role has become about more than bourbon. I’m becoming known for championing women in leadership, amplifying women’s voices in an industry that hasn’t always made room for them and helping young women across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky see themselves as the next generation of creators, leaders, and change-makers in our very own region.
Through New Riff, I’ve been able to turn that passion into real programs: mentoring high-school and college-aged girls, hosting HERizon gatherings where women can be radically honest about their wins and struggles, partnering with schools, nonprofits, and chambers to make sure women have a seat – and a microphone – in rooms where decisions are being made. I’m proud that people now see New Riff as a place where women are not just welcomed, but championed. A place where we talk openly about courage, confidence, community, and the power of women lifting women!
And what sets me apart is that this work isn’t theoretical for me – it’s deeply personal. I’ve navigated male-dominated industries, built my career across continents, stepped into my father’s legacy, and learned to lead in my own voice. I know what it feels like to be the only woman in the room, the youngest person at the table, or the one wondering if I belong. My mission now is to make sure fewer women feel that way.
I’m proud that my leadership connects bourbon, community, and women’s empowerment in a way that feels authentic to Northern Kentucky – scrappy, brave, ambitious, and rooted in something deeper than business. That’s the work that lights me up. That’s what I want to be known for. And that’s the legacy I hope to build at New Riff.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned on my way to leading New Riff is that I don’t have to lead the way my father led in order to honor what he built.
For a long time, I thought leadership meant stepping into his shoes – matching his style and his voice. But over the years, I’ve learned that my job isn’t to replicate him. It’s to evolve the story. My father created New Riff out of pure vision and grit; my role has been to bring my own strengths into that foundation – empathy, community-building, collaboration, and a deep passion for lifting up women and young leaders.
Once I stopped trying to be a carbon copy of the founder and started leading the way I was built to lead, everything changed. The company grew, our community work deepened, and I felt a sense of alignment and purpose I’d never felt before. I realized that legacy isn’t about sameness – it’s about stewardship, evolution, and having the courage to lead in your own voice.
That’s the lesson I carry with me every day:
you don’t have to become the person who came before you to be worthy of the role – you just have to become the most authentic version of yourself.
Pricing:
- Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon $39.99
- Bottled-in-Bond Rye $39.99
- Single Barrel Bourbon $52.99
- Single Barrel Rye $54.99
- 6yr old Malted Rye $64.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.newriffdistilling.com
- Instagram: @newriff
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewRiffDistilling/
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mollie-lewis-875755303/
- Twitter: https://x.com/NewRiff
- Youtube: @NewRiffDistilling
