I wouldn’t have started Swizzle if I were still drinking.

In this episode of Swizzle & Sip, guest host Jennifer Hunter (Gensyn Design) turns the mic around and interviews founder Crystal Vann Wallstrom about the messy, honest middle of building Swizzle Market.

They talk about how sobriety made Swizzle possible, what really happened inside a 5,500 sq ft alcohol-free hub at Jefferson Pointe, and why Crystal is intentionally moving into a 975 sq ft space as the first step in a bigger vision.

You’ll hear:  

• The personal story behind quitting alcohol and why Swizzle couldn’t exist any other way.  
• The leap from a tiny pop-up to a huge flagship, and the hard math of rent, staffing, and “vibe” that didn’t add up.  
• How startup debt, SBA/CBD rules, and landlord realities forced a reset—and why that reset is actually positioning Swizzle to scale.  
• The loneliness, second-guessing, and decision fatigue of being a founder while your house and credit cards are on the line.

If you’re sober-curious, building something of your own, or just wondering what’s really going on behind the scenes at Swizzle, this conversation shares the truth while Crystal is still in it—not the polished “after” version.”