Biography

Ben Branson is widely credited as the pioneer of the non-alcoholic drinks revolution, when he launched Seedlip – the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit in 2015. A decade later he is redefining the category again with his distillery and maturation lab Sylva, an aged non-alcoholic spirit made from trees.Following a late autism and adhd diagnosis, last year Ben launched his award-winning neurodiversity charity The Hidden 20% to champion different thinking. They have built a 175k strong community, chart topping podcast and mixed media campaign to date with much more planned!

Celebrity Guest and Huge Inspiration

Ben Branson has ADHD and Autism. He is a British entrepreneur, creative, and innovator best known as the founder of Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit. Launching in 2015 from his kitchen in the Chilterns, Ben turned a simple curiosity about 17th-century herbal remedies into a drinks revolution. Within just a few years, Seedlip was stocked in top bars, Michelin-starred restaurants, and retailers in over 30 countries – reshaping the way people think about alcohol-free choices. He sold a majority stake to Diageo in 2019.

Beyond Seedlip, Ben has gone on to found the Hidden 20%. A charity and podcast focused on destigmatising neurodiversity, that talks directly about the invisibility of many diagnoses, the shame many carry, and how society frequently misunderstands people who “think differently.

Books Ben recommended for his team to read (as mentioned in the interview):

Do Purpose: Why brands with a purpose do better and matter more by David Hieatt
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Do-Purpose-brands-purpose-better-ebook/dp/B00KM9JDOS?ref_=ast_author_dp

Brutal Simplicity of Thought by Lord Saatchi
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brutal-Simplicity-Thought-Changed-World/dp/0091943310/

The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Third-Plate-Field-Notes-Future/dp/0349141703/