Masters of Scale How to break through a fear of failure, with Fawn Weaver & Van Jones
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Jan 29, 2026 
Fawn Weaver, founder of Uncle Nearest Whiskey and bestselling author who built a billion-dollar spirits brand, shares her journey. She reveals how uncovering a hidden story turned into a movement. She discusses choosing mentors, blending life with business, reframing fear of failure as public embarrassment, and how love fuels resilience.
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Discovery That Became A Brand
- Fawn Weaver discovered a 1904 photo showing Jack Daniel seated with an African-American man centered in the picture and pursued the story behind it.
- That research led her to tell Nearest Green's story and build Uncle Nearest as a brand rooted in unexpected allyship.
Book First, Brand Later
- Fawn arrived in Lynchburg aiming to write a book and make a movie about the Nearest Green story rather than to start a whiskey brand.
- Her intention to tell the story first became the foundation for a business that later scaled into a billion-dollar spirits company.
Follow Historical Playbooks
- Fawn argues there's no new blueprint; great founders follow historical playbooks from titans like Carnegie and Reginald Lewis.
- She studies past leaders to recognize patterns and apply proven tactics to novel industries.
