Vault Episode 5: Thirst Drinks - Ethan Cisneros

Small Lake City

Ever wonder what it takes to build a thriving business from scratch? Ethan Cisneros, founder of Thirst Drinks, reveals the raw, unfiltered journey behind creating one of Utah's most beloved soda empires.
Ethan's entrepreneurial spirit ignited early when he started a lawn mowing business at age 11, leaving personalized notes for customers after each service. This fundamental lesson – that exceptional customer experiences drive business success – became the cornerstone of his future ventures. By 16, he had launched Olympus Ice, recognizing that snow cone shacks weren't just selling frozen treats but creating social hubs for teens.
When Ethan founded Thirst Drinks in 2016, success was anything but guaranteed. After an exciting grand opening, daily sales plummeted to just $100. With no outside funding and rapidly depleting resources, Ethan worked every shift for two years while relentlessly marketing on Instagram, personally messaging countless locals to invite them for free drinks. There was no overnight success – just persistent, brick-by-brick growth fueled by genuine connections and unwavering determination.
A breakthrough came when Ethan secured a vendor spot in the Vivint Arena (now Delta Center) through sheer persistence and relationship-building. Today, Thirst operates six locations across Utah, plus venue spots and a production bakery with 200 employees. Yet Ethan remains committed to authenticity, documenting his entrepreneurial journey through social media and his podcast "Learning by Doing."
What makes this story particularly compelling is Ethan's current challenge: transitioning from hands-on operator to leader while maintaining the brand's standards and experience. His philosophy of "nail it before you scale it" emphasizes perfecting operations before pursuing aggressive expansion – a refreshing perspective in today's growth-at-all-costs business culture.
Want to follow Ethan's entrepreneurial journey? Find him on Instagram @ethanfromthirst, check out his podcast, or watch his weekly YouTube vlogs where he continues to share the real, unvarnished truth about building a business from the ground up.

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Join Erik as he supports Fork Cancer, a night of food, drinks, and live music—all for a great cause. Grab your tickets at utah.acscanforkcancer.org and enter Erik Nilsson to help him hit his $12,000 fundraising goal!
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Chapters

1. Introduction to Ethan Cisneros (00:00:00)

2. Early Lawn Mowing Business (00:04:02)

3. Starting Olympus Ice Snow Cone Shack (00:11:37)

4. Founding Thirst Drinks (00:18:21)

5. Marketing Through Authenticity (00:24:38)

6. Business Growth and Expansion (00:32:51)

7. Managing Scale and Future Plans (00:45:32)

8. Love for Salt Lake City (00:52:35)

9. Finding Ethan and Final Thoughts (00:58:15)