What does it take to walk away from one of the most recognizable brands in the world and bet everything on rum? For Marc Farrell, founder and CEO of Ten to One Rum, the answer started long before the boardroom — it started in Trinidad and Tobago, where he grew up surrounded by a culture as rich and layered as the blends he would one day create.

In the latest episode of Proof of Concept, Toby Blue and Jason Rabinowitz sit down with Farrell to trace the arc of a remarkable journey — from earning a place at MIT at just 16 years old, to becoming the youngest VP in Starbucks history, to eventually founding an award-winning rum brand that is quietly rewriting the rules of an entire category.

The name Ten to One carries history in every syllable. Drawn from a rallying phrase by Trinidad & Tobago's first Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams — "One from ten leaves zero" — it speaks to the power of Caribbean nations standing united. That spirit of togetherness runs through every bottle: a pan-Caribbean blend drawing from Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and beyond, crafted without additives, coloring, or shortcuts.

Farrell's mission was never just to make great rum. It was to challenge the outdated "pirates and plantations" narrative that had long defined the category, and replace it with something that reflected Caribbean excellence on its own terms. No added sugar. No artificial flavor. Just rum that earns its place alongside fine whiskey and tequila.

In this conversation, Farrell opens up about the resilience required to turn a vision into a movement — the early doubts, the breakthrough moments, and what it means to build a brand that honors heritage while refusing to be defined by it. He also reflects on what mentorship from Howard Schultz taught him, and how his background in chemical engineering quietly informs every blending decision.

It's the kind of story that Proof of Concept was built for: a founder who saw a category in need of reinvention, and had the courage — and the craft — to do something about it.