Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitchell, Tony, Zach Linton, Ajayi, Spence.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
3708 Spirits started with a moment of celebration. While celebrating Mitchell earning his Doctorate of Pharmacy, three friends began talking about the milestones and accomplishments that bring people together. That moment sparked an idea: what if we created a brand centered around celebration?
That idea became 3708 Spirits, founded by Dr. Mitchell Linton, Tony Ajayi, MBA, and Zachary Spence Jr. M.S. We came from different professional backgrounds but shared a vision of building a premium American agave spirit that reflected our culture, our communities, and the way we celebrate life’s wins.
Since then, we’ve grown 3708 from an idea between three friends into an award-winning brand poured at restaurants, bars, events, and major venues throughout the region. Through it all, our philosophy has remained simple: everyone deserves luxury, and every win deserves to be celebrated.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of our biggest challenges has been introducing something that people haven’t really seen before. When people hear agave, they immediately think tequila and Mexico. With 3708, we source our agave from Mexico, but we’re making and distilling the spirit right here in Baltimore, Maryland. So we had to create language around what we are—an American Agave Spirit—and then educate people on what that actually means.
That education is still a big part of what we do. We’ve learned that sometimes you can explain the story all day, but once we get the liquid to people’s lips, they get it. They taste the quality, understand what we’re building, and the conversation changes.
On top of that, we came into this industry as a minority-owned company, new to the spirits business, and completely bootstrapped. We didn’t come in with a massive marketing budget or decades of industry relationships. We’ve had to learn, build relationships, make some mistakes, and figure things out in real time—all while being disciplined with every dollar. But I think that’s also part of what makes our story special. We’re not just building another spirits brand. We’re carving out our own lane and building something that didn’t exist before us.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What makes our team unique is that none of us came into this from the traditional spirits industry. Mitch brings the sales, relationship, and leadership lens to the team. A proud double alumnus of Howard University, earning both his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Doctor of Pharmacy, his career has taken him beyond the traditional pharmacy path and into pharmaceutical launches, market development, and customer-facing leadership. He’s spent his career learning how to take something complex, communicate its value, build trust around it, and ultimately drive adoption and growth. At 3708, he brings that same mindset to building relationships with distributors, retailers, restaurants, and strategic partners—turning conversations into opportunities and opportunities into business. Howard University played an important role in shaping his approach to leadership, community, and entrepreneurship. Mitch understands that people don’t just buy products—they buy into people, stories, and experiences. His strength is being able to walk into a room, build a genuine relationship, communicate the vision, and find a way to move the business forward.
Tony is a business builder at heart, blending nearly two decades of entrepreneurship with a professional background in accounting, information systems, financial strategy, and risk and compliance. A graduate of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, his entrepreneurial roots run deep through UMD’s business community, shaping the strategic and disciplined approach he brings to building 3708. He brings the business discipline behind the vision—understanding how to evaluate opportunities, manage risk, and build the structure necessary to execute and grow. As Co-Founder and President of 3708 Spirits, Tony leads the operational engine behind the brand, overseeing financial strategy, production, inventory planning, capital management, and business performance. His strength lies in balancing ambition with execution—turning vision into strategy and building the foundation needed for 3708 to scale sustainably and succeed long term.
Zach is a systems engineer by training, but his greatest strength is applying an engineer’s mindset to the art of building a brand. A Howard University alumnus with degrees in computer and systems engineering, he brings experience solving complex, high-stakes problems and the ability to see both the individual pieces and the larger system they create. As Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of 3708, Zach brings that same perspective to understanding audiences, identifying opportunities, developing strategy, testing ideas, measuring results, and continuously refining the approach. What sets him apart is that he doesn’t simply market a product—he engineers experiences around it. He is most proud of helping transform 3708 from an idea into a distinctive lifestyle brand—one that challenges the traditional spirits industry, creates memorable connections, and gives consumers something genuinely different to believe in.
The common thread between the three of us has always been entrepreneurship. We all wanted to build something of our own, but the real strength of 3708 is that we don’t think alike—and that’s by design. We can look at the same opportunity from three completely different perspectives: brand and sales, business and risk, and engineering and innovation. Then we bring those perspectives together and make the best decision for the company. We didn’t come from the spirits industry, so we weren’t tied to how things have always been done. We came in asking how they could be done differently.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
We truly believe successful people leave clues. The blueprint is usually there if you’re willing to pay attention. We don’t necessarily think there’s a lack of mentors—Sometimes there’s a lack of people willing to take the shot, ask the question, and put themselves in rooms where they can learn.
For us, networking and mentorship start with being willing to put aside what you think you know and genuinely listen to someone who has already achieved a level of success you’re working toward. Then you have to be intentional about connecting yourself with people whose journey aligns with where you’re trying to go.
When we found our mentor, he saw three young, hungry entrepreneurs who had a lightning-in-a-bottle idea, but more importantly, were willing to do the work required to turn that idea into a real business. The right mentor can show you the road, but you still have to be willing to walk it. That’s what mentorship has meant for us—learning from somebody else’s journey without expecting them to take the journey for you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://3708spirits.com
- Instagram: @3708spirits
Image Credits
Credit for 3708 brand photo: Instagram: @kbx.photography | www.kbxphotography.com
