In 2005, Treaty Oak Distilling founder Daniel Barnes was already a successful entrepreneur heading medical companies Maven Exams and Landmark Exams. While he made a comfortable living, he wanted to pursue something that was closer to the chest.

Barnes has fond memories of working in his family’s restaurant, The Navaho Inn, as a kid growing up in Menard, a town about an hour outside of San Angelo. The time he spent washing dishes, greeting customers and bussing tables is how he learned about hard work, and the small eatery also is where an 11-year-old Barnes first discovered his passion for food and beverage.