Accidental Entrepreneurs

Jordan Silbert

Q Tonic, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Founded: 2006
Employees: 4
Revenue: n/a

Drinking gin-and-tonics at a backyard barbecue in Brooklyn, Jordan Silbert realized his teeth felt sticky. When he examined the tonic bottle, he saw it had almost as much high fructose corn syrup as Sprite, and similar ingredients. The thought lingered in his head: "Why isn't there a tonic water as good as gin?" He started experimenting at home by replacing corn syrup and synthetic quinine with sugar and organic ingredients.

When his idea for premium tonic water gained traction on foodie Web sites, Silbert left his job with an economic development agency and launched the company. Now Q Tonic is sold in Whole Foods and Dean & DeLuca, and mixed at bars at Manhattan landmarks Gramercy Tavern and the Four Seasons.