Conor Bacon from North Strand decided in October of last year that he would take a break from alcohol. Now 100 days sober, he is glad he did it.
Conor is the proud owner of Too Savage, a brand of sauces that are 100% vegan and according to customers, downright delicious.
Speaking to Dublin Live, Conor explained that it wasn't a sudden decision. In fact, it was one that was a few years in the making.
Considering Ireland's drinking culture, Conor revealed that, like many people in Dublin, he started drinking at a young age.
The business owner carried two buckets of Too Savage goods through the city centre as he spoke to us about his sobriety experience, explaining the reasons for his decision to stop drinking.
"I wasn't drinking any more than the next person but I was very mindful and aware of the negative consequences of alcohol," he said.
"I suppose in Ireland we binge drink and a lot of the time we start drinking from a young age.
"Our culture normalises that and you don't really grow out of that mentality. You become an adult and you continue to drink with family and friends.
"Nights out I've been on were amazing, but I had the hangovers and all of the negative implications of drinking."
Describing how he eventually came to the decision, Conor revealed: "Starting a business, I was either going to take it seriously or I wasn't. To take my career seriously, I had to give up. Obviously it was hard because I had been drinking for 15 years.
"It didn't happen overnight. The decision was probably a few years in the making. It was in October when I gave it up."
Since giving up, Conor said that he doesn't miss the hangovers and revealed that he has more "clarity and confidence".
He said: "As time goes on you become more proud of yourself to not need it when you go out.
"I'm focused on my work and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. In the first few weeks I got FOMO. Now, I feel more mindful and in the present. I'm not bored. There's a lot more to life."
Having sold his first jar of Too Savage spicy mayo in November 2020, Conor's brand is now stocked in over 100 shops, cafes and restaurants in Ireland and even one in London.
He explained: "When you start a business and you're serious about it, you have to have resilience. There are so many set backs and things that can go wrong. You have to be okay with dealing with things on your own.
"It takes a long time for stuff to grow. You have to put in the hard work and you have to be patient."
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