This story is over 13 Ways To Start The Grocery Business Of Your Dreamswhere women entrepreneurs share their experiences and the best advice to turn a passion for food into a career.
When I worked for a major alcohol brand in 2013, I noticed that men were overwhelmingly dominating the industry. From conglomerates to craft breweries, there is often only one woman in the room. Or none! Yet women buy and consume almost as much alcohol as men. So I knew I wanted to create a product for women that was as easy to drink as wine. Just chill and serve. But here’s the thing: I did it without quitting my job. I still work full time as a corporate lawyer. Because life in New York City has financial realities. And even with a great product, it can take time to generate financial returns. Until 2015 Empower Cocktails’ The first drink was on the shelves: a cosmopolitan martini made from sweet potato vodka, white cranberries, and lime. As for the name, I always thought it would feel fantastic to walk into a bar and order “a glass of Empower”. Six years later I still feel the magic when I see the bottle on the shelves.
Tiffany’s best advice
Choose a path that works for you. People stereotype successful entrepreneurs: go for it all, risk it all, don’t look back. But you don’t have to do it that way. I still work full time as a corporate lawyer. I have a number of aspirations and Empower Cocktails is one of them. My business trip had a positive effect on my business trip and vice versa. I make better decisions in both places.
Find out about the cost. How much money you need to get started varies a lot. Look for specific numbers for your product. Legal fees, shipping costs, marketing. Someone to make your product. You may need to purchase bottle caps and labels. Or boxes. This quickly becomes expensive. Know that production houses of all kinds have minimum requirements. You can’t say, “Can you just make ten bottles of something so I can test it?”
Your network is gold. Your personal and professional network is your most valuable resource. These are people who will help you out for free. Find out what and who they know.
Don’t be afraid of feedback. You cannot create a product with mass appeal on your own. If you do everything on your own and do not take into account the feedback of others, it is called a hobby.
Enjoy and share your success. Route all your good feelings back to your customers. Positive engagement is important and it’s exciting for people to meet a female founder. Women sip on my cosmos and ask who I work for. Your eyes light up when I say “I myself”.
