The Woman Behind the Bottle

What is it like to run a non-alcoholic business? For International Women's Day, our co-founder Genna spills the tea.

CEO & Co-Founder Genna holds a bottle of Silver Swallow Blanc in front of her

Well first off... it's a lot of fun. Sipping fancy drinks, crafting creative cocktails and hearing people's stories about how our non-boozy bevvies helped them explore a life with a less alcohol is endlessly rewarding.

But it's also a ton of work. You have to wear so many hats, from accounting to marketing, to coding and law. The amount of sweat equity and personal capital needed to launch a business can be enough to make many people turn their backs on a great idea.

Access to capital ain't easy (or equitable), and no one can go to school for everything, so if you're thinking of launching a business here are some resources that might help:

  • Backbone Angels an investor group started by female Shopify employees that support women and non-binary founders.
  • ELLA training and support programs for women entrepreneurs, 100% free of cost. 
  • Evol financing and guidance for diverse and inclusive businesses in Quebec that have positive impact on society
  • YSpace Food Accelerator a program to scale high growth food and beverage ventures. Their webinar series, Founders Fundamentals, offers free intel on everything from accounting to founders' mental health.
  • UNFI UpNext a program to take emerging food and beverage brands to the next level by partnering with United Natural Foods, Inc., a leading North American distributor

And, if you have specific questions about being an entrepreneur, the food biz or the non-alcoholic industry, don't hesitate to reach out. I love helping people achieve their mission. Your hot business tips are welcomed too!

Cheers,
Genna