Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in a beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mallory Smith, Co-Founder of Sunday School Wine, located in Portland, OR, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Sunday School Wine is the best (if I do say so myself ;)) online wine education and membership community for curious wine lovers. Our customers are down-to-earth wine lovers of all levels of knowledge who love exploring, discovering, and learning about wine.
Tell us about yourself
After I (accidentally) fell in love with wine, I pursued a professional wine education. That’s where I saw a huge disconnect. The education I found wasn’t celebrating wine’s fascinating and playful side, which is why I fell in love with it in the first place! It was stuffy and boring and took itself way too seriously. It wasn’t welcoming or inclusive but full of hierarchies, in-crowds, and impenetrable knowledge. So, I decided to do something about it by offering wine education that was informative as well as accessible, that would provide joy and cultivate community.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Every time someone has an “aha! moment” because of something we’ve taught them and they realize that wine is not as difficult and “beyond them” as they originally thought, I feel a sense of accomplishment. This keeps me going every day.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Pioneering a niche business in a new space with no one to copy or follow. Taking risks over and over again, not knowing whether or not this idea is going to work this time—and it usually doesn’t. And then trying something else and constantly wondering if I’m just crazy, but if I am, how will I know, and who will tell me?
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- It’s going to feel messy and confusing. You have to be okay with messiness and imperfection.
- You’re going to have to wear lots and lots of hats and learn lots and lots of skills. (Unless you have the luxury of outsourcing right away.) You have to be okay with learning new things all the time.
- It needs to be sustainable, and you have to make it work for you. In light of #2, you won’t be able to do it all. Prioritize what’s most important, what you are able to do, and what you enjoy doing, and ditch the rest. (At least for now. You can always circle back around.)
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.sundayschoolwine.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sundayschoolwine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sundayschoolwine/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorychristinesmith/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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