The Hustle
Years in Tampa Bay
I’m a newbie – 10 months.
Hustle (job)
Founder of Eden. Creating modern solutions to bring wine and cheese into your everyday life.
What do you do?
I noticed that the marketplace was lacking modern solutions to take your favorite bottle of wine out to dinner or over to a friends house. Shopping for cheeseboards became bland as they are largely not unique and quite mass produced. With the shift in consumers being aware of the environment and the popularization of reusing, I wanted to create a new purpose for fallen trees and craft them into one-of-a-kind cheeseboards.
Why do you do it?
Several years ago, inspired by my urbanite life in San Francisco, my husband and I grew frustrated at the weak product offering in the wine and cheese space. We often looked to bring our wine of choice out to dinner or over to friends homes, but we were disappointed in our wine carrying options. When enjoying the growing culture of charcuterie, we quickly realized how cookie cutter cheese and meat boards really are. In a world where society is creating more and more waste, we thought that there had to be a better way. So, I worked with local vendors here in the Tampa Bay area to create a modern wine bag and reclaimed wood cheese boards. I wanted to take the stuffiness out of the wine and cheese industry and create a youthful vibe. Sharing a charcuterie board with a bottle of wine with friends and love ones is fun and I wanted to create thoughtful ways to share it.
What was your Catalyst? (How did you get started?)
My husband and I relocated from San Francisco due to his job opportunity. My background is in apparel product merchandising. The industry in the Tampa Bay area was limiting in that regard, so I knew it was time to to seize the opportunity to pursue my passion. I’ve been dreaming of starting my own company and I wanted the focus to be around creating products that bring people together over the simple act of enjoying wine and cheese.
What’s a common misconception or unknown aspect of what you do?
An unknown aspect is how I got started. I found out I was pregnant when we moved out to St. Petersburg. I decided I wanted to continue to pursue starting my business, but it also put a ticking clock on getting it up and running before my due date. I work better under pressure, so it was a something I took on with pleasure. It’s great to know we live in a modern age where you can move across country, start a family, and be able to push yourself to start a company of your own.
What’s the most challenging part of your Hustle?
The most challenging, yet rewarding, part of the daily hustle is juggling multiple hats. You have to be savvy in all parts of the business (financial, marketing, sales, product). I wouldn’t want it another way – it’s so critical to learn each part of the business and understand what works or doesn’t for your company. I believe this is the part where webinars, podcasts, and friends where you can bounce off ideas helps most.
What’s the most valuable piece of business advice/insight that’s helped you?
My best friend gifted me the book “In the Company of Women” by Grace Bonney. The book provided insightful information on starting a business, and overall business advice. The common theme was around taking advantage of entrepreneur classes, which I put into practice at the Greenhouse in St. Petersburg. I went to multiple classes and was able to learn all the different facets of starting my business. It has allowed me to be set up for success as I weave my way through this new process.
