Hi Loves! As you know – we are huge fans of fashionable, fabulous and fun, female entrepreneurs. That being said, we are featuring a brand today whose founders are exactly that: Speak Wines.
“Speak was created by two friends over a glass of wine. With a love for sharing words that inspire and a sincere appreciation for style, the founders of Speak Wines, Stephanie Fasi and Kerry Sutherland, set out to find a bold, delicious Argentinian red and thoughtfully package the wine to perfectly speak to any occasion. “
As you can see, Kerry and Stephanie have done an incredible job. Their beautiful bottles are absolutely perfect for a multitude of occasions: girls nights, promotions, engagements, and our favorite reason to gift wine – “just because”. The wines have been called, “Pinterest meets Malbec” by the Huffington Post and we couldn’t agree more. The labels are whimsical, witty and feminine, and our favorite part – much like the major fashion houses, Speak will come out with “collections”. The wine will remain the same, but the labels and the look of the bottle will change.
Last week we sat down with the two lovely founders, Kerry and Stephanie, to give you a sneak peek inside the world of Speak Wines.
Ash&Em: Tell us a little bit about yourselves –
Kerry: I’m a wife, mom and PR agency owner. My daughter, Audrey, keeps me very busy with ballet lessons, soccer practice and regular princess dress up parties. She won’t leave the house without at least 5 pieces of jewelry on. My work (and the awesome people I get to work with) bring me a tremendous amount of happiness and pride. My husband works a lot too, but when we do make time for just the two of us, we enjoy wine tasting (drinking) and going to concerts.
Stephanie: I’m a twenty-four year old Swiss girl from Fresno. Both of my parents moved from Switzerland to California in their early twenties and ironically landed on a vineyard/ranch where they decided to raise a family. I moved to Southern California to attend college and haven’t dreamt of leaving ever since. I now live in Newport Beach with my roommate (who happens to be my childhood best friend) and our two adorable cats. I love my job, I love the beach, I love to cook, I love to travel, I love my friends and family and I love this exciting time where I feel anything is possible!
Ash&Em: How did you become friends?
Kerry: We met in California and quickly became friends. After I launched my PR agency and was ready to hire, Stephanie was the perfect addition for the company.
Stephanie: We just work really well together… and we have a lot of fun in the process!
Ash&Em: Tell us about the moment you dreamt up Speak-
Kerry&Stephanie: We were actually working. Specifically, we were brainstorming for a new client brand, and of course drinking wine for “liquid inspiration” — we have really cool jobs! We thought, “wouldn’t it be so amazing if a wine existed…” The name, Speak, was one of the first we said that night and it just stuck. Even though we were “working”, and the concept was all wrong for our client, we pitched him anyway and now he’s our investor.
Ash&Em: What was the process of starting this company like?
Kerry&Stephanie: We’ve been really lucky to have the relationships in the wine industry, people with real experience and knowledge already in our network. We knew we had a great product, that the quality of the wine was amazing and that our design and brand personality would resonate well with our target consumer. Of course we still have a lot to learn about wine specifically, but feel grateful to be creating a product that is totally something we would want to buy for ourselves and our friends.
Ash&Em: How did you decide on a Malbec?
Kerry&Stephanie: We both typically prefer red over white wine, and have always liked the varietal. Plus, our winemaker is best known best for his Malbecs in Argentina, so it was a really easy decision.
Ash&Em: How do you balance your regular jobs, family life, and Speak?
Kerry&Stephanie: It’s all just naturally integrated and grown together. Of course we’re busy, but we love what we do, so it doesn’t always feel like “work”.
Kerry: There are some struggles and feelings of guilt as a working mom, but I really keep focused on the positive. I know my daughter is learning and growing so much by NOT being with me full-time. I hope that I’m setting a strong example for her, and would feel very proud if that when she grows up she knows that as long as she works really hard, anything is possible. Our time together is so important to all three of us, so when we have it- we certainly make the most of it!!
Stephanie: I honestly feel like it’s been pretty easy going. I have some amazing friends and family that have been nothing but supportive and have helped me through the process every step of the way.
Ash&Em: We love the idea of wine collections mirroring fashion collections. What can we expect from Speak in the future? Do you plan on branching out into other varietals?
Kerry: Totally! We already know that it would be natural to add white or even a champagne to the brand. The collection 2 creative process has already begun. We even have a few of the quotes picked out. The future is exciting!
Kerry: Totally! We already know that it would be natural to add white or even a champagne to the brand. The collection 2 creative process has already begun. We even have a few of the quotes picked out. The future is exciting!
Ash&Em: What advice do you have to give other young, female entrepreneurs?
Kerry&Stephanie: If you think you can, you can. Believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid of failure. Know that nothing comes easy, and it may not always go according to your plan, but remember that you’re learning along the way.
Kerry&Stephanie: If you think you can, you can. Believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid of failure. Know that nothing comes easy, and it may not always go according to your plan, but remember that you’re learning along the way.
Speak Wines are currently available to ship to residents of Nevada and California, and will hopefully be coming to a state near you soon. We will be keeping you updated on their progress, and believe us, these ladies have a lot of exciting “things” in the works. We are so excited to see this beautiful brand grow, and we hope you all follow along. Check them out on Facebook here, Instagram here, and head to their website here to purchase (but only if you are over 21, and in Nevada or California).
