Women in Beverage: Mara Smith

Mara Smith is the founder of Inspiro Tequila. Women in Beverage is part of our 2024 Beverage Industry Inclusion supplement.

How did you get into the beverage alcohol business? 

I founded Inspiro Tequila in February of 2020 and we launched our first state, my home of Illinois, in May of 2022. I’m a newcomer to the beverage alcohol industry. My experience is as a lawyer, corporate strategist and stay-at-home mom of three. I entered the industry to create a product I was looking for.

For years, tequila has been my adult beverage of choice. I thought I was drinking something “better for you,” but I discovered that everything I was drinking contained undisclosed additives, like sweeteners, glycerin and coloring. I searched for a brand that was additive-free with a look, taste and messaging that appealed to me and other thoughtful female consumers like me. That perfect tequila did not exist, so I decided to create one.

I also saw an opportunity to make an impact by adding more female perspectives to the spirits industry. Inspiro Tequila is proudly distilled, owned and led by women.

Did you have a mentor in the industry? Have you been a mentor to others? 

I am fortunate to have many mentors. When I was getting started, I reached out to any other female founders in the industry I could connect with. I am also extremely fortunate to have Kate Jerkens from Uncle Nearest as a mentor. We were connected through an accelerator that I joined, and her guidance has been extremely helpful.

I also have so many founders as peer mentors. There are a number of us that share learnings. I learn so much from other founders. We are navigating building brands together.

I am not a formal mentor to any other women in the industry, but I speak with new founders all the time. I am always happy to pay it forward and help lift other women up in the industry. Recently a woman reached out saying she was starting a new RTD brand and she said she understood if I was too busy to talk. My response was that all founders are too busy, but I make the time to talk to other female founders.

Have you faced challenges as a woman in a leadership position in what’s still a male-dominated industry?

Being an outsider to an industry that is made up of so many long-time industry veterans made it difficult to gain credibility. As a woman, I feel like I had to come in extra prepared to be taken seriously.

I did extensive research on the spirits industry and tequila production. I read industry circulars, subscribed to newsletters, listened to webinars, read books, joined industry networks and even took a course offered by the CRT in Mexico on the production and history of tequila. I educated myself as much as possible. Yet, as a woman, I still face more questions about my experience and ability to build a brand than my male counterparts.

How has your company benefited from having women at the table making decisions?

Everyone from our sales people to our advisory board and our leadership team is all female. I think the benefit of being powered by women is that we can authentically address a female consumer that is generally overlooked in the industry. We genuinely understand our primary consumer, who happens to comprise 54% of tequila drinkers. This significant consumer should be represented on the shelves. By having women at the table, our brand does represent this shopper.

Additionally, having diverse viewpoints is necessary for innovation. Our team tries to look at things differently and we are always looking for ways to innovate from our bottle design that is purposefully slender in the middle to be easy to hold and pour to our unique barrel aging. I think having women in decision-making positions, allows them to create products that they want to see in the world.

Do you think the beverage alcohol industry has improved as far as women and gender DEI in the past five years? 

I am newer to the industry, so I don’t have enough history to know how things were five years ago. I do appreciate the women who have been trailblazers in all tiers who opened the door for women like me to start brands.

What advice do you have for people (women in particular) looking to get into the beverage alcohol industry?

I think there are two things that are necessary to being successful in this industry or any new industry. First, do your due diligence. You need to learn as much as possible to see if it’s the right fit for you and to be well informed. There are so many resources out there to get up to speed quickly. Take advantage of them and do the research. I like to say I’m a “learn-it-all” and not a “know-it-all.” There is always more knowledge to acquire.

Secondly, build a supportive community. It’s hard to start a company or make a career transition on your own. Reach out and find people who can support you on your journey. You’ll find that people are really willing to help. Join trade organizations so you can meet more people in the industry.

Also look outside of the industry. I have a large female founder community in consumer products, and I learn a lot from people in different verticals. Most importantly, it’s never too late to get started. Take the first step.

The post Women in Beverage: Mara Smith appeared first on Cheers.