Stephenie Harris
Founder and CEO, Maven Cocktails
Stephenie Harris′ love affair with the wine and spirits industry began after college when she landed a sales gig with distributor Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd. “I didn′t have much in the way of wine knowledge,“ she remembers, “but I had a persistence and desire to learn.“ Today, she still has those qualities, plus her own brand, Maven Cocktails, which offers premium, gluten-free, low-calorie vodka cocktails that are ready to drink and eco-friendly. “We start with only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients that are sourced from sustainable or renewable plant-based origins,“ she says. “We use recycled materials and natural inks in creating our packaging. Our bottles and packaging are fully recyclable and do not negatively impact the ecosystems from which they are sourced. We also operate our business with green practices in mind, from allowing our employees to work remotely to encouraging the team to share documents digitally to cut down on needless printing.“ The cocktails are currently available in New Jersey, New York and Texas, and Harris will be actively expanding into new markets throughout 2015. “Creating something new is difficult and you will face continual challenges,“ she says, “but you can′t let them slow you down. You have to face them head on and learn from those hurdles. …No one ever said that making your dreams come true was going to be easy.“
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