On International Women’s Day every year, the voices and stories of women across the world are celebrated, as we address the issues that cause gender inequality and diversity. But despite these issues remaining, such voices and stories take a backseat once the day is done.
We think it’s worth doing the opposite and actively challenging the issues that create these gaps in our industry, which is why we launched our weekly Wednesday Women series, where we profile the stories of the inspiring women in this great and wide industry.
Today we speak with Victoria (Tori) Brodsky, entrepreneur and CEO of Besa Mi Vino – a wine-based seltzer brand from the US launching soon in Australia. With her experience in startups, Brodsky brings a wealth of business knowledge to the brand that was recently revived and rebuilt.
While she is the current CEO of Besa Mi Vino, Brodsky was not the Founder, entering the liquor industry three years ago in a way she described as serendipitous.
“My friend founded Besa. At the time it was a canned wine company in California. I thought it was great – organic, low sulphites, no added sugar or anything like that. But he’d had enough. The business was distressed, and he asked me to help him find a new CEO. Eventually, I just said ‘I don’t have experience in the industry specifically but I’m really curious about this space. Let me give a crack at it’.”
Brodsky’s goal was originally to become a dietitian. While studying she began working at a startup which designed apps to support food allergies.
“I was an intern, and they were bringing the company public. I ended up dropping out of school to go work for them. It was my first rodeo in any job, frankly. But most importantly, it was my first rodeo doing a startup,” she said.
“It got me really excited about new business and creating products. Even though I was only 21 at the time, they gave us a lot of entrepreneurial freedom, so I was really a part of creating several products that launched.”
Unfortunately for Brodsky, the company turned sour with the CEO embezzling investment money and fleeing the US – an experience that she said taught her tough lessons early on.
“It was a crazy experience when you’ve, dropped out of college, you’ve told your parents, you’re leaving school for this great opportunity. Then you’re part of this huge scandal.”
Working as a consultant to multiple startup businesses for a number of years, Brodsky first got a taste for the beverage space in 2019 with a product called Drink Light – a solution for hangovers.
When the business took a hit during the pandemic, Brodsky decided to complete an MBA at UCLA. While studying she met other entrepreneurs working in alcohol who inspired her to learn more about an industry.
Taking on Besa Mi Vino
For Brodsky, Besa Mi Vino has been about learning as she goes and redefining the brand with her personal touch.
“I’m not only learning on the fly, but my team is too, which is a really exciting. I think the challenge I’ve had is understanding what our story is because this wasn’t my baby, I adopted it. It was an opportunity that I turned into something that can be mine.”
The process, Brodsky said, involved rebranding, rebuilding and gaining support from the industry.
“I pivoted us to not just canned wine products but to things like our seltzers and now also bottled wines in the US. I brought in a family office to help fund the company too and help us grow. They also own the successful Austrian company NEFT vodka.”
Brodsky emphasised that above all, her greatest success with the business so far has been building the team of young women helping run the company.
“My team in the US is five amazing young women who have come out of college, and most of them are interns, ambassadors, or UGC creators. I was trying to really build something that I believed in with this product and this brand.
“I wanted to get other young women involved, because when I was their age, I was going into startups and frankly had no female mentors. I was so excited to give women this opportunity to learn from me and my mistakes and my experiences.
She added: “The thing I want to share most is that your entrepreneurial journey isn’t always as simple as had an idea, launched the idea, then it’s successful. You never know where you could be leading the company. But if you’re open, excited, have a good attitude and a good vision then you have got a chance.”
Entering the Australian market
Another milestone for Brodsky was expanding Besa Mi Vino into its first international market here in Australia.
A key point of difference is that the products sold here will be made using local ingredients and Margaret River wine.
“I decided early on that instead of exporting the California product, we’d make it here. We made sure we bought local wine from a really good source and here we are,” she said.
Since February this year Brodsky has been working on the entry to market plan and hinted at some exciting collaborations and brand events to come.
“We’re setting things up operationally and it’s so exciting. Our Love Island Australia collaboration SKU is first and will be a big part of the launch. But we already have two more SKUs to come.”
Feeling welcomed by the industry Brodsky noted that doing business in Australia has already been more rewarding than she could have imagined.
“From distributors, co-packers, sales reps – everyone’s extremely talented and very disciplined in their profession and awesome to build businesses with. Finding help in the US is difficult right now but finding help here has been wonderful. I’m so excited to do business here.”