Welcome to The Wine Hustle Series where I introduce you to fabulous women in the wine world who have turned their passion / "hustle" into their dream / day jobs.  Here you'll find fearless females to learn from, feel inspired by, and finally gain that confidence to start that side hustle you've been endlessly daydreaming of. 

For our first feature, meet Erin Vaughen of Vinley Market.  When the worlds of fashion and wine collide, enter Vinley Market for the curious wine drinker who fancies chic dinner parties, relies on her solid girl gang, are #bossbabes in the making, and appreciates a good floral arrangement. That's my interpretation to say the least! Everything about this company screams CHIC - the branding, the carefully curated wines and the owner - Erin. I could go on about how amazing this company is but let's let Erin take you on that journey herself, shall we?  

Website: Vinley Market | Instagram: @vinleymarket

How did you get your start in wine and what was your initial inspiration?

I started Vinley Market after working in both the fashion and wine industries as a way to translate my passion for wine to my female peers. My mission was to partner with the best wine buyers and sommeliers in LA in order to craft a wine club that didn’t rely on cheap, low-quality wine for margins or on antiquated critics to convey quality. Our bottles are from small producers and are highly curated for bang for buck.

Love the name Vinley Market, what is the story behind the name?

It’s a play on Vin, which means wine in French!

Aside from Vogue naming Vinley on their must gift list for Fall (which is pretty fab) what differentiates Vinley’s Wine Club from some of the others out there?

Where most online wine start-ups bank on Millennials as entry-level wine consumers, Vinley Market focuses on a curious wine consumer who wants a more elevated experience. 

What is your favorite part of your job?

There are so many perks! I love trying and learning about new wines, traveling to wine related destinations, and sharing my excitement with my customers. But I do have to say that the autonomy of being a business owner is one of the best parts. As a new mom, I can be a working mother on MY OWN TERMS, without having to ask anyone for permission to pick up my baby.

What is the best advice anyone’s ever given you? Do you have a “mantra” you stick to?

I have so many mantras to help keep me focused and motivated! But I definitely believe that life is about the journey. As a business owner and generally motivated, type A person, I often get caught up on what I want to do next. It’s been healthy for me to take moments to realize how much I’ve already accomplished. The “me” 5 years ago would be so proud of the “me” now! So my advice is to drink the wine, go on the trip, and live in the sunshine.

It seems like you love wine as much as we do, in three words, describe your love affair with wine?

Ritual, Adventure, Life!

Finally, as I am a soon to be mom, what advice would you give entrepreneurial moms / moms with a side hustle on balancing work and life?

It’s tough! I can tell you firsthand how hard it is to get myself out the door once the nanny arrives. I never want to leave my daughter’s smiles (and cries)! But I do think that balance is really important. You can get serious cabin fever being home all day with an infant, but serious anxiety from being away from that baby for too long as well. I worked so hard on my career and on Vinley, and I feel like a healthier, more well-rounded mom when I stay inspired and busy with work for at least half the week. It takes discipline, but now when I’m home, I’m HOME. No checking my phone neurotically for new emails, no ruminating on all the things that I need to get accomplished instead of playing with her. I try and let my focus rest exclusively on my baby. She’ll only be a baby for a few more months and I don’t want to miss it or take it for granted!

Final thoughts:

I said this on Instagram, and I’ll say it again! As a female owned and run business, I believe that there is nothing women cannot do! As #bossbabes, let’s not aspire to live and survive in a man’s world. That still reinforces the patriarchy. Why not live and thrive in a woman’s world?! There is nothing to hide about OUR energy , our needs, and our perspective. We CAN do it all, on our terms, at our pace. Besides, we’re proven to be better multitaskers. There is a better way than the rat race, which was formed by men!