Tiffany Hainesworth didn’t let the word “no” stop her. In fact, it pushed her to go even harder. That self-determination is what led her to become the first Black woman to solely own a tequila brand.

Welcome to TCapri® Tequila.

“I feel a sense of accomplishment,” she told Travel Noire. “I feel like I’ve given our youth something to dream. That’s the part that really gets me is receiving messages and emails from women saying that they let their daughter read my story.”

Hainesworth said her biggest challenge with launching the brand is not being taken seriously. Her background is in criminal justice and her interest in the alcohol industry started as a hobby turned side-hustle.

Courtesy of Tiffany Hainesworth | Founder, TCapri® Tequila

“I own a company called T. Capri Gourmet Treats. I created a recipe for handcrafted gummy bears made from wines and spirits called Boozy Beers,” she added. “But later, I decided I wanted my own brand. The language barrier and being a woman proved to be a challenge. Initially, I wasn’t taken seriously until I finally said one day, ‘you know what, I don’t want to meet over the phone anymore.’

She traveled to Guadalajara by herself where she created her own small batch of tequila at a family-owned distiller. TCapri® Tequila has been in the making for 2.5 years.

It finally hit shelves on Jan. 20, 2021.

“I want to transform people’s mentality about tequila. Many people think you have to take a shot, or you have to mix it with something because it’s so harsh. My tequila profile is so smooth and phenomenal, that you can sip it.”

Courtesy of TCapri® Tequila

Haineswotth said the process hasn’t been easy as they’re were many hurdles and mountains to climb.

“The best thing I did was not give up,” she said. “You’re going to hear no, and you may hear it a million times, but it only takes one yes to catapult your life into a destiny you never thought you would be in.”

TCapri® Tequila is exclusively sold in the Maryland area but Hainesworth plans on adding new locations.

Visit the company website for more information on where to sip. You can also follow the brand on Instagram.

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