When Ruby Honerkamp founded the spirits-based seltzer brand Talkhouse Encore, not everyone took her seriously. Being five feet tall didn’t help. In pitch meetings, some people assumed she was “running a lemonade stand rather than a legitimate spirits company,” she shared with Spoon University.
Honerkamp isn’t alone. Starting out in the food and beverage industry is a challenge in and of itself, and men historically make up the majority of the scene. Still, the field is evolving, with many women finding unique paths to success. We asked women in the food industry — entrepreneurs, chefs, and content creators — what advice they would give to those aspiring to enter the business. Here’s what they said.
Get started.
Sometimes, starting is the hardest part. Most entrepreneurs go all in. Mingle Mocktails founder Laura Taylor left her career in corporate sales and tech to start the alcohol-free cocktail company.
The idea came to Taylor after she quit drinking. She noticed the lack of alcohol-free beverage options in social situations and began bringing handcrafted mocktails to gatherings. Because there was no established market for non-alcoholic cocktails when she started, she emphasized to investors and retailers — most of whom were men — the demand for inclusive drinking in social settings and her company’s potential to fill that gap.
“Believe in your vision and don’t wait for permission,” Taylor said “When I started Mingle Mocktails, there was no roadmap for alcohol-free cocktails — I had to create the category from scratch. If you see a gap in the market, trust that others are looking for the same thing.”
Maggie Unzueta started her first business at age 18 and has over 30 years of cooking experience. In 2010, she founded the Mexican food blog Mama Maggie’s Kitchen. She’s also gained nearly 80,000 Instagram followers. For her, overthinking is “the worst thing anyone can do.”
“You get in your head; you’re dead,” Unzueta shared with Spoon University. “You can’t worry about others. Keep moving forward always.”
Work hard, but don’t be intimidated.
Like Taylor, many women entering the beverage industry learn to make their voices heard in male-dominated spaces. Corey Garner, a winemaker for Federalist Wines, described the field as a “boys’ club.” Although she had experience in the lab, she had to prove she could handle working in the cellar alongside male colleagues.
“Now that I think of it, they never had to prove they could keep up with me in the lab,” Garner said. “The bright side is that extra scrutiny has only made me better in my job.”
Honerkamp also had to work twice as hard as the men. While others’ skepticism frustrated her, she used it as motivation to become an expert.
“I became obsessive about knowing every aspect of my business inside and out,” Honerkamp shared. “When I walk into a room, I make sure my knowledge speaks louder than any assumptions people may have about me. And the best part? After that first pitch, when they realize I’m not just here to play — I’m here to build something innovative, intentional, and lasting — their entire perspective shifts.”
Adapt to the unexpected.
Unexpected situations still arise after establishing a brand. Melissa Boyd Miller, Chief of Staff at New Primal, addresses problems regularly 12 years after joining the meat snacks company.
“Be prepared to solve problems daily; this is an inherent part of the industry,” Miller shared in an email. “How you react to these challenges is what defines your success. Maintaining a positive and proactive attitude will carry you through tough times.”
Pastry chef Maryanne Cabrera has pivoted several times in her career. She expected to work in fine dining after attending culinary and pastry schools. But after a stint at restaurants, she realized she preferred working in bakeries.
Nearly a decade into her career, she began posting original recipes online. Now, she runs both her dessert blog The Little Epicurean and Love, Filipino Food, a site showcasing Filipino recipes. She encourages women to remain open to different aspects of the business.
“Success in this field requires adaptability and continuous learning,” Cabrera shared. “With its vast opportunities — spanning from restaurants, cookbooks, food styling, food distribution — the industry offers endless possibilities. Best of all, its ever-changing nature allows you to create and define your own space. Find what makes you unique and run with it.”
Be curious and open to growth.
While confidence helps earn others’ respect, Honerkamp said an open mind was crucial to her developing expertise. According to her, curiosity and vulnerability are two of the most important traits a leader can have.
“When I first started, I was hesitant to ask questions because I didn’t want to seem inexperienced — but I quickly realized that asking questions is not a sign of weakness; it shows confidence and makes me smarter every day,” Honerkamp said.
Unzueta studies how successful women entrepreneurs talk and think. Then, she strives to emulate those traits. She recommends reading books about entrepreneurship and ones written by businesswomen.
“Most [blogs] are run by women who have no experience in business,” Unzueta shared. “They need to teach themselves how to run a business. If you treat it like a hobby, you’ll have a hard time making money.”
Lead with efficiency.
Most women are taught to be polite and please others. But De Soi CEO Scout Brisson learned that being likable did not always translate to being an effective leader.
“Leadership isn’t a popularity contest. You have to make tough calls, hold boundaries, and sometimes piss people off,” Brisson shared. “The best leaders I know aren’t worried about whether people like them — they’re focused on being clear, direct, and making the right decisions for the business.”
Even as the leader of Katy Perry’s non-alcoholic beverage brand at just age 29, Brisson is still working on this skill. Focusing on practical aspects, such as how much to spend on building a team and marketing, allows her to bring an idea to fruition.
Grow your network.
Cabrera found while the restaurant industry was male-dominated, she appreciated that the food blogging scene was mostly female.
“While breaking into the industry can feel intimidating, once you find your niche, the food blogging community is incredibly welcoming and supportive,” she shared.
Rockaway Soda founder Bridget Firtle echoes the challenges of building a business and blocking out the noise. She left a career in Wall Street to start the company, and, like many others entering the industry, had to trust her gut while applying previous business knowledge.
With over a decade of experience in the beverage scene, she’s looked to other women entrepreneurs for support.
“Women generally like to help, advise and support other women in business,” Firtle said. “So lean into your network and expand it as necessary!”