Linda Cash & Meghan Hanna of Two Chicks Cocktails: “Your staff is an extension of you, and you…
By: Alexandra Spirer
Tags: Cocktails, Entrepreneur, Women In Business, Leadership, Alcohol

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Meghan: Thank you for taking the time! Absolutely. I had the idea to create a ready-to-drink sparkling canned cocktail that would be delicious and perfect for connecting, but most importantly, I wanted the brand to be inclusive to everyone. As a daughter of two moms, one of two sisters, and a mom to two daughters — the name Two Chicks felt natural to me, and when we designed the cans, the botanicals held within the two hearts brought that message to life.

Linda: Meghan and I met through mutual acquaintances — I loved her vision and passion to create a brand that was all inclusive. With my retail & marketing background and the right people, we knew we could make Two Chicks a great company. We want to provide consumers with a consistent, balanced cocktail with minimal fuss and low alcohol content. We were able to deliver a deliciously designed canned cocktail with two servings — perfect for sharing!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Both: Watching the excitement through social media and being at the stores, connecting with people wanting to buy our product, liking our packaging and the great tasting cocktails — it is all exciting for us. There is nothing better than having people enjoy your product.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Linda: You need to be careful when creating new cocktails and going through an entire day of tasting cocktails. I now understand why the seasoned veterans used their dump buckets.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Both: Two Chicks Cocktails is a woman owned, founded, and run company creating beautifully designed packaging and great tasting cocktails. We saw a need in the market for ready-to-drink sparkling cocktails made with real premium spirits and low alcohol. We have taken popular, classic cocktails, made them with natural flavors that have a feminine twist and are offering a variety of cocktails for everyone.

Linda: We launched mid-2019 and started in 17 states. We are now distributed in over 40 states.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Linda: We are constantly working on new ways to align Two Chicks with events and charities. We also strive to collaborate with other companies to help and support each other’s brands. For example, we had a women-owned nail polish company host a happy hour featuring our cocktails and their manicures coordinated with our cans. It is fun to take the brand in different directions.

What advice would you give to other female leaders to help their team to thrive?

Linda: Your staff is an extension of you, and you should be able to trust them wholeheartedly. It is so important to spark real connection with your team, know their passions, and try to get to know their working style. Open communication and involvement is key.

What advice would you give to other female leaders about the best way to manage a large team?

Linda: We would be nothing without our partners who help with the day-to-day operations and manufacturing. Having great trusting relationships with amazing partners helps create an amazing brand.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Meghan: My childhood plays a huge role into the reason why I created Two Chicks Cocktails and my passion to embrace empowerment, inclusivity, and connection. I was raised by two mothers in time that was not accepted as the norm it is today. I am grateful for growing up with strong mothers and being around a community that supported and accepted one another.

Linda: Being the leader of a company was not new to me before starting a new venture with Meghan. My husband and I had a craft and toy company together and faced many situations that have helped shape who I am today. When I met Meghan, I loved her passion for the brand. I am grateful for my husband who believes in me and also sheds light to achieve improvements and efficiencies.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Meghan: Having a vision for a company and staying the course — anything is possible. As the Two Chicks brand continues to grow, we are looking forward to helping other start-up companies with their dreams and company growth. We also support charities and events, help with new entrepreneur store openings, and more.

What are your “Five Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience” and why. (Please share a story or example of each.)

Linda:

1. Be authentic. While the ready-to-drink market continues to grow, we continue to stay focused and authentic on what makes us unique, creating deliciously designed cocktails for everyone to enjoy.

2. Spend the time to scale and build the business. We brainstorm as a team, first coming up with our biggest and most inspiring ideas. From there, we like to scale down with what is prominent for our brand and establish how we can get there.

3. Be prepared for a 24/7 job. When you are a leader for a start-up company, you must truly believe in your product and have a passion for it. Building a brand does not happen overnight, and there will be hard and late nights.

4. Build a strong team. Hire a smart team, delegate, and inspire them to overcome anything that comes their way. Being a leader means setting an example at every given moment and ultimately, you must trust your team.

5. Networking. Networking is valuable in whichever industry you are in and always pays off in the long run. Use your network to connect with everyone inside and outside your industry. If I didn’t do this, I would have never met Meghan through a mutual acquaintance.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Both: Together is always better. We can all do so much when everyone works together whether it is fundraising, solving issues, finding cures, etc. Together is always better, this is why connection is important.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

We both connect over our love of Oprah.

Meghan: “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” — Oprah Winfrey. Before establishing Two Chicks Cocktails, I was a school counselor and then transitioned to commercial real estate. The spirits industry was a whole new world for me, and it took a lot of learning and persistence to navigate my way through. I kept looking at my end goal and I knew I needed to ask for help (and I did) and that is why Two Chicks Cocktails is where it is at today. The journey has been amazing.

Linda: “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there, if you are willing to work.” — Oprah Winfrey. As stated before, for a start-up company you need to be willing to work 24/7. There is always work to be done along with everyday learning — between being new in the spirits world, the liquor regulations, law, and state regulations — the learning is endless. The will to work and the bigger will to enjoy work is an accomplishment.

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

Both: Our favorite celebrity duo right now is Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. On their show, “The Morning Show,” their characters learn to support and honor one another for the strengths each brings to life. In the real world, both Jennifer and Reese are honest in the way they love and support their families and friends. We love how they stay true and authentic to exactly who they are. Plus, they are both powerhouse businesswomen!

How can our readers connect with you on social media?

You can find us on Instagram at @TwoChicksCocktails, Twitter at @TwoChicksDrinks, Facebook at @TwoChicksCocktails and Pinterest at @TwoChicksCocktails.