Tara Hankinson & LeAnn Darland | Talea Beer

Courtesy of TALEA. (Tara left, LeAnn right)

Ages || Both 33

Company Name || TALEA Beer Co.

Job Titles || Co-Founders

Years Living In New York || LeAnn: 1 1/2 & Tara: 9 1/2

Social Handles || @taleabeer, @leann_elyse, @tarahankinson

Company Website || TALEA Beer Co.

What did you want to be while growing up?

LeAnn: A pediatrician! I had a neighbor who was a pediatrician that I really looked up to and he always seemed to love his job, plus helping kids feel better seemed like a great gig. I had dreams of going to med school at Vanderbilt, but then I realized how much that would cost and decided to go the military route.

What’s the best piece of advice you were given when you were starting TALEA Beer Co.?

Tara: We started the company in stealth mode while at our prior jobs, so we didn’t have many opportunities to engage with mentors and procure advice. I’d like to pass on what I wish people had told us: question everything. Question the decisions your competitors have made, the assumptions you make, and challenge your suppliers and partners to think outside the box. We’ve made many pivots that have helped us succeed all because we operate with an open and agile approach and are not afraid to question our own decisions.

How do you define success?

LeAnn: Creating a healthy, prosperous company that brings joy to our employees, customers, and community through hospitality and beer.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned since starting out?

LeAnn: No one will care about our business as much as we do. When we have to rely on so many third parties to get our business up and running, that’s a tough pill to swallow, but once we had that realization it put us back in the driver's seat.

What made you interested in starting this brand?

Tara: Two main drivers sparked my desire to start a beer company. First, the lack of products on the shelf that spoke to me. Most craft beer is made by men with male customers in mind, which at worst means misogynistic or offensive packaging, and at best means women are an afterthought. We are creating products that speak to larger audiences - women and consumers who haven’t experienced craft beer that resonates with them. Second, we want to put hospitality and education at the forefront of our taproom. We see an immense opportunity in creating a third space, built for engaging, entertaining, and educating our consumer.

How did you connect and decide to go into business together?

LeAnn: We met after we both left our more traditional corporate careers to join Hopsy — a beer e-commerce startup in NYC. Before we met, we were on different coasts, both homebrewing and looking for an opportunity to pursue beer professionally. Wanting to get direct experience in the industry before making the leap into entrepreneurship, we both made the move to Hopsy — Tara as the Head of Customer Experience and myself as the Head of Finance. Within three months of meeting each other, we had formed our entity as a side hustle.

What are the advantages of having a business partner when launching a brand?

LeAnn: There are so many! I can’t imagine going through this journey without Tara. We hold each other accountable, create an emotional balance, divide and conquer tasks, celebrate the wins together and pick each other up after a rough day. The list goes on.

What is your go-to motivational quote?

Tara: “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress.” We are both used to high performance, planning a path, and achieving concrete goals. Growing a business is not so linear. This quote encourages us to consider flexibility in our plans for the greater good of moving forward.

Do you have a personal motto?

Tara: I’ve adopted Nike’s “Just do it.” In the past, my biggest roadblock has been a fear of failing so much so that I was hesitant to start any project or venture. I’ve realized that just by starting and trying, I’ve already made a victory, and that you can achieve by just putting brute force and hard work into an idea.

Which women inspire you?

LeAnn: Kim Jordan of New Belgium Brewing Co., Sara Blakely of Spanx, Christina Tosi of Milk Bar, and my mom.

Tara: Kerry Diamond of Cherry Bombe, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and my mom.

How do you overcome moments of self-doubt?

Tara: We ground our decision in data which means that, when we face resistance or doubt from investors, we have a reason to hold fast. Data gives us confidence in our decisions and helps conquer self-doubt. Personally, having LeAnn as a cheerleader of my abilities and our business keeps me from questioning myself.

What is the hardest part about being your own bosses?

LeAnn: Giving your mind a break, and giving attention to other things in life that are just as important as the business.

How were you able to use your individual backgrounds to create a beer company?

LeAnn: Working in the Navy taught me so much about grit, execution, and perseverance, along with invaluable lessons in leadership. Working in finance at Google gave me the practical application of corporate finance, but also taught me patience, empathy, and again, how to improve as a leader. Working at Hopsy gave both Tara and I experience in a fast-paced startup and direct exposure into the beer industry.

What has been the most rewarding thing since starting TALEA Beer Co.?

LeAnn: Seeing people — especially “non beer-drinkers” — light up when they try our beers.

How have you worked to keep female empowerment at the core of your brand?

Tara: We have the opportunity to build an empowering, inclusive culture from the ground-up. We constantly challenge assumptions in our industry and leverage our experience at large companies to stay the course. One example: We want to empower more women to join the industry. Most typical entry-level roles in beer focus on manual labor such as delivery team members or “cellar” roles (brewing operations). We made the decision to switch to smaller keg sizes (~60 pounds per keg vs. 170 pounds) so a broader group of prospective employees will be eligible for these operational jobs. From a brand perspective, we’re focused on growing the craft beer market and offering a product that women and men, regardless of beer knowledge, feel comfortable purchasing. This mission is manifested through our accessible packaging format (12oz cans vs typical craft beer can size of 16oz), sales outlets (Whole Foods, Foodkick), and our packaging design which is colorful and gender-neutral.

What advice would you give to other women trying to enter your field?

LeAnn: Reach out to other women in the industry to understand the different roles available and where you might best get your foot in the door. The NYC Brewer’s Guild is committed to increasing diversity in beer and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.

What are some of your goals moving forward for TALEA Beer Co.?

LeAnn: To bring the TALEA experience to life with our flagship brewery and taproom in 2020!

Tara Hankinson and LeAnn Darland