Hilary Cocalis: “Entrepreneurship is in My Multi-Cultural DNA”
Thank you to Hilary Cocalis, Founder of Sipwell Wine Co, a premium, sustainable canned wine made in California, for sharing her family history to celebrate Black History Month. Hilary was the Runner-Up at the 2023 Enthuse Foundation Pitch Competition.
I come from a multiracial household - my dad is Black, and my mom is Jewish. Both cultures informed my upbringing but navigating between the two helped forge my path.
Reflecting on my family tree, I see a clear thread - regardless of my cultural DNA. One thing runs through my blood: entrepreneurship.
I'm a fourth-generation Black business owner and proud to carry on the business owner title, especially regarding Black history.
In 1911, my great-grandfather Addison Scurlock opened a photography studio in Washington D.C., Scurlock Studio. He quickly became the preeminent photographer for D.C.'s vibrant Black community, later joined by his two sons, my grandfather George and his brother Robert. Together, they captured key public figures, black business owners, and regular folk in D.C.'s Black community.
They were capturing Black history - a literal snapshot of a thriving, dynamic Black community overlooked.
With cameras in hand, they were there when a young Reverend King visited Howard University. They were also present to capture the riots and unrest after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death.
They created a picture of promise and a record of change. Today, Scurlock Studio's photographs are archived and often displayed at the Smithsonian.
While I've moved on to a different industry – winemaking, I'm showcasing and representing another diverse community that has been overlooked.
Only 13% of American wineries are owned by women, and less than 1% are Black owned. I've increased that percentage by starting my company, Sipwell Wine Co.
I am grateful that there is broad consumer support for Black-owned and women-owned businesses today, and organizations exist to help build community and celebrate diversity in my industry and beyond. Shout out to the Association of African American Vintners, The Roots Fund, Diverse Powered Brands, and many more.
Since my great-grandfather started his business, there has been progress in the number of black-owned ventures.
However, there is still work to do. Black-owned and women-owned CPG businesses must be more funded and represented on the shelf.
And then celebrate the legacy of Black business owners like Addison Scurlock, whose shoulders we have stood on to get here.
Hilary Cocalis is the founder of Sipwell Wine Co. Before starting her venture, Hilary was Vice President of Marketing for San Diego-based craft brewery Ballast Point Brewing Company and Constellation Brands. With over a decade of brand marketing expertise in consumer goods, she also serves as a consultant and advisor to several CPG food & beverage brands. Hilary holds an A.B. degree in African and African American Studies from Harvard University and an M.A. in Specialized Journalism from the University of Southern California. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two daughters. Hilary is a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow and a San Diego Blood Bank board member.