Meet Lisa Agerman | Founder of Second Home PR in Los Angeles. Founder of Unsweet Wine in California. Board Member of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Agerman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’m originally from Stockholm, Sweden, and I’ve been living in Los Angeles for nine years now (became a U.S. citizen this year—big moment!).
Before starting my own businesses, I worked as Head of Expansion at H&M Group, helping open stores in places like Seoul, Milan, Paris, London, New York, LA, Boston… It was a great experience, and I learned a lot about how big companies enter new markets—big teams, big budgets, big campaigns.

At the same time, I saw how hard that kind of launch can be for smaller brands. So many amazing founders dream about California, but breaking into the U.S. can feel super overwhelming.

That’s what led me to start Second Home PR, based in West Hollywood. We help Scandinavian fashion, lifestyle, and wellness brands grow in the U.S. without needing to set up a whole new office. With digital PR, intimate events, and influencer gifting, you can start selling directly to U.S. customers from your own Shopify store—and suddenly, you’re *in* America.

Before that I started my other California company: **Unsweet Wine**. The idea came from noticing how in Sweden—wine labeling is strictly regulated. But in the LA, you can find women reading every ingredient on their almond milk, and yet the wine aisle? No labels, no transparency. Just the alcohol percentage and where it’s from. So I wanted to create a wine brand that’s clean, simple, and honest. Zero Sugar, no additives, and full nutritional labeling—so you actually *know* what you’re drinking.

So I saw gaps and potential in both markets—Expansion and wine—and realized I could bring something new to the table. I’m not a sommelier from Napa, but I understood branding, communication, and what many modern wine customers were looking for: honesty, transparency, and good content.

And lastly—starting a business also came from wanting more freedom. In Sweden, the system supports employees really well—six weeks of vacation, free childcare, flexible hours. But here, I found that certain workplaces had a corporate culture that felt a bit less forgiving. I’m not sure I would’ve become an entrepreneur in Sweden, but in the U.S., it gave me the needed push to do so and that made it easier to take the leap and start something of my own.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started both Second Home PR and Unsweet Wine because I saw real gaps in the market—and for me, success is all about freedom and getting to choose who you work with.
At Second Home, I’m especially proud that we get to help other entrepreneurs expand into the U.S.—for many their dream market. It feels like a way of paying it forward. We support incredible Scandinavian fashion, lifestyle, and wellness brands in entering California in a way that’s smart, low-risk, and creative. Instead of the traditional PR agency model, we become part of their team and help them build something real here. We work hands-on with everything from influencer outreach and press to events and brand partnerships—basically, what a big in-house team would do, but with a tailored and more personal approach. That’s why we call it Second Home—because it’s about helping brands find their footing here in LA.

With Unsweet Wine, I’m proud that we’re not from the wine industry—and we don’t try to be. The wine world can be full of rules and traditions that sometimes feel intimidating or even a little pretentious. We just wanted to make a wine that people enjoy, that’s clean, transparent, and easy to understand. A wine for real life, not just for collectors. Unsweet is always vegan (not all wines are vegan), zero sugar, and full nutritional labeling—because people deserve to know what’s in their glass. But to be honest, there are plenty of other wines out there that are also vegan and zero sugar—but they do not talk about it. And just as many that aren’t—which means customers are left guessing. That’s why I always say we took a PR approach to wine with Unsweet: curating, simplifying, and highlighting what we think matters. Not just the grape or the country (honestly, who cares where you’re from if you taste great?).

Looking back, I honestly had no idea how complicated it would be—especially working in a new country, learning all the tax rules, and figuring out the alcohol industry. But in a way, I’m glad I didn’t know too much. Being a bit naive helped me move forward without overthinking. And coming in as a foreigner with no built-in network forced me to carve out a different path—which ended up becoming my strength. Instead of joining a big PR firm, I created one that reflects how I like to work: close to the brand, creatively involved, and rooted in cross-cultural understanding.

You can learn more at:
secondhomepr.com
unsweetwine.com

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the things I love most about LA is that it’s not really one city—it’s more like a thousand little cities in one. And when you know that it actually the strength. When I moved here, I made a promise to myself to explore a new neighborhood or area every weekend, and it completely changed how I experience the city.

So instead of just sticking to the usual tourist spots, I’d suggest picking a few different areas and really getting into the heart of each. Watch the sunset at Point Dume in Malibu. Try the cozy vegan spots in Pasadena. Go horseback riding in Topanga. Walk around the canals in Venice. Have a slow morning in Los Feliz with a good coffee and a vintage shop stroll. Hike in Griffith Park but enter from a lesser-known trailhead. Eat dumplings in San Gabriel Valley or tacos in Echo Park. Each pocket has its own personality, and that’s the magic of LA—you get to choose your own version of it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a big shoutout to the entrepreneurial community in Los Angeles. Coming from Sweden, where the business world can sometimes feel a bit more competitive and closed off, I was blown away by how generous and open people are here. Everyone’s willing to share advice, introduce you to someone, or just cheer you on. That kind of energy and network-driven mindset has been a huge part of why I’ve dared to launch not just one, but two companies here. It’s inspiring and something I try to pay forward every day.

Website: www.secondhomepr.com www.unsweetwine.com

Instagram: secondhomepr and lisaagerman and unsweetwine

Linkedin: Lisa Agerman

Image Credits
Aglaia Kriz