Meet Danica Dias | Founder of Grown Folks

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

Hi Danica, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I think COVID impacted a lot of us in terms of what our work/life balance was prior to the pandemic and how we want to live our lives now post-pandemic.

Given that for the majority of my career, I have mostly had territory-based sales positions, I was used to spending a lot of time “in the field”; cars, planes, hotels, entertaining clients, late nights and fancy events. For a young single woman in her 30’s, this was actually an ideal life. I had nothing holding me down at home. I enjoyed the frequent change of scenery, the expensing meals out, meeting new contacts in each city I visited. The chase of the next big deal or national contract came required weeks if not months of prospecting, schmoozing, and laying the ground work. I always performed and exceeded my sales goals so there was never any micro-managing from my boss who lived in another timezone. I worked an insane amount of hours each week. And when you add in the travel and time spent nights and weekends for events and entertainment, though it was social and often rather luxurious, it was a grind. And not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Steak dinners, wine with everything, airport scans, and 2am after parties age you quite quickly.

A few years prior to the pandemic, my life changed when I became a first time mother. I remember being newly pregnant at a work dinner in Las Vegas, I was not in the safe zone yet, so I had to keep my news a secret. When I didn’t order a drink at dinner, all my colleagues at the table looked at me as if I had two heads. I ended up asking the waitress discreetly for a sprite to fight the nausea, but passed it off as a vodka soda. It was then that I was certain this lifestyle would not sustain once I entered motherhood.

The pandemic solidified this change of work/life balance as there was no travel, no entertaining, no in-person meets. So-I took this as a blessing to spend time with my family and re-evaluate what I wanted for my life and my career. We all saw during COVID how quickly the world can change. Moving forward, post-pandemic, I new I wanted to create something that was meaningful and that would make my children proud. And without the time we had together at home during COVID, I wonder if I would have gotten to this same place where I founded my own brand.

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?
Inspired by my late Grandma’s famous Peach Cobbler recipe, I created Grown Folks, the first black and female-owned alcohol brand built from black culture and soul food-inspired flavors. Our flavors are nostalgic to my Creole background with fresh ingredients and delicious profiles unique and new to the market.

Our first product, Grown Folks Hard Seltzer, is crafted at 6% ABV and comes in three differentiated flavors: Peach Cobbler, Ambrosia, and Key Lime. We use a proprietary blend of fermented sugar, real fruit juice, and natural flavors to be unapologetically sweet and fruit-forward, aligning with the taste preferences of our target consumers while being distinct and exciting for all alcohol enthusiasts.

As the Founder and CEO of Grown Folks, I brings a fresh perspective to the alcohol industry with 20+ years of experience in food, beverage, and hospitality. As a former bartender, Regional Manager, and CPG Sales Executive, my expertise centers on driving on-premise sales, expanding retail footprints, managing distributor relationships, and forging strategic partnerships that propel growth and drive revenue.

Over my decades long history in this industry, I did not come across many people that looked like me. I saw legacy brands with legacy values. With Grown Folks, I saw an opportunity to craft products that were authentic and nostalgic to my background and a consumer voice that has long been undervalued. Grown Folks promises to offer a variety of soul food-inspired beverages with the highest quality ingredients and most innovative flavor profiles.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Fave spots to eat: Breakfast-Lodge Bread in Culver City
All Day Baby-Brunch
Dinner at Felix
Dinner at Hatchet Hall
Father’s Office Burger & Beer
Sushi Sasabune

Fun things to do:
-Mar Vista Farmer’s Market
-Bike from Venice Beach down the coast to the South Bay.
-Walk UCLA campus
– a concert at Hollywood Bowl
-People watch at a Laker Game
-Hike in Temescal Canyon
-Shopping at Century City Mall

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Grandmother was a trailblazer. She really encouraged us girls to work hard and to always take care of your family. She has since passed, but no doubt she influenced who I am today and without her love, support, encouragement and direction, this would not be possible.

Website: www.drinkgrownfolks.com

Instagram: @drinkgrownfolks