Winc Co-Founder Brian Smith: “Why everything comes down to people”

Everything comes down to people. This includes having a mentor, your first hire, or a team of smart and dedicated individuals who think differently than you do. This is the hardest and most rewarding work.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Smith co-founder of Winc. Brian is driven by a passion to share great wine with as many people as possible. The role of Winc co-founder and Chief Wine Officer furthers his mission to create and connect great products with today’s consumer. Brian combines his years of experience as a sommelier, winemaker and brand builder to oversee the world’s most innovative and culturally relevant wine program. A firm believer in creative collaboration, Brian led Winc to partner with Charity Water, Baja East and Jonathan Simkhai, among others. Brian and his team of winemakers carefully craft more than 100 wines a year from grape to glass. Prior to Winc, Brian founded successful finance and fashion startups. His previous wine experience includes creating the wine program for the tech-enabled Clo Wine in New York and founding the millennial cult brand Jolie Folle rosé.