As part of the Morning Lazziness series highlighting empowering women who are making a remarkable impact with their ideas, I had the pleasure of interviewing Hala Shamas.
Hala Shamas is a dynamic entrepreneur and business strategist with a proven track record of launching, scaling, and transforming businesses across tech, media, and e-commerce. Over the course of her career, she has built companies from the ground up, developed high-performing teams, and implemented strategies that have driven revenues of up to $50 million annually.
In 2019, Hala co-founded Sipsy, an innovative alcohol e-commerce service, bringing convenience and curated experiences to consumers. A proud double Trojan, she holds both a Bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University of Southern California.
With deep expertise in growth acceleration, strategic planning, operations management, and emerging markets, Hala excels at turning ambitious visions into scalable, profitable realities.
In this interview, she delves into the challenges, successes, and wisdom she has gained from over a decade of transforming online businesses.
What inspired you to start your business, and what problem were you passionate about solving?
I started Sipsy because there wasn’t a single platform offering affordable, accessible alcohol delivery directly to consumers. Most services relied on third-party retailers, which caused fees to skyrocket, making delivery unaffordable for the average person. My goal was to create a direct-to-consumer solution that made celebrating with the drinks you love easy, accessible, and reasonably priced for everyday Americans.
How has your business evolved since its launch, and what key decisions helped drive that growth?
We’ve evolved from a hyperlocal delivery service into a content-forward, community-driven brand with national reach. One of our smartest moves was investing early in educational content—especially around tequila and mezcal—which positioned us as a trusted voice in a space that often feels intimidating or exclusive.
What makes your brand or offering stand out in a crowded market?
Our edge is our obsession with curation and our customer-first approach. While most platforms focus on speed, we put just as much care into what we offer—and why. We talk to our customers daily to understand what they love, dislike, or want more of. Their feedback directly informs our buying decisions. We’ve also built micro-communities around niche interests like additive-free tequila and natural wine, creating not just a product catalog, but a place for discovery and connection.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to date, and why do you think it worked so well?
Short-form social video has been a game-changer. We use it to break down spirit knowledge in a way that’s casual, educational, and fun. It works because we show up as ourselves—sharing what we love, what we’re learning, and even what we don’t like. Staying authentic and engaging is core to our brand.
How do you stay connected to your ideal audience and understand their needs or behaviors?
We connect through daily interactions—comments, DMs, and in-person chats at our brick-and-mortar locations. People constantly tell us what they want, often without realizing it, so we’ve learned to listen for patterns and adapt quickly. Every team member is empowered to surface customer insights, making feedback a company-wide asset.
What’s one branding move or campaign that helped elevate your business to the next level?
Launching curated, Sipsy-branded cocktail gift sets during the pandemic was a major turning point. It blended convenience with meaning—perfect for birthdays, virtual happy hours, or client gifting. It also introduced our brand to new audiences who may not have discovered us otherwise.
What does success look like for you, not just in numbers, but in purpose or impact?
Success is knowing we helped someone celebrate—whether that’s a milestone birthday or a casual Tuesday night toast. The numbers matter, but it’s even more fulfilling to know we’re part of the moments that bring people together.
Can you share a challenge or setback that ultimately became a turning point for your brand?
Competing with massive, well-funded platforms was intimidating. We couldn’t outspend them on ads, so we leaned into storytelling and education, sharing behind-the-scenes content and building trust through transparency. That pivot helped us grow organically and build a loyal, engaged audience.
What daily habits or rituals keep you focused, creative, and grounded as a leader?
Every morning starts with a quiet walk with my dog—no phone, no distractions. It helps me clear my mind. After that, I jot down any ideas or themes that came to me. It’s a simple habit, but it keeps me aligned creatively and mentally.
How do you approach innovation and risk in your business strategy?
I believe in small experiments with quick feedback loops. Whether it’s a new product line or marketing angle, we test before scaling. Innovation doesn’t have to be bold—it just needs to be useful and intentional.
What advice would you give to someone starting a business in today’s fast-changing digital world?
Just launch—things are changing too fast to wait for perfect timing. Get your product out there and start engaging with real customers immediately. No matter how much research you do, your customers will prove you wrong in the best ways. Listen closely, stay flexible, and be ready to pivot quickly based on what you learn. That’s how you build something that actually works.
Where can our audience connect with you and learn more about your work or offerings?
You can find us at Sipsy or follow us on Instagram and TikTok. That’s where we share new product drops, tequila education, gifting inspo, and a behind-the-scenes look at building the brand.
