As the founder of a boutique winery (where kick ass vibes and kick ass wines collide) and the woman responsible for bringing the first federally recognized Spiced Wine to the U.S. market, this “mistress of spice” is the perfect fit for our Boss Lady Lessons series. She balances motherhood and business ownership with impeccable grace and shares her story to encourage women to chase after their dreams. Need we say more?
Drinking wine certainly isn’t required to read this lesson, but it is highly encouraged. So pour yourself a glass, kick your feet up and get ready to meet this radiant Boss Lady.
LET US INTRODUCE YOU TO THE STAR OF THIS BOSS LADY LESSON:
Crystalyn Hackett
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Introduce yourself to the community of lovely LEO & MAUDE ladies. Give us the 4-1-1 on the incredible Y-O-U.
My name is Crystalyn Hackett, Founder and Managing Director of Spicy Vines, a boutique winery with an unapologetically chill vibe that is making some is kick ass wines in Healdsburg, CA. I am the proud mama of my toddler daughter, Elizabeth “Ellie”, who makes life seem like a giant movie, and wife to my hilarious husband, Doug, who often makes me question whether we have two toddlers in our household (in a good way?). I am a former professional equestrian and was a gold medalist at the 2007 FEI North American Youth Dressage Championships (NAYC), an event equivalent to that of the Junior Olympics for Dressage. I usually pile way too much on my plate. I’ll take my coffee black, thank you. I enjoy a good challenge, cold pizza for breakfast, a great story, desert thunderstorms, the sound of clinking glasses, a hardy chuckle between friends and traveling.
Q
Our motto is: Who wants to fit in a box, anyway? How do you defy limits and live a life outside the box?
A
I started Spicy Vines with a very unconventional wine called spiced wine (more on this in question #5). Like the unique wine that I set out to produce, I wanted a brand that was not afraid to be different, flair its feathers and take you on a journey. A brand that screamed, “we dare you to try our wines, they’re freakin’ delicious!” as well as, “let’s have some fun, shall we?” Venturing outside the box has always been my vision for, and the essence of, Spicy Vines. In fact, the words that we printed on our very first wine boxes where, “rules are made to be broken”. Having the ability to produce world-class wines as well as the balls to produce “outside the box” wines has been the distinctive edge of Spicy Vines since our inception.
Q
What do you value most and why?
A
I value kindness and respect. If we all showed a little more kindness and respect, the world would be a better place. I also value hard work, grit and determination. These are highly valuable traits to have and certainly needed to see things through in challenging times.
Q
Who has been your greatest influence? What impact did they make on your life?
A
My mom has always been my biggest hero. Aside from being a phenomenal mother, her outlook on life and wisdom continue to leave a lasting impression on me, one that I too hope to leave on my daughter.
Q
Tell us about your current profession. What led you down this path?
A
My venture into the wine industry was far from ordinary. After college, I had an opportunity to live and work in Germany training horses under former Olympic coach, Johann Hinnemann. This was a great experience for me, though I realized that I did not want to make riding a career. I finished my commitment in Germany and decided to travel a few months across Germany, Spain, Italy, and France, an experience that introduced me to some great old-world wines and changed the trajectory of my life forever. One of those wines was a spiced wine, a wine that is typically served around the holidays and is also an ancient craft dating back to Egyptian, Roman and Medieval civilizations.
Upon returning home to the Bay Area in 2011, a newfound interest in wine was on my mind and I found myself further developing my knowledge and appreciation for it. Shortly after my return, I had a casual bet with a friend that led me to either find (or make), the spiced wine that I had in Germany. During this hilarious bet, I realized that not only was there no spiced wine to be found domestically, but that this category of wine had yet to be formally introduced into the U.S. market. At this point, having already made my own delicious recipe, I was determined to be the first person to bottle and produce it, using of course, a modern California twist on this ancient wine elixir. It was this crazy idea to bring something truly unique to our local wine industry, that led to the formation of Spicy Vines, and eventually, the first federally recognized Spiced Wine in the U.S. market.
Q
What does being successful mean to you? What bit of advice would you offer women who are striving to reach that success?
A
I believe that success is found the moment that you can pause and reflect on yourself and surroundings with pride, accomplishment and most importantly, with gratitude. I also believe that success is more of a mindset than it is a physical time, place or resource. Seeing life through a positive lens and remembering to acknowledge your little wins along the way is important. I have an ongoing chronological list of my favorite life accomplishments. When I am feeling down on myself or nervous or have a bad dose of imposter syndrome, I pull up my WINS list and read it. Doing so, reminds myself that I am capable, I am ready, and I can do it! I highly recommend this little exercise. It’s fun, easy, helps with resume building and personal motivation.
Q
What is one fun fact about yourself that most people would never know?
A
I have a white-fronted Amazon parrot named Gabe. He was given to me when I was seven yours old and his species can live to be 50-60 years old.
Q
If you could share one piece of advice with women around the world, what would it be?
A
My advice to women, especially if you are tinkering with the idea of starting a venture of your own; go for it. Your industry needs and deserves your special touch and positive change, the change that only you can make. No matter how silly the idea, how daunting the challenge, how old, young, or unequipped you may feel, or how competitive the landscape may be. If you have something to offer to others, it is your job to create it. I promise, when you step back and see the fruits of your work years from now, you will be rewarded beyond belief.
Q
At what point in your life were you the happiest?
A
So far, the last couple of years of being a mom has made me the happiest. Mom life is challenging, but it is also rewarding (and hilarious).
Q
Imagine you are sitting in your childhood bedroom. What do you see?
A
I see a wall draped with rows of horse show ribbons (all organized by color/ placing, of course) from the horse shows that I rode in as a child. I also see the bright sponged yellow walls of my bedroom, which I decided to paint sometime during high school.
Q
If you could go back and talk to your 12-year-old self, what would you tell her?
A
There is not just one thing that you are meant to do, just do something that you love, and it will lead you to where you need to be.
Q
The world is constantly pulling us in a million directions. What healthy boundaries have you created in life to keep yourself from going insane?
A
Balancing running a business and being present for your family really does pull you in a million directions. You’ve got to wear many hats, get organized and have some serious tact. My list of responsibilities in any given week span accounting, finance, customer service, marketing, public relations, production to just holy hell, what’s next? When it’s time to focus on something, I try to resist the urge to respond to calls, texts and emails immediately, unless it’s an emergency. I also create time blocks that allow me to stay focused on specific projects.
Q
What self-care activity do you regularly practice to put your mind, body and soul at peace?
A
I enjoy taking my daughter on walks to the Russian River from our house. This activity is just as much for her as it is for me to get some exercise and my daily dose of Mother Nature.
Q
There’s nothing better than feeling head-over-heels, passionate-beyond-measure, butterflies-in-stomach, totally and completely in love. What do you do to keep the madly-in-love spirit alive in your (past or present) relationship?
A
Honestly, my husband is far better than this than I am! He is so great at keeping our relationship fun and making time for just the two of us. I really need to be taking notes from him in this category. However, I would say that our vacations (even if short one-day get-a-ways) are the best was for us to put our busy work schedules aside and just enjoy each other’s company. We have made a pact that before a vacation comes to an end, we must decide on where our next vacation will be. This ensures that we don’t get too caught up in our daily lives to not make plans for these important times together.
Q
You are stranded on a desert island, and you can only have one beauty product. What product do you need with you and why is it a must-have?
A
I would bring sunscreen! Not only would it also act as a lotion (and I love lotion), but I’m sure it would give me some much-needed sun protection on this desert island.
Q
Tell us what’s next for you. Are there any exciting things on the horizon?
A
I am currently exploring new ways on how would like to help and mentor other women seeking to start their own businesses.
Q
If you live to be 100 years old, what do you hope your life will look like?
A
Well, I certainly hope that I would still have my wits about me! Aside from this, I hope that I will be able to be close to family and friends.
BONUS QUESTIONS
Q
Amanda is a self-proclaimed snack queen, so she needs to know: What is your absolute, go-to, can’t-live-without, favorite snack in the world?
A
French fries! Garlic, preferred and the crispier the better. They are my kryptonite.
Q
Jen strongly believes in bringing the best you forward, so she needs to know: What one item of clothing (or full outfit) makes you feel like a rockstar every time you put it on?
A
A simple black dress. Never fails!
Q
Amanda and Jen are huge music lovers, so they need to know: What song is your ultimate anthem? (you know, the one you can play a million times in a row and never get sick of!) Why is it your favorite?
A
“All that She Wants” by Ace of Base. A throwback to the 90’s. It’s girly, but a good one.
JOIN THE SPICY CLUB
Discounts. Complimentary tastings. Invitations to private "Club" events. Exclusive wines. Loyalty rewards. When you join the Spicy Vines Wine Club, you become part of the family. Need we say more?
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A special thank you to Crystalyn Hackett for sharing a bit of her story with us. Our hope is that this little peek behind the green curtain gives you something to connect to, showing us all that no matter how different we may be, we all have more in common than we think. Questions for the Boss Lady featured here? Leave a comment for her below!
Do you know an extra special lady who would be perfect for this interview series? Or maybe YOU are that special someone? Feel free to nominate them (or yourself) for a chance to be featured as our next Boss Lady.
