Illinois Small Business Development Center Success Story

wineVEIL:  A 5” x 5” piece of two-tone chiffon weighted with silver charms at each corner. Draped over a glass of wine to keep away insects, a wineVEIL transforms wine glasses, decanters, or bottles, creating an elegant touch for outdoor wine tastings, socializing, weddings, and other events.

Yes, that is the description of the wineVEIL product. True, it’s unique. It’s elegant. But for Lisa and Mark Hirth it’s so much more than just a product.

Lisa and Mark Hirth first encountered wineVEIL when celebrating their 20^th Anniversary in Napa. They took the VEILs home, and for the next ten years they continually brought it out when sharing a bottle of wine, admiring it for both the product and the memories.

Lisa and Mark had always talked about wanting to own their own business. One day, on a whim, they reached out to wineVEIL owner Kelly Egan with an offer to buy the company.

As it turned out, the timing was perfect for both parties, and in April 2023, Lisa and Mark became the new owners and began making plans to grow the business.

Not too long afterwards, their business banker introduced them to Ian King at the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Elgin Community College. Lisa and Mark had identified many changes needed to help position the business for growth. They also had many questions, as well as doubts about how to proceed. Again, the timing was perfect as they began their partnership with the SBDC to help them navigate that journey.

“There were so many things that we didn’t know,” shared Lisa. “Ian helped us re-work our pricing model so that we could support larger wholesale orders.”  This led to a contract with Uncommon Goods, an online marketplace that connects shoppers with unique gifts. “Ian helped us to gain a better understanding of the wholesale market and guided us to make changes that would help our business scale up.”

In order to supply larger wholesale orders, Lisa and Mark also sourced a new local production company, introduced product enhancements, and began to implement a more multi-faceted marketing plan.

“We showcased wineVEIL at the Geneva Wedding Walk, and Heritage Prairie Farm craft show in Elburn, among other events. We also introduced new designs, color combinations, and multi-product packaging, all of which have been well received by our customers and should help us procure larger orders.”

The year and a half since Lisa and Mark purchased wineVEIL has brought many challenges, but also some wonderful successes.  Lisa shared, “If there is one lesson I’ve learned as a new business owner, it’s patience!”

The Hirths are also thrilled to have their children involved in the business helping with social media, photography and packaging, among other things. They are also seeing first-hand the challenges and successes that come with small business ownership.

This coming year, Lisa and Mark will be focusing on building a stronger presence in the wedding and events market, as well as continuing to ramp up their marketing efforts to build awareness of a product they fell in love with years ago.

You can read more about Lisa and Mark’s story and shop at their online store on the wineVEIL website. Follow them on Social Media for gift ideas, new products and other news:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/wineveil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wineveil/