Coming of Age in a Pandemic

I was standing outside a nondescript loft type building in the Arts District waiting for Willa to arrive. It was January and unusually cold for Los Angeles, so naturally I was feeling dramatic alongside the weather. I was vastly unsure what I was doing there, something I often feel before starting something new. Willa and I would frequent this loft for 6 weeks, pouring over both books and wine glasses alike, as we discovered the basics of wine growing, making, and tasting. This class was simply an introduction, but as two avid students, it gave Willa and I the structure to start thinking about wine through a new lens. We began to distinguish the types of grapes and dove headfirst into the history and science. It was during this time that we also began to realize the difference between what we were learning about, and what we had been drinking at our favorite neighborhood wine bars. We had a distinct preference towards natural wine, and while what we were learning was endlessly fascinating, we started to become even more obsessed with the random beauty of natural wine. 

For years, Willa and I had been trying to find a passion we could translate into a career, a journey every twenty-something must face.  We began to get home from our wine class, a little buzzed since neither of us had the heart to spit out every wine we were tasting in class, and brainstorm. From there, the concept of Maison de la Muse was born. 
This was in February 2019, and we both were a bit  unsure of what this new business idea meant for us. For the next few months we would explore different parts of the world. Dana in Berlin and Willa between LA + NY, all the while carrying our wine textbooks around, drinking natural wine, and diving more into the culinary world. 

By Fall 2019, we filed for our LLC.

By February 2020 we were ready to apply for our liquor license. 

By March 2020, things were a bit… apocalyptic. 

And by November 2020, against all odds, we had launched! 

We never set out to start a business during a pandemic, but life often surprises us. As we reflect on it now, I am so proud of us for finding the will to push forward.  Things were really bad last year!  But through that turmoil, we kept marching on, determined to create a space for ourselves in the world that we felt was right.  Determined to be passionate, creative, and hard-working. 

On the plus side, if we can start a business during a global pandemic… what can’t we do?! 

Older Post Newer Post