Helena Price Hambrecht, Haus: Controlling the Narrative – Well Made E98

In most states, you can't buy liquor on the internet, but you can buy Haus. Haus exists inside a loophole of the traditional alcohol model. It bypasses all the rules of what Helena Price Hambrecht calls the alcohol mafia.

Before launching the California aperitifs brand (just a few months ago!), Helena lived many lives in tech. You may know her from Techies — her photo project spotlighting people who are underrepresented in tech. Her husband and Haus co-founder, Woody Hambrecht is a grape farmer. When you combine their shared passions and skillsets, you get Haus. Helena is using her experience in tech to guide how she markets the brand, raises money, and creates real life, lasting experiences with customers. 

On this episode, Helena walks us through her many lives in tech (1:30) and why she quit her job to start Techies (4:24). She shares how she met her husband and Haus co-founder, Woody Hambrecht (20:50). Helena breaks down the tiers of the alcohol mafia and the liquor loophole that made way for Haus to exist (22:37).

It was important for Helena that they totally rethink everything about the retail liquor experience for DTC. She talks about the details that they reimagined for an ecommerce-first experience (29:11). She shares why she chose Gin Lane as their design agency and how her background in tech and communications helped guide her through milestone brand decisions (33:03). And to cap things off, she talks about raising money in tech and why owning their entire production live is cash intensive, but worth it (50:27).

Also mentioned on this episode:

• Super Pumped by Mike Issac
  
• Techies in Oprah Magazine
• Erica Joy, Principal Group Engineering Manager at Microsoft
• Julie Ann Horvath, Senior Experience Manager Deliveroo Design (previously at GitHub)
• Susan Fowler's Uber memo
  
• Helena's Medium post announcing Haus
• Dan Frommer on the Well Made podcast

All photos via Haus.