The First Black Woman To Solely Own A Tequila Brand: 'Women Can Do It Without A Man'

Tiffany Capri Hainesworth made a major life change after a long career working in the government.

In January 2021, Tiffany Capri Hainesworth launched her award-winning tequila brand, TCapri Tequila, making her the first Black woman to solely own a tequila brand. (Before her, Nayana Ferguson became the first Black woman to co-own a tequila when she launched Anteel Tequila with her husband in 2018; and in July 2021, Rikki Kelly founded Ego Tequila.)

For 30 years, Hainesworth has worked in the U.S. government for the Secret Service, the U.S. attorney’s office and currently for the Securities and Exchange Commission. But it took a life-changing car accident for Hainesworth to realize her passion wasn’t in government. TCapri Tequila has become her second full-time job. Though the pandemic caused a glass bottle shortage, production has ramped up again, and in the spring her tequila will be found in stores in Maryland, where she’s based, and D.C. A tasting kit featuring miniature bottles can be ordered on TCapri’s website. For this edition of Voices in Food, Hainesworth tells Garin Pirnia how she built her tequila empire and why it’s important to see women in leadership roles.