While you probably know Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough from their extensive acting and performing careers in “The Vampire Diaries” and “Dancing With the Stars,” respectively, the actresses took on a new role when they partnered up to create their own wine business — a career move Hough says is “not that far off” from their previous work.
“Entrepreneurs and leaders… don’t necessarily do every single job but they have vision and they find the people to execute it,” Hough said during a recording of the “UnWrapped” Podcast: From the Big Screen to Business Owners at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit hosted by TheWrap’s Emily Vogel and Andi Ortiz. “As far as us transitioning into a new category of profession, it’s not that far off, because we’re creators… I’ve pivoted many directions in my career, but there’s always a through line of belief, goal, intention and vision.”
For Dobrev and Hough, Fresh Vine wine, which is gluten-free wine with low sugar to “compliment active lifestyles,” was an opportunity to take the reins back in their careers and let their product “speak for itself.”
“The minute you start saying, ‘I want them to take us seriously,’ you’re in it for the wrong reason, Hough said. “We just want to create something awesome, and do it really, really well, and then let it speak for itself, and I think that was our approach from the beginning.”
Though Dobrev and Hough went back and forth on the idea of starting their own business for years, Dobrev says the drive to get started came when the women transformed from “young spring chicken” to be “more action-forward than [they] used to be,” which encouraged them to fill the gaps of what they saw in the market.
“The initial conception was from a lack of something that we wanted to to make because we wanted it for ourselves,” Dobrev said, adding that the hangover from sugary wines would prevent her and others from being able to pursue a consistent, healthy lifestyle.
“It made it that much harder to go to the gym or to motivate to go to the gym when your head is just pounding from drinking so much,” she continued. “So we wanted to create… a better for you experience while still getting to enjoy the finer things in life.”
Watch the interview above.
Additional episode highlights…
- Dobrev and Hough give their best guess at how much wine was consumed during the creation of the business
- Dobrev unpacks why the pair soft-launched the business without their names attached to it
- Dobrev and Hough walk through how they prioritized health while remaining a luxury, premium brand
- Dobrev and Hough explain how TikTok videos help them get to know their consumer better
- Dobrev breaks down their wine club and why they chose to pursue a subscription model
About “UnWrapped”
“UnWrapped” is a monthly podcast produced by WrapWomen, dedicated to empowering the next generation of women in media and entertainment. Each episode “unwraps” topics from entertainment news and industry trends to career advice, Hollywood headlines and more.
Special guests include industry leaders, actors, producers and studio execs. The aim of the series is to connect those looking for knowledge and access to those with the knowledge and access, providing the WrapWomen community tools to succeed in their personal and professional lives.
New episodes of “UnWrapped” drop the last Friday of every month. You can listen on TheWrap.com, WrapWomen.com, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Power Women Summit (PWS) is the largest annual gathering of the most influential women in entertainment, media and technology. The event aims to inspire and empower women across the landscape of their professional careers and personal lives. This year’s PWS provides two days of education, mentorship, workshops and networking around the globe – to promote this year’s theme, “A Time to Unite.” Learn more here: thewrap.com/pws.
