Kristen Gardner & Lance Lemon
RichWine is a boutique wine retailer located in the heart of Richmond Virginia whose purpose is to provide a carefully curated selection of unique, clean farmed wines to new patrons and wine lovers in our community.
The Power of Pivoting
“Entrepreneurship forced me to get out of my comfort zone and grow. As a shy person, it has pushed me out of a comfort zone, and afforded me opportunities to meet new people and have experiences I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
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Timing is everything; even when it appears negative, find the opportunity
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Open communication, open to disagreements, but staying aligned. It’s okay to disagree, but what’s best for the business
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It’s very challenging, but it can give you energy if you love it. The key was building a schedule that works.
After a night out in NYC, lifelong friends Kristen Gardner and Lance Lemon were tossing around ideas on what to name their future, Richmond-based wine shop. As this vision started taking shape, the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to rethink their plans to sign a lease. While Kristen worked full-time and Lance started a family, these co-founders pivoted and transformed their business overnight. RichWine would now be a boutique, online wine shop providing same-day wine delivery service.
In this conversation, we explore the challenges of starting a business while maintaining a full-time job, going into business with a close friend, and their approach to jointly making decisions.