In Her Heels with Tonya Romin
“There's nothing wrong with starting over.”
This week we are delighted to recognize our "Heels Hero" Tonya Romin, CEO of Hardly Water.
In a world saturated by bubbly adult beverages, Hardly Water is shaking things up. From their bold design to unique flavor combinations, they are making a splash on the beverage scene.
We had the honor of learning more about the Founder & her Journey. Follow along below as we go, “In Her Heels.”
How did you enter into your industry?
When my husband and I started talking about what has now grown to be Hardly Water, it was during COVID and a time where my career was at a crossroads. The development of our company and the work that went into developing our flavor combinations became my outlet. The creation and footprint of what was coming together became the focus my attention in the "downtime" of my day to day work. Through shifting my focus on learning about the beverage industry and leaning into relationships I had developed throughout my career in legal education, I quickly realized the work I had once enjoyed was no longer fulfilling my career goals. After spending nearly 15 years developing programming and leadership growth initiatives, I set my sights on our company and took a (huge) leap of faith to make a splash in the alcohol industry with Hardly Water!
Did you always know you wanted to have this career?
I always knew I wanted to start my own business, I just hadn't expected this would be the path in doing so!
If you could tell yourself one thing when you first started your career, what would it be?
Don't be afraid to use your voice, whether it is asking clarifying questions, presenting your own ideas or speaking up for others.
For a long time, I felt intimidated by my peers or to ask questions in front of others because how I thought I'd be perceived for not knowing something, when in reality, I was doing myself disservice and falling even further behind (in my mind) by having to spend more time researching or asking after the fact. Later in my career as I developed more confidence and found strong mentors who wanted to see me succeed, I learned to (tactfully) use my voice. I'm very opinionated and even early on, had good instincts for policy and procedural development, but was often brushed off by the notion of "this is how things are done." In time, I started making small suggestions of things I've found helpful to be more efficient and effective to our teams and spoke up more often to share ideas. By offering up more ideas, and sharing my observations, I saw changes and my ideas being adapted, and my leadership opportunities growing. Things changed slowly at first, but then rather than just offering my observations/opinions, I was ASKED for them and I found that questions I was asking were echoed by others allowing one voice to become many.
How do you manage imposter syndrome?
Dealing with imposter syndrome is a day to day venture, and a lot of overcoming it has been through developing my experience and expertise in the field. Having only started this venture in 2021, I'm still very much a newcomer to the industry, but the more brand owners (specifically, women) I connect with in the industry and bigger my community of support becomes, the more empowered I feel. Some days are better than others. In an predominantly male dominated industry, the assumption that I am a "sales rep" or "contract employee" hired for events/onsite marketing happens more often than I am recognized as the business owner. And while, I AM filing those roles, it is through sharing my experience and role within the company that changes the understanding of my experience and acceptance into the industry.
If you could go back and tell your teenage self advice what would it be?
A degree in Food Science is NOT a waste of your time. I've always had a passion for cooking, and it has long been my creative outlet. When I was deciding on a career path in high school (which, come on... how many 15 year-olds know what they want to do for the rest of their lives? Good on those who do, but I had no idea.. but that's another issue all its own!) my guidance counselor and an adult mentor I looked up to both told me I should focus on a more "practical" degree. I've found my way into the culinary sciences by way of flavor and recipe development, but still wish I were the one conducting the lab work for myself and others bringing their culinary visions to life, but at this point I'm happy to be where I am!
Where are we likely to find you on the weekends or when you aren't working?
These days, any free time I have is spent catching up with my friends and family, or out exploring the city! Our friends and family have been incredibly supportive and understanding of the time constraints we are under and our obligations that often cut into things we'd otherwise like to be present for. With nights and weekends being filled most of the time with events and meetings to promote Hardly Water, we miss out on a lot. Whenever I can set aside time, even just for a phone call, it is great to disconnect from the outside world and really catch up. I love exploring the different neighborhoods around the city and discovering new restaurants/experiences!
Name 3 things you cannot live without.
Aside from the basics (food/water/shelter)... I cannot live without: meaningful engagement; creative freedom; a good book.
What are you currently listening to? Podcast? Favorite song that motivates you?
Spotify is my lifeline at work. I love Post Malone radio. His voice is so unique and soothing that I can just hit "auto pilot" on the day and listen while I work without distraction.
I'm admittedly terrible with podcasts, I can't just listen in the background while I'm working, they're too distracting and I really like to dig in when I'm listening to something like that, but lately, I've been prioritizing listening to "The Daily" while I'm commuting.
How do you get yourself out of a funk when you are having an off day?
The good and bad side of working from home is that work is omnipresent. When I'm having an off day, I disconnect and cook. It's something I've always found comes naturally to me and recenters my energy and attention. Sometimes I'll grab a cookbook and pick something out to make, other times it's "Chopped" style and grabbing whatever is in the pantry or fridge and letting it come together on its own and shifting my focus to creating something cohesive.
What would surprise us about yourself?
I am a book fiend, and I average about one and a half books per week. I used to be a TV junkie, even as a kid. If there were a TV on, my eye was drawn to it, but in the last few years it hasn't been as appealing to me and I'd rather grab a book (ok, my kindle) and disconnect for a few hours and read.
What is the best advice you have received?
There's nothing wrong with starting over.
My boss (now close close friend) said this to me on my first day working for her. It was pivotal moment in my life and something I think about frequently. I've always been a creature of habit, I like things in a certain order and I'm not keen on change and historically had stayed put longer than I should have out of fear. There was the fear of failure, fear of letting others down, and fear of not living up to my own expectations that held me back from trying something new, but those words and her mentorship helped guide my personal and professional growth for the better part of our near decade working together. The confidence I've gained from adapting those words into my mindset have changed how I approach situations.
What are some career highlights and biggest career accomplishments?
I am a huge advocate of mentorship and providing a pipeline of growth and opportunity to those around me. One major highlight of my career was developing a pipeline for a mentorship program not only between students and alumni, but my colleagues as well. This allowed my passion for nurturing the next generation of leaders and professionals to grow on its own and afford others the opportunity for guidance I was fortunate to have early in my career.
Launching Hardly Water a year ago is the accomplishment I remain most proud of. The alcohol industry is incredibly competitive, and there are tens of thousands of brands out there but I still feel giddy and a little overwhelmed when I see someone purchasing the product on their own. When I walk into a bar and see someone drinking it, or see it cross the counter at a store I haven't sampled at, it’s surreal. I was recently "introduced" to Hardly Water by a stranger at a bar when I was out with some friends which was equal parts surreal as it was exciting. The group next to us had some cans on their table and one of the girls said "before you order, you should check try one of these, they're awesome!" I was so caught off guard since we're still new in to the game, that for a minute I didn't know what to say as she started explaining the product and pitching it to us, all I could think to do was thank her and order a round for both our tables. When I'm out doing events, or at bars where we're sold, I seldom tell anyone I'm the owner of our brand. While I am incredibly proud of what we've created, I also want their unbiased feedback on their tasting experience. To me, the moments sharing the experience with someone else is worth more than boosting my ego!
What is something you are excited to be working on?
I am incredibly excited about our plans to launch of our full line throughout Illinois. This launch represents a major milestone for the company, offering the potential for significant growth and market penetration. It is a huge undertaking, but we are positioning ourselves for this growth as well a preparing to expand our team in 2025. One of our core missions is to give back to our communities, and while we have been able to partner with +30 charitable organizations in the last year, our company growth means that our community partnership programs will also become more substantial in the year(s) to come!
Contact information: Where can members connect with you?
@HardlyTonya or info@drinkhardlywater.com