Champagne Supply Co. Founders Ana Müzel Silva and Gabrielle Müzel offer insights for how to launch a successful business while maintaining a full-time job.
By Sommer Brugal, Photos by Anna Ambrosi and Sophie Epton Photography
Ana Müzel Silva and Gabrielle Müzel had been friends for quite some time when the idea of starting their own business sparked. The two were sitting outside, sipping one of their favorite drinks: rosé.
“We started talking about how cool it would be if something we loved so much [could be]turned into a business,” Müzel says.
That mutual love was for Champagne, which naturally became the foundation of their business. Champagne Supply Co., a mobile Champagne truck that offers a personalized beverage experience, was formed.
The best friends and sisters-in-law launched their business almost two years ago, and it has quickly caught re in Austin’s wedding-and-events scene. And while the business continues to grow, both partners also maintain success in their other full-time jobs.
Given their experience in the art of the side hustle with Champagne Supply Co., Austin Woman sat down with the two to gain a bit of insight into how to successfully run a passion project while holding down a full-time job.
Do your research
In launching your own side hustle, both women agree research is key. Müzel recommends focusing on legal restrictions and regulations that might not seem obvious.
“The amount of paperwork required for us to start [took us]at least a month and a half,” Müzel explains. “My suggestion would be to research any sort of legalities first [because]that can get people in trouble.”
Müzel Silva also recommends hands- on research within the eld. When starting a business, she says it’s important to have a path. For someone dreaming of owning her own coffee-roasting business, for example, she imagines the path’s starting point might look like working as a barista. Positioning yourself in the field and learning as much as possible, she says, will enable you to successfully launch your passion project.
Create positive circles
According to the duo, surrounding yourself with individuals in the same industry is crucial when starting your own business, especially when doing so as a full-time employee elsewhere. Because time is often sparse when launching a side hustle, the women say having individuals to turn to for advice can help you succeed.
“Having a full-time job and a side hustle, we’re really fortunate to have our family in our immediate range,” Müzel Silva says. “My dad hauls the truck to events while we’re still getting started.”
While having family nearby isn’t possible for everyone, Müzel Silva and Müzel encourage everyone to create a support system they can count on, whether it be friends, co-workers or those within the industry.
Prioritize effective communication
For the sisters-in-law, working with a friend or, in this case, a family member has worked in their favor. Müzel says their friendship has allowed for a certain level of camaraderie, enabling each to understand where the other is mentally, emotionally and physically.
Having a bit of empathy for the other’s personal needs has also allowed for better, more effective communication. Both women say the key to running a successful business or side hustle is really a matter of being open and honest in your communication.
“It’s a lot about your schedule and being respectful of the other’s,” Müzel Silva says. “But it’s also about being respectful of the jobs we hold and that we’re also accountable to someone else.”
Having a side hustle is like having another 9-to-5 job, Müzel says; you simply have to figure out how to give yourself another eight hours between your regular working days. For the women of Champagne Supply Co., that means early mornings, late nights and a lot of texting.
Find your cake pop
Müzel Silva notes that the cake-pop theory—mastering the smaller steps you need to take to complete a larger project—can help make your goals seem more tangible. Take a wedding cake, for example. While you might not know how to build a wedding cake, you may know how to make a cake pop.
So, what’s the cake-pop version of Champagne Supply Co.? It’s a bar cart where a single bottle of Champagne—maybe two—often waits to be popped.