Meet Karen Aylwin | Retired Educator, Wine & Spirit Confectioner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Aylwin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success is my relationship with people. Those who encouraged me when my small business was just a thought, those who provided support and advice from a business perspective, people met through business connections and networking opportunities offered by my local Chamber of Commerce and other grass-root networking groups. People who had faith in my product and provided me with opportunities to conduct sales.

The most important relationship is the one I have with customers. Customer feedback, suggestions and requests have been my guide to perfecting my product, and to implementing new and varied items to my product line.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The tipsy lady jelly is a gourmet jelly, made in small batches with simple premium ingredients: wine, champagne, sangria, or spirits, pure cane sugar, and vegan pectin.

Making wine jelly began as a hobby more than 40 years ago. I belonged to a recipe club through which I received a recipe for merlot jelly. The jelly became a hit with friends, and made a great gift to share. I worked full time as an educator, and one of my favorite side hobbies included creating jellies,

As I approached retirement, the question of what I might do would come up. It didn’t take long for me to decide on pursuing the establishment of a small business– I’d be the tipsy lady, and my company name would be Custom Wine Jellies. While in the process of establishing my business, I came across the NCOA (National Council on Aging) advice on staying inspired during retirement: learning new skills, seeing new places or spending time in favorite ones, meeting people, having different experiences, and picking up with a new hobby or one that was neglected in adulthood. My role as the tipsy lady would check each of these recommendations!

I started out as a cottage based business, learning about and implementing requirements, vending at events, providing direct sales. I would often be asked if the jellies were available in stores, which eventually inspired me to pursue licensing and production procedures that would permit those sales.

Even though wine and spirit jellies aren’t unusual or new, they are somewhat uncommon. I love sharing tastings with new customers at stores and markets where tipsy lady’s products are featured.

The tipsy lady’s product line has steadily expanded. Signature jellies include those made with a variety of wines, and the specialty line includes a Georgia Peach Vodka Cocktail, Bourbon, Bourbon/Apple Cider Blend, Jalapeno Mulled Merlot and Moscato, Renegade Lemonade (wine made with lemons), and a variety of Sangria jellies. Limited edition seasonal favorites are offered throughout the year. Custom made jellies are also available, made to order with customer choice wines and spirits.

I take pride in using all natural ingredients, with no added chemicals. 100 percent satisfaction is always guaranteed, with full replacement or refund offered on all purchases. All supplies, ingredients and services are purchased locally, with exception of items that aren’t readily available.

Customer feedback, suggestions and requests have propelled the success of Custom Wine Jellies, and continue to lead decisions related to the product line. Through my experience, I’ve learned that being open, considering advice, creating and valuing positive relationships, and always being willing to try new things are the major factors that led to the success of my small business.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
“All Things Southern” is my favorite itinerary theme when planning for out of area friends and family. As a transplant from the far north, it’s been fun to discover signature southern cuisine, drinks, pastimes, traditions, cultural events and more. Sharing southern experiences with friends renews my appreciation of the south over and over again. Treating guests is simple to do, with many varied and easily accessible opportunities in and near Atlanta. I love the city options, mixed with the offerings of the smaller locales in the Atlanta suburbs, where things are a little slower, southern drawls are more pronounced, and everything seems simpler. Local food options are always fun to explore and there’s definitely no shortage of authentic southern tastes around!

Gritz Brunch Bar, located on Church Street in Douglasville is a definite destination, known to offer southern cuisine at it’s best. Favorite dishes include chicken and waffles, fish or shrimp and grits, collard greens, catfish nuggets and candied yams. The Georgia Peach Margarita can’t be topped!

Boiled Peanuts! Love to share this treat! A trip down Hwy. 61 in New Georgia leads to Hank’s Boiled Peanuts. Hank parks his mobile peanut cauldrons along side the road and dishes out the peanuts, piping hot. Hank’s peanuts, offered in a variety of flavors, are quite popular, so effort needs to be made to get to to his stand early. It’s common to see a SOLD OUT sign posted not too long into the day.

A few (or several) hours spent at The Dallas Markets-Georgia slip by so quickly. Located just down the road from downtown Dallas, The Dallas Markets brings together commerce, community and plenty of activities to choose from. It’s home to more than 200 vendors, providing locally made crafts and artwork, seasonings and spices, clothing, candles, fancy Georgia pecans, honey, jams, jellies and more. A unique vintage item from the south that one is not even looking for might become a must-have! Food trucks share delicious local fare, and the option to sip while you shop makes for an enjoyable experience. This is the perfect place for guests to find unique items made in Georgia, making perfect souvenirs and mementos to take back home. The Markets are also host to a variety of entertainment options including upbeat game nights and live bands.

Planning for an enjoyable laid back evening at home with a friend begins with a morning visit to the famous Paul’s Pot Pies in Kennesaw to take care of dinner plans. Paul’s Pot Pies has provided a varied menu of savory pies in the Atlanta area for almost 40 years, and the Kennesaw location is where the take-and-bake pies are made daily by Paul, the owner and chef himself. Be prepared–walking out with some extra pies can be expected. Deciding on a wine to enjoy with dinner can be hands-on, with a short drive from Paul’s to Three Strands Winery. This is an active family owned and run farm winery, located on Willow Springs Road in Dallas. Partaking in tasting flights in the Industrial Farmhouse Chic Tasting Room located in the midst of the vineyard is a nice way to spend the afternoon, and allows for making the perfect pairing choice for the pot pie dinner!

Treating friends to a stay at the Georgian Terrace, known as a midtown Atlanta hotel with style and southern hospitality never disappoints. Once parked, the easy access to taking in an event at The Fox Theater, frequenting bars and restaurants within walking distance, and simply enjoying the beauty, history and hospitality of the hotel and bustle of the city makes for an enjoyable Atlanta city experience. When sharing this with friends, we like to try something new to us as well–the next visit will include Bon Ton to enjoy cajun boiled or fried seafood, and cocktails.

There’s never a lack of things to do and new things to discover in and around Atlanta! For sports buffs, Atlanta is home to the Braves, Falcons, Thrashers and Atlanta United FC. Beautiful golf courses, hiking trails, biking paths and fishing spots are all within easy access. Top-notch entertainers frequent the world-class venues and theaters all around town. Atlanta is a city with comprehensive offerings for all ages, preferences, and lifestyles, and the surrounding suburbs offer an abundance of unique opportunities to discover!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am fortunate to have so many people to recognize and thank for support, mentorship, love and encouragement throughout my business journey. First and foremost–my husband and best friend, Bob. He’s my sounding board and voice of reason, always there when I need a hand, the best listener. Bob has always been my safety net.

I am grateful to Douglasville B2B (Vonda Thorpe, Patti Wenk) for supporting and guiding me as I took those first business steps, Paulding County Chamber of Commerce (Sandy Gamble) for encouragement and providing showcasing and networking opportunities, and the many wonderful people I’ve met along the way who have given me opportunities, opened doors. Everyone–from the owners of the certified kitchens I’ve produced jellies in, to the merchants who sell my product–thank you!

Website: www.tipsyladyjellies.com

Facebook: @the tipsy lady

Image Credits
Kevin Urbina