Jennifer Higgins co-created Vegas Baby Spirits in 2019 with her business partner, Megan Wilkes.  Passionate about creating a high-quality product with a local focus, Higgins developed the idea for Vegas Baby Vodka while sipping on her favorite cocktail, a classic cosmopolitan.

Higgins identified a demand for local and independent businesses in Las Vegas after visiting Austin, Tex., where the airport and tourist destinations were jam-packed with local pride and ownership. She sought the same sense of community to bring together Las Vegas and has worked with distributors, bars, restaurants, and casinos to bring Vegas Baby Vodka to the Las Vegas Strip and beyond.  

As the company’s owner and founder, Higgins is responsible for helping Vegas Baby Vodka grow as both a company and as a local name. She oversees business development, accounting, and overall operations. With the goal of seeing her vodka available across the city of Las Vegas and beyond, Vegas Baby Vodka has successfully sold over 1,000 cases in under a year. Her proudest accomplishment is being part of a female-founded and operated company and being awarded a National Women’s Business Enterprise certification, one of the largest certifiers of women-owned businesses in the U.S. and a leading advocate for female business owners and entrepreneurs.

Higgins graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.A. in 1987. Prior to Vegas Baby Spirits, she worked with charities, churches, and schools including WestCare, The Shade Tree, the Central Florida YMCA, and the Orlando homeless shelter. With previous work experience in real estate, Higgins has always demonstrated tenacity, passion, and motivation to succeed. In her spare time, you can find her reading, spending time with her three children, riding horses, and enjoying all that Las Vegas has to offer.

A vibrant member of the Las Vegas community, Megan Wilkes takes great pride in the city and has long been a supporter of local philanthropy. She brings that spirit to the creation of Vegas Baby Vodka with her long-time friend and co-founder, Jennifer Higgins.

Wilkes, who for many years has worked on fundraising initiatives for several non-profit organizations, group sales initiatives and large-scale event planning, brings her business acumen and unwavering commitment to Vegas Baby Vodka. In addition to establishing and cultivating new accounts and introducing the brand to the public, she is responsible for supporting day-to-day operations.

In an industry where the executive ranks have long been dominated by men, Wilkes and Higgins pave the way for female spirits ownership with their women-owned brand.

Vegas Baby Vodka is made with fresh Rocky Mountain water and non-GMO, gluten-free corn by Dry Hills Distillery in Montana. The vodka, which is 40 percent alcohol by volume, is distilled using a column still and filtered through a charcoal filter for an ultra-smooth finish. Wilkes’ favorite cocktail is the Vegas Baby Vodka gimlet, made with fresh muddled mint and pomegranate seeds, as she likes the way the ingredients complement the smooth vodka.  

This is not Wilkes first entrepreneurial venture. She also founded MW Events, which provided support for other event companies, including budget oversight and managing vendors. She has been a champion for several Las Vegas non-profit organizations, including Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada, Children’s Heart Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Patrick Kelley Youth Foundation, Nathan Adelson Hospice, and WestCare Nevada for Women & Children.  

A Las Vegas resident for decades, Wilkes graduated from Bishop Gorman High School in 1986 as well as attended the University of Reno, Nevada, and University of Las Vegas, Nevada. She started practicing calligraphy a few years ago and also enjoys hiking, going to the beach, and visiting her children in New York City and Los Angeles.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

a.     Jennifer Higgins (JH): I graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Prior to Vegas Baby Spirits, I worked with charities, churches, and schools including WestCare, The Shade Tree, the Central Florida YMCA, and the Orlando homeless shelter.

b.     Megan Wilkes (MW): I’ve been a Las Vegas resident for decades. I went to Bishop Gorman High School, University of Reno, Nevada, and University of Las Vegas, Nevada. I founded MW Events, which provided support for other event companies, including budget oversight and vendor management. I have supported many Las Vegas non-profit organizations throughout the years, including Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada, Children’s Heart Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Patrick Kelley Youth Foundation, Nathan Adelson Hospice, and WestCare Nevada for Women & Children.

What inspired you to start your business?

a.     JH: Vegas Baby Vodka started as an idea intended to bring the community of Las Vegas together. In 2017, I visited my daughter at the University of Texas in Austin, and I saw how people had a commitment to buying local and a sense of pride in their local businesses. I had lived in Las Vegas for about 10 years at that point and I wanted to bring that sense of community home, to create a women-owned spirits brand in the entertainment capital of the world. I brought my idea to my longtime friend and Las Vegas local, Megan Wilkes, and we began to develop our concept and product from there.

b.     MW: I grew up in Las Vegas and raised my kids here. When Jennifer approached me about Vegas Baby Vodka, the idea of starting something so strongly tied to the city really appealed to me. Living here for over 30 years – and drinking vodka for longer – I’ve learned firsthand that the Las Vegas community is strong, and its members are always looking to support each other.

3.     Where is your business based?

a.     Las Vegas, Nevada

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

JH: From the moment we decided to take on this project we have been working nonstop. We started by trademarking our brand, which took a few months, while at the same time identifying a distillery, bottling companies and other facets of operations to bring it all together. Creating the final product required a lot of taste-testing and fine-tuning. We knew the brand itself was as important as the quality of the vodka, so we went through countless iterations of logos and labels. With everything that goes into creating a spirit, it felt like a whirlwind because we were working on everything at the same time. Before we knew it, we were pouring at events and festivals and introducing Vegas Baby Vodka to the public.  The end result of our efforts is an ultra-premium vodka that we created to capture the incomparable spirit of Las Vegas in a bottle.

5.     What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

a.     MW: The most effective way we have been able to raise awareness for our business is through tastings and other activations, in-person events, and meeting our consumers face-to-face. During COVID, we have found that social media has been invaluable, as well as media coverage like this Q&A!

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

a.     JH: One of the most challenging parts of owning our business so far has been applying for various certifications – it has been an extensive and time-consuming process. In 2020, we received our Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) certification, a prestigious classification supporting female business owners and entrepreneurs everywhere, as well as our Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) certification, a concession for-profit business concern.

How do you stay focused?

a.     MW: We stay focused by looking at how far we have come in such a short time and recognize the mark we are making on the industry as women in a male-dominated industry. There is also a great deal of coffee (and some vodka) involved, of course.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

a.     JH: Vegas Baby Vodka is a premium spirit made with vodka-lovers in mind. We love our martinis, so it was important to create a spirit that was smooth, great-tasting, and one that holds its own against some of the most expensive brands in the market today. We knew for it to capture the essence of Las Vegas, it needed to be nothing short of amazing. 

It is extremely important to us that our vodka is made in the USA. We found a partner who shared our values, Dry Hills Distillery (fifth-generation farmers), a boutique distillery in Bozeman, Montana where Vegas Baby Vodka is made and distilled with fresh Rocky Mountain water. Vegas Baby Vodka is 100 percent non-GMO and made with gluten-free corn, processed through a column still, and filtered through a charcoal filtration system to guarantee an ultra-smooth finish with 40 percent alcohol by volume.

b.     MW: The first piece of feedback that we get from those who try it is how incredibly smooth it is. That is something that was critical to us and that we wanted to be a foundational aspect of our taste. Not only does our vodka compare to some of the most expensive brands, but it really exceeds some in quality and taste. Additionally, we are a 100% women-owned company. The spirits industry is dominated by men, so we are proud to be two women forging our own path in the industry.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

a.     MW: We have an excellent marketing firm that has given us great exposure through collaborations with local radio stations and notable people in our community. We look forward to being able to meet in-person again to maintain these relationships.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

a.     JH: My advice to aspiring and new entrepreneurs would be to take advantage of all the business certifications. Our WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) and ACDBE (Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) certifications set us apart and give us the advantage of partnering with larger companies.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

a)     MW:

(1)   App: Instagram

(2)   Blog: Marianna Hewitt - Founder of Summer Fridays Skincare

(3)   Book: We enjoy reading and researching tons of relevant books about women in business today. There is no dumb question when educating yourself about something new. I look to my mother, as a self-made woman who raised three children on her own while juggling an impressive professional career. She was an established philanthropist in her community and worked her way up to be an executive vice president of Citigroup when the industry was extremely male-dominated. She has always been an inspiration in my life and has become one for both of us.

b)     JH:

(1)   App: Audible

(2)   Blog: Cup of Jo

(3)   Book: East of Eden by John Steinbeck

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

a.     MW: Our best business tool and resource would have to be listening to podcasts and getting firsthand information and advice from business professionals. The New York Times is always a great resource for us as well as having conversations with other inspiring female business owners.

Who is your business role model? Why?

a.     MW: Our business role models are Gwen Whiting and Lindsey Boyd, founders of The Laundress, an eco-friendly, fashion-forward laundry brand. The duo has experienced similar milestones and challenges in their role as female entrepreneurs that we have. We’ve found that there is always something new to learn, and it is important to remember that.

How do you balance work and life?

a.     MW: Balancing life and work can be challenging, but I have found that organization is vital to not getting overwhelmed, especially while spending most of my time at home. I try to prioritize work, kids, self-care each day. Each area of my life gets more of my attention on any given day.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

a.     MW: Jennifer and I have very similar ways of decompressing, which makes working together so much easier. Some of our favorite ways to decompress from work or stress are to do yoga, meditate, cook, and walk our dogs together.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

a.     JH: We just debuted our 375 mL bottles in hotel minibars in hotels on the Strip and they have been incredibly popular for visitors. In addition to expanding our footprint in Nevada, we are looking to bring Vegas Baby Vodka to new markets throughout the United States. Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is our distributor, and they have a great national presence. We are excited to soon be able to offer Vegas Baby Vodka in every state!

b.     MW: Vegas Baby Vodka is sold in more than 100 locations in Las Vegas, including MGM Resorts International and Station Casinos properties; The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas; local bars and restaurants; and liquor and grocery stores throughout the Las Vegas Valley. We are very driven and constantly thinking about the next best thing for our business. Later down the line, we would love to have our own distillery on the Las Vegas Strip.

How can our readers connect with you?

a.     Website: https://vegasbabyspirits.com 

b.     Instagram: @vegasbabyvodka

c.      Facebook: @vegasbabyvodka

d.     Twitter: @vegasbabyvodka