No stranger to the feeling of having her own culture questioned—something many of us in the Latinx community can relate to—Vega has been told that she, and therefore her mezcal, are not “authentic enough.” But with 17 years of experience in the fashion industry as the founder of Whetherly Group, a fashion PR firm, it’s Vega’s unique approach to building her business that’s ultimately become her biggest asset. “I literally would walk into places and do tastings with beverage directors on the spot,” Vega says. With little-to-no connections in the industry, Vega used the art of the pitch—a publicist’s key to success—to sell her product to food-and-beverage heavyweights. Doña Vega Mezcal won a double gold medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and is making an impression across the nation.