We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sunshine Foss a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sunshine, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I’ve always approached life head-on, tackling each obstacle with determination and resilience. Navigating the various roles and responsibilities I carry hasn’t been a smooth ride, but I find solace in the knowledge that every difficulty is temporary.
“This too shall pass” has become my guiding mantra, a reminder that no matter how daunting the current circumstances may seem, they are fleeting. There will always be something demanding my attention and time, something bigger on the horizon, but I take comfort in knowing that these moments are just that – moments.
I think from the onset it proved persistence and tenacity goes a long way. I’ve carried that through in probably every aspect of the business. Dive in headfirst and go for it! But remember, success doesn’t come easy. It takes dedication, perseverance, and a whole lot of hard work. So, before you take the leap, do your homework. Research your market inside and out, find your niche, and stay true to your vision. But, don’t be afraid to switch gears if you need to.
Flexibility is key! There’s no one-size-fits-all manual for entrepreneurship. It’s all about trial and error, learning from your mistakes, and constantly evolving.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I founded Happy Cork in 2019 as a wine & spirits travel shop with an emphasis on community. Since opening our doors, Happy Cork has evolved into a travel destination for all people looking to experience the largest selection of Black- and minority-owned wine and spirits.
I was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised on the beautiful island of St Lucia, so I consider myself to have had the best of both worlds. My early childhood was absolutely amazing being able to experience growing up on a small island but spending my summers in NY added so much value to my life.
Upon returning to the concrete jungle of New York, I once again moved – this time to Miami where I pursued my first passion, design. A new shift in my career followed when I returned and got married. Together, we pursued a career in real estate – complimenting each other’s talents of sharp business and a keen eye for design. Two kids, available space, and a dream later: Happy Cork Wine and Spirits was born.
My love for design greatly influenced the feel and product selection while developing the store. I wanted to ensure that Happy Cork was truly a happy place made for the community to find joy upon entering and that they enjoy our store and the brands we offer as much as we enjoy offering them to our customers.
We carry the largest assortment of Black-owned wines and spirits in the country, so our collection began to quickly grow. We were running out of storage space, so I began storing all of the Black-owned bottles on the very top shelves. One day a customer came in and glanced at the assortment, got the story from one of our team members about who we are, what we do, and that all of the Black-owned bottles were featured on the top shelf. After hearing this, the next words out of his mouth were “Oh we top shelf baby,” and that absolutely melted my heart because this was exactly what I wanted our community to feel when they walked in, and it was summed up in one line by a customer who is as loyal to this day.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
In terms of character traits, it goes back to my mom teaching me that if you’re going to do something, you better do it right.
Being able to stick with something and see things through has been huge. Being able to not give up at the first sight of problems is key. Also, I’m a problem solver, and I will continue to be because in this business you have to be. You need strong bones and a strong mind. And finally, be able to be a worker. I’m super dedicated to what I do. I’m a hard worker. I’m working constantly. I heard something along the lines of “I quit my 9-5 to work 24/7,” and it is absolutely true.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Two people – My husband, he is my biggest push. He has been absolutely pivotal in the fact that we have been able to achieve so many things. I’m very creative, so I come up with things every two seconds, and he allows me to be that person.
And definitely, my mom has been huge in getting me to where I am with my upbringing. She has also helped in the store. A lot of the flowers and paintings in the store are her doing. Having that strong female lead in my life has been amazing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.happy-cork.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happycorkbrooklyn/
Image Credits
Happy Cork Brooklyn
