This Mother-Daughter Duo Started a Sparkling Side Hustle That Made $500,000 in Less Than a Year: ‘Born Out of a Simple Frustration’

Key Takeaways Grace was working at Nestlé when she and her mother started their MODA side hustle. The co-founders have personally invested about $500,000 to bring their brand to life. MODA’s projected revenue for 2027 is between $3 million and $5 million. This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features mother and daughter Sosy and Grace Hachigian, the co-founders of MODA Mocktails. Grace, 26, is based in New York City, where she leads MODA’s East Coast business. Sosy, 57, is based in Orange County, California, where she manages the West Coast. Together, they lead MODA nationally, bringing complementary perspectives and experience to building the brand. Image Credit: MODA Mocktails. Sosy and Grace Hachigian. What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?Grace: When we started MODA Mocktails, I was working full-time as an associate brand manager at Nestlé USA. I spent four years at Nestlé working on brands including Coffee mate, Nesquik and Starbucks. That experience gave me a strong foundation in brand building, consumer marketing and what it takes to bring a product from an idea to the shelf. Starting a side hustle in response to a simple frustration When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?Sosy: MODA was born in 2025 out of a simple frustration: We couldn’t find a mocktail that checked all our boxes. We wanted something with clean ingredients, bold flavor and an accessible price point. Instead, we found products with too much added sugar, muted flavors or drinks that tasted more like sparkling water than a cocktail. Considering I never enjoyed drinking alcohol, I wanted to create something that currently wasn’t being offered. What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?Grace: From the beginning, we knew that building a great product was only half the equation. We needed to build the brand by getting MODA into as many hands as possible. We have personally invested over $500,000, which has gone into product development, packaging, marketing, sampling and distribution. Image Credit: MODA Mocktails Using resources available for women-owned businesses Are there any free or paid resources that have been especially helpful for you in starting and running this business? Sosy: MODA became WBENC-certified as a women-owned business when we launched. As a mother-daughter company, that certification was personally meaningful to us, but the resources have been equally valuable. From educational webinars and exclusive networking opportunities to retail-focused programs, WBENC has given us access to a community and resources that have helped us navigate and grow the business. If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you’d done it differently?Sosy: We wanted to move quickly, so our first logo wasn’t quite right. It didn’t fully capture the fun, fresh and approachable personality of MODA. It also wasn’t as legible as we wanted it to be. Rather than let that slow us down, we launched, learned from the market and adapted the logo down the line as the brand evolved. It was a good reminder that your first version doesn’t have to be your final version. Behind the scenes of a growing beverage brand When it comes to this specific business, what is something you’ve found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but likely aren’t? Grace: One of the biggest surprises is how much happens behind the scenes of a beverage brand. Creating a great product is just the beginning. You’re simultaneously managing manufacturing, logistics, distributors, retailers, marketing, inventory and countless relationships that need to nurtured. The business moves quickly, so you have to be comfortable solving problems in real time and adapting as you grow. Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong — how did you fix it?Grace: We were shipping our first purchase order to a retailer’s warehouse when the biggest storm of the year hit and froze the product in transit. The entire shipment had to be returned. This pushed back our on-shelf date and meant we had to scramble to get a new shipment out. We pivoted quickly, expedited the replacement product and worked closely with the retailer to get MODA on shelf. It was stressful, but it taught us to stay calm, be resourceful and focus on the solution. Image Credit: MODA Mocktails Reaching consistent revenue within six months How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn?Grace: It took us about six months before we started seeing consistent revenue as we built our retail and distribution footprint, and the business has continued to gain momentum from there. We’re investing heavily in distribution, retail expansion and brand awareness with the goal of making MODA a national brand and getting it into as many consumers’ hands as possible. As we are reinvesting into the business, no earnings have been taken out. What does growth and revenue look like now? Sosy: We’ve seen strong retail momentum, getting MODA on shelf at multiple national retail chains within our first year. We’re also expanding beyond traditional retail, with MODA showing up in airports, hotels and elsewhere. We’re focused on building on that momentum. MODA has hit $500,000 in revenue since launch earlier this year with $3 million to $5 million in revenue projected for 2027. Our goal for distribution is to be in 4,000 stores by mid-2027. Building relationships, creating new opportunities What does a typical day or week of work look like for you?Grace: Every week is packed with something new, and no two days look the same. It’s a full-time job split across events, in-store sampling, sending product samples, meeting with buyers, managing partners and working closely with our sales teams. There’s always something moving forward, whether it’s getting MODA into more hands, building relationships, creating new opportunities for the brand or planning our next production run. It’s fast-paced and constantly evolving, which is exactly what we love about building a business. Image Credit: MODA Mocktails What do you enjoy most about running this business?Sosy: What we enjoy most is building MODA together as a family, brick by brick. We love meeting new people, hearing their stories and bringing a delicious, clean mocktail to market that feels accessible and approachable. We also love showing up for communities and causes that matter to us. Being able to build something we believe in, together, makes the journey especially meaningful. What is your best piece of specific, actionable business advice?Grace: Don’t be afraid to start, and don’t wait until everything is perfect. Move quickly, make it exist, then build, learn and adapt as you go. You’re never going to have every answer on day one. The best way to learn is to get something into the world, listen closely and keep improving. Key Takeaways Grace was working at Nestlé when she and her mother started their MODA side hustle. The co-founders have personally invested about $500,000 to bring their brand to life. MODA’s projected revenue for 2027 is between $3 million and $5 million. This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features mother and daughter Sosy and Grace Hachigian, the co-founders of MODA Mocktails. Grace, 26, is based in New York City, where she leads MODA’s East Coast business. Sosy, 57, is based in Orange County, California, where she manages the West Coast. Together, they lead MODA nationally, bringing complementary perspectives and experience to building the brand. Image Credit: MODA Mocktails. Sosy and Grace Hachigian. What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?Grace: When we started MODA Mocktails, I was working full-time as an associate brand manager at Nestlé USA. I spent four years at Nestlé working on brands including Coffee mate, Nesquik and Starbucks. That experience gave me a strong foundation in brand building, consumer marketing and what it takes to bring a product from an idea to the shelf. Starting a side hustle in response to a simple frustration When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?Sosy: MODA was born in 2025 out of a simple frustration: We couldn’t find a mocktail that checked all our boxes. We wanted something with clean ingredients, bold flavor and an accessible price point. Instead, we found products with too much added sugar, muted flavors or drinks that tasted more like sparkling water than a cocktail. Considering I never enjoyed drinking alcohol, I wanted to create something that currently wasn’t being offered.