In an industry long dominated by men and celebrity-backed ventures, Tiffany Hainesworth is redefining what it means to be a trailblazer.
The Washington, D.C. native and Maryland resident is the proud founder and sole owner of T-Capri Tequila, making history as the first Black woman to independently own a tequila brand. But her path to entrepreneurship wasn’t conventional—and certainly wasn’t easy.
Hainesworth spent nearly three decades working in the federal government, building a career in criminal justice. Her life took a sudden and dramatic turn after surviving a serious car accident. That traumatic event became the catalyst for change.
“I was in a car accident, and, you know, things were bad for me, I wasn’t working … I wanted to do something different, something fun,” Hainesworth recalled.
What began as a pivot to creativity—crafting gourmet treats like wine-infused gummy bears—quickly evolved into something far greater.
Owning a tequila brand had always been a dream tucked in the back of her mind, and in 2018, she started researching the art of tequila making. Her journey soon took her to Guadalajara, Mexico—a region the U.S. State Department often warns against due to safety concerns. But fear didn’t stop her.
Instead of outsourcing or simply licensing her name like many celebrity-backed brands, Hainesworth immersed herself in the process. She worked side by side with the agave farmers, honoring every step of the labor-intensive journey.
“It was important to me to pay homage to a product that I was producing,” she explained. “I didn’t want to just slap my name on a bottle and say I have a liquor brand.”
Her dedication, resilience, and respect for the craft are rooted in her upbringing.
Hainesworth credits her grandfather and aunts for instilling in her the values of hard work, independence, and perseverance.
That persistence paid off. Today, T-Capri Tequila is proudly stocked on store shelves across Maryland and is steadily gaining recognition as a premium spirit.
With her sights now set on a global stage, her award-winning tequila—recipient of the Gold Medal at the 2025 LA Spirit Awards—is currently available in nine states, including California (specifically Los Angeles), Texas, New York, and throughout the DMV region, to name a few.
“It makes me feel like anything is possible for women, anything is possible for minorities,” Hainesworth said. “You just have to focus, put your mind to it and stay at it.”
Tiffany Hainesworth’s story is more than a business success—it’s a testament to vision, determination, and breaking barriers in spaces where few women of color have been seen, let alone celebrated. Through T-Capri Tequila, she’s not just pouring drinks—she’s pouring inspiration.