Meet ASHLEY JOHNSON of WINYL

Today we’d like to introduce you to ASHLEY JOHNSON.

Hi ASHLEY, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
WINYL started as a personal solution. I loved the social and celebratory side of sparkling wine, but I did not always want the alcohol. As a DJ, I watched how easily life could center around drinking, and I did not want to feed a habit that had already caused pain in my family. When I looked for alternatives, nothing felt elevated or culturally connected, nothing spoke to me or my community. That gap pushed me to start making my own blends and bringing them to gigs. People asked where they could buy them, and some even booked me with the product, and that is when I knew there was something real.

WINYL, a blend of Wine and Vinyl, captures the intersection of sip and sound, the notes that connect both of my worlds. More than a product, it is a community that centers inclusion and belonging. My background in finance and strategy gave me the structure to build the brand, but the heart of WINYL comes from the people who see themselves in it.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Whew, where do I start. Building this brand is the hardest thing I have done because so much is outside my control. WINYL has been built on persistence and faith. I hustled to fund the business in the beginning, winning pitch competitions and joining accelerators. I finally put everything I had into a production run, but it went wrong. Cans were exploding. I would be asleep and wake to popping sounds. I was in a battle, literally and figuratively. I could not sell the product despite putting everything into that run. I turned down many opportunities, including TV show castings, because I did not have a product. On top of that I was hit with a cease and desist for my previous name, Wine Not. I was in mourning. There were nights that I questioned everything. Having to rebuild was the hardest part because I felt isolated and defeated. It would have been easier to quit and put it all behind me.

Then I went back to a letter my late grandpa wrote me twelve years ago. In it, he told me that nobody is bound by the circumstances of their life, that with optimism, belief, and hard work amazing things can happen, and that many triumphs follow dark times. On the last page he wrote, “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. So press on.” Those words carried me.

So through my faith in God and the support of my community, I pressed on.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about WINYL?
WINYL is a nonalcoholic sparkling beverage crafted to mirror the sophistication of sparkling wine. We create elevated, full bodied sparkling blends infused with adaptogens, functional ingredients that help promote balance, calm, and focus, so you can feel good while you celebrate.

What sets WINYL apart is our use of natural flavors to achieve balanced wine notes and our music driven brand focus. The brand lives naturally in art and music spaces. Each flavor is built around a feeling and a rhythm, celebrating individuality and creativity while supporting mindfulness and wellness. Our core products are a sparkling white blend called Beat and a sparkling rosé called Flow.

We are redefining what celebration looks like, making it inclusive for everyone. What keeps me going are the countless messages I receive from people who connect with my story and vision. Whether you are creating, connecting, or pausing to enjoy the moment, WINYL exists to remind people that you do not need alcohol to feel inspired, elevated, or included.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I am not responsible for my success or abilities. Everything I have is from God. I try to live by the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30), in which we are entrusted with gifts and expected to steward and multiply them. My gifts are on loan, not owned. I strive for excellence, take faith-driven risks, and grow what I have been given for the good of others. Everything I do, every talent I have, is my way of multiplying what was entrusted to me and returning it with interest.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://drinkwinyl.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipwinyl; https://www.instagram.com/dj_alist
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyjohnson11/

Image Credits
WINYL Graphic designer: Kalex Shen