Shay Mitchell's Business Empire: The Must-Have Pieces From Her Brands - And the Philosophy Behind Her Success
Shay Mitchell may be best known for her on-screen roles, but over the past few years, the actress and producer has carved out a formidable space as a lifestyle entrepreneur. With each new venture, she has demonstrated an instinct for knowing what consumers want even before they know it themselves, and delivering those things with style, function and personality.
Her first major entrepreneurial leap came in 2018 with the co-founding of Béis, a travel accessories line now synonymous with sleek luggage made for real life. Co-created alongside Beach House Group — the product incubator that also helped launch Tracee Ellis Ross' Pattern, Millie Bobby Brown's Florence by Mills, and Kendall Jenner-supported Moon — Béis has seen explosive growth. The brand reported a 200 percent increase in revenue in its last fiscal year and expects another season of strong expansion.
Mitchell followed that success with Onda, the canned sparkling tequila company she co-founded in 2019 with Kelli Adams, Max Dworin and Noah Gray. Crafted using blanco tequila from a woman-owned distillery in Jalisco, Mexico, Onda was designed to feel elevated yet easy — a drink that slides effortlessly into the beach-by-sunset lifestyle it represents. The brand has raised $12.5 million in Series B funding, showing strong belief in its future and positioning in the crowded ready-to-drink market.
Most recently, Mitchell partnered with Australian hydration brand HydraLyte on a new lemon-forward flavor, launched on December 1. The collaboration reflects her evolving role not only as founder, but as co-creator — someone deeply involved in product formulation, aesthetic and purpose.
When asked what she has learned from building multiple brands, Mitchell doesn’t hesitate: success begins and ends with the people you bring with you. “After the vision and the drive, it’s all about the team,” she says. She describes herself as someone who likes being hands-on in every detail — from testing luggage zippers to weighing color palettes — but also acknowledges that true growth requires collaboration and trusting those who are experts in their respective fields.
Her guiding mantra? Imitation means you're doing something right. The moment other companies echo her designs or features, she knows her brands are leading the conversation. Instead of pursuing market trends, Mitchell focuses on consistency and originality — things that make a brand feel alive and not manufactured.
Looking ahead, she sees Béis becoming the go-to destination for travel essentials — the brand you instinctively go to before booking a flight, a weekend escape, or even a commute. While she values advice from mentors, she says she never relies on only one voice. Instead, she consults a network — a curated collection of people whose experience spans industries and perspectives.
Her most valuable entrepreneurial insight may be the simplest: listen to your instincts when something feels missing in the marketplace. “There was a gap,” she explains. “And I couldn’t shake the feeling that I could fill it.” And perhaps that's her strongest business asset — a willingness to trust the voice that says: Do it. You can make this better.
