Unfortunately , I was quickly struck by the reality that the beverage alcohol industry was also overwhelmingly white male dominated . While there some women involved in key aspects , their stories and legacies were significantly under-represented .
This inspired my book , Women of the Vine : Inside the World of Women Who Make , Taste and Enjoy Wine in 2006 . I became inspired to enter the wine business myself , releasing wine from a collective of seven artisan women winemakers from Napa , Sonoma and Paso Robles , CA . For seven years , I learned the business inside and out , however , I ultimately could not foster women in the wine industry the way I had hoped , leading me to dissolve the wine brand and return to the drawing board .
In March 2015 , I organized the Inaugural Women of the Vine & Spirits Global Symposium , bringing women and male allies together to focus on actions the beverage alcohol industry could make to change the status quo . The attendees eagerly supported the opportunity to connect through a global network , and it was clear to me that to make a positive impact on the beverage alcohol industry , women needed a voice year-round . Women of the Vine & Spirits was quickly launched as an all-encompassing organization working to further diversity , equity and inclusion in beer , wine , and spirits .
This past year , I launched Diverse Powered Brands , a centralized B2B global marketplace connecting diverse-owned , diverse-led and diverse-made brands to buyers , wholesalers , and supplier diversity managers across the entire beverage alcohol and hospitality industry . Through conversations with my network and after analyzing the data , I recognized that buyers who were looking for diverse brands didn ’ t have a centralized place to discover them , and suppliers who were making amazing products were simply not being noticed .
Did you have a mentor in the industry ? Have you been a mentor to others ? Steve Slater and Mel Dick at Southern Glazer ’ s Wine & Spirits are two male allies who have been incredibly supportive of my career , providing guidance and advice as I have launched new companies , programs , and initiatives .
I have also received outstanding mentorship from Cynthia Lohr , J . Lohr Vineyards , Béatrice Cointreau , byBC Ventures and Maggie Henriquez , Krug Champagne . Having these women as part of my own personal “ board of directors ” has had an immense impact on my career trajectory and success as an entrepreneur .
I believe it is imperative for women to have multiple mentors , some for inspiration and encouragement , and others to lean on for professional advice and expertise . I also believe that having mentors both in the industry and outside the industry is invaluable – having different perspectives will only further support your growth as a leader .
I have provided mentorship to women working throughout the three-tier system , across various leadership levels . I have found incredible value in building relationships with mentees , constantly struck but how much I have to learn from them .
Have you faced challenges as a woman in a leadership position in what ’ s still a male-dominated industry ? I experienced being overlooked , spoken over and dismissed . I experienced and witnessed so many challenges , to name a few — unconscious bias , sexual harassment , gender pay inequality , lack of leadership training and succession planning for women , microaggressions , unfair expectations for work / family balance . For women of color , LGBTQIA + individuals , and other marginalized groups , barriers are even more significant .
While I was disillusioned by yet another male-dominated industry , this time I was determined to change it from the inside out . Over the last 15-plus years as a social entrepreneur , I have witnessed incredible progress , though we still have a long way to go . I am so proud to be part of the change .
How has your company benefited from having women at the table making decisions ? Countless studies have demonstrated that having a diversity of thought , opinion and lived experience in a room is not only the right thing to do , but it ’ s good for business . Diverse teams show significant returns on their investments and are proven to be more successful . I am proud to work with such a diverse group of individuals and have such a collaborative team .
Do you think the beverage alcohol industry has improved as far as women and gender DEI in the past five years ? I am very grateful that diversity , equity and inclusion is now at the forefront of our attention in many ways as a society . For companies small and large , DE & I has become a business imperative . However , we need more initiatives to help with implementation and long-term success .
We need more education and engagement . We need to talk about economic inclusion as part of DE & I and make sure money is getting into the hands of women , people of color , LGBTQIA + communities , and other historically marginalized groups .
What advice do you have for people ( women in particular ) looking to get into the spirits industry ? Network , network , network . Don ’ t be afraid to reach out and ask questions . So often women suffer from imposter syndrome , fearing that if they don ’ t know all the answers , they are not good enough . It is imperative that women are uplifting one another , providing guidance and support in community .
Women of the Vine & Spirits was built to create a platform for women and male allies to have candid conversations about the industry , collaborate and connect . We welcome all to the conversation and have a plethora of resources to provide support to those just entering the industry or looking to transition roles .
2023 Beverage Industry Inclusion 11