and the value placed on transparency of expression in wine and music.
I gave myself a set period to land a job in the wine industry. If it didn’ t work out, I’ d return to consulting. I cold called anyone and everyone I could and eventually got lucky and landed a hybrid marketing / brand management role.
Did you have a mentor in the industry? Have you been a mentor to others?
Two individuals immediately come to mind.
Liz Willette, who owned and ran Willette Wines, led by example. She was( and is!) kind but direct, action-oriented and that rare combination of great manager and salesperson. Watching her run a business, build relationships with suppliers and raise two young boys was a daily lesson on how one behaves when you’ re a serious wine professional.
Martin Gold, co-founder and president of Martin Scott Wines was a gentleman, a wine connoisseur and a savvy business executive. What I particularly appreciated about Marty was his ability to recognize and reward potential. Whilst he was sparse on praise – the more he believed in you, the tougher he was- he gave me one stretch opportunity after another. In hindsight, I see how each project was meant to push me out of my comfort zone and challenge me to grow. Marty believed in learning by doing and his trust gave me the confidence to rise to the occasion.
Something to bear in mind; mentorship isn’ t always about formal, or active guidance. Most of the time it’ s listening, learning and taking responsibility for your own improvement.
I’ m a big believer in leveling the playing field and to that end, Peter Wasserman and I started an educational non-profit called the Godfather Foundation. The purpose of the foundation is to introduce young members of the trade to established collectors over educational tasting dinners. Our home base is NYC and moving forward, we hope to expand our scope to include more cities and other, similar educational activities.
Have you faced challenges as a woman in a leadership position in what’ s still a male-dominated industry?
Yes. Every one of my jobs has been in a male-dominated industry or category.
Early on, I learned the importance of building a support network inside your organization. One rarely can choose your team or manager, so if push comes to shove, having your own network means you’ re not entirely reliant on a toxic manager or team member( s).
Equally as important are the networks you establish outside your industry. These connections are important“ sanity checks.” Something seemingly normal in your chosen industry could be equally weird in another and having that reference point is important to maintain balance. Further, some of the best ideas on how to change or improve something often come from outside one’ s industry.
Communicating in a kind but direct manner is, for most people, a learned skill. Employees and colleagues intrinsically recognize an honest and authentic voice. And whilst the message may not always be appreciated, one cannot gain respect without honesty.
How has your company benefited from having women at the table making decisions?
In my experience, having women at the table enriches not just the outcomes but the process. Nuance is often the differentiating characteristic between a fine wine / spirit versus bulk and I think women are more naturally attuned to nuance. You see it in how we taste, the questions we ask and how we think about and define value.
Whether we’ re launching a new brand, positioning a traditional house for a new generation, or building community around a product, our ability to bring diverse perspectives to the table makes the work smarter and more resonant.
Do you think the beverage alcohol industry has improved as far as women and gender inclusion in the past five years?
Absolutely, and it’ s thanks in large part to the women who have put in the work to move the industry forward.
My friend Sarah Bray co-founded Bâtonnage, an extraordinary organization that focuses on education and mentorship for women in wine. Rebecca Hopkins has been a major force for balance and mental health, by creating a forum that supports and fosters the well-being of individuals who work in the beverage industry. Denise Wallace oversees supplier relations and brand management at one of the largest privately held importers in the United States.
Denise, Sarah and Rebecca are so talented and good at what they do that I call them,“ The quietly confident.” These are individuals who aren’ t loud or arrogant because their actions and accomplishments speak volumes. There are so, so many others I could name, and that’ s the point. Whilst there are clearly structural improvements needed, our bench is deeper than ever before.
What advice do you have for other women looking to get into the beverage alcohol industry?
This is not female specific; this is general advice.
I recently conducted interviews and
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