Women Who Raised the Bar: Dreaming Big
Featured in The Tasting Panel | May/June 2022
Written by Natasha Swords
Engaging, inspiring, and helping to guide the next generation of leaders in the wine and spirits industry is no small feat. Nonetheless, this is the mission of Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins, president and founder of Dream Big Darling, an organization focused on fostering the success of women in the industry through mentorship and education.
The idea to launch the nonprofit came to her in 2018 as she identified a need among young female professionals in the alcohol space. Reflecting her love for the women who influenced her as a child and young woman, the namesake phrase speaks to the core of the foundation: As Wittstrom-Higgins explains, her grandmother often told her to “dream big, darling” while she was growing up, and “to me, ‘darling’ is a word that signifies both endearment and empowerment. It exemplifies kindness, caring, understanding, and unconditional love. . . . I believe that ‘dreaming big’ is something we could use more of in this world. In my own career, I have been blessed by caring mentors who have helped me do just that.” (She also has dynamic colleagues in founding Dream Big Darling board members Stacie Jacob and Dr. Meredith Dillon, who serve as treasurer and secretary, respectively.)
Wittstrom-Higgins, a Paso Robles native, is the founder and principal of Full Cup Solutions, a full-service consulting firm for forward-thinking agricultural and beverage-industry businesses. Previously, she served as vice president of operations at her family’s Ancient Peaks Winery in the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA. “For decades, I’ve looked around this industry that I love, and I’ve noticed that there are not many people who look like me in leadership roles,” she points out. “It drove me to ask myself, ‘How will I make the world better for my very young daughter, now 6 years old?’ After all, the alcohol industry lies in the hands of the next generation.”
“Our organization is ultimately about heart. It’s about investing in the next generation today so that we can inspire incredible leaders for tomorrow,”
The Dream Big Darling team: Creative director Christine Wilson, founding board member Stacie Jacob, founding board member Dr. Meredith Dillon, president and founder Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins, chief strategic officer Rachel Collier, and COO Melodee Crank.
The solution was to pay it forward. To that end, the organization has taken a multifaceted approach to creating opportunities within the industry. For example, it collaborates with The Tasting Panel and The SOMM Journal to produce a column, Fresh Voices, that features a different guest contributor in each issue of both publications, giving them the chance to become a published writer. It has also created a six-month professional coaching program with The Millinger Group, a boutique career-development agency, that’s designed to foster dynamic career growth. And it hosts educational programs on the topic of wine marketing, including a recent virtual tasting and discussion with legendary Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon. Each of these initiatives has been carefully crafted to generate impactful learning and build a trusted community.
“Our organization is ultimately about heart. It’s about investing in the next generation today so that we can inspire incredible leaders for tomorrow,” says Wittstrom-Higgins. “Everyone involved in Dream Big Darling has been personally impacted by caring mentors, and we now want to pay it forward. This is just the beginning—I believe that our reach will grow exponentially. If you share our passion, we would love for you to join us.”
To become a sponsor or mentor or to apply for a full-ride scholarship, visit dreambigdarling.com.