DREAMER SPOTLIGHT

“I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. My family comes from humble beginnings, meaning our resources were scarce and I didn’t have any entrepreneur role models that I can remember. My idols in life and my family were always women. Most of the women in my family were house workers. They took care of the everyday needs of the children and their husband. I remember it was imposed of me subconsciously to believe my path was to become as housewife like them. To me, that was a given since that’s all I ever saw around me. Thankfully, my father had a more progressive approach and always encouraged me and my sister to become as highly educated as possible to, in his words “never depend on a man.” Based on his support, I took it upon me to always have good grades and overachieve in everything I set my mind to.

I know I mentioned that women were my main role models, and even though they were not in the professional field, I have so much respect and admire the skills they were able to pass on to me. Resiliency, deep devotion, and the ability to take on any task for the love of their family are tools that were commonly shared by these women, instilling in me the importance of family, community and a strong belief that anything can be achieved with the love.”

“I continue to surprise and impress myself with the opportunities I have attracted and pursued. I never imagined my brand being as successful and supported as it is. I honestly didn’t know what this path was going to look like, therefore I had no set expectations of what it should be. Being open to whatever comes into my realm has been not only liberating, but it also has allowed me to enjoy the process rather than being fixated in what it “should” be. Another unexpected outcome of my entrepreneurship is the creativity and artistic opportunities I have found while building my brand. I always thought I was not artistic, creative, or smart enough to create a brand that people would be attracted to. I love that I have been proving myself wrong, opening the doors to authenticity and self-love. “

“There are 2 instances during my involvement in Dream Big Darling that were huge pivotal moments to my career and how I see myself in the industry and as a professional woman in general.

During the Dream Big retreat in 2019, I remember feeling like I wasn’t sure why I was chosen to be part of such a magical experience. I kept looking around and looking at all these amazing women and thinking to myself, “I don’t deserve to be here, I am not worthy of all of this”. As the retreat progressed and I got to interact with other women, we all realized that the sentiment of unworthiness was common in all of us. How could this be possible? Was there something deeper to uncover here? Was this something that was instilled in women in general? After speaking to Amanda and Melodee, we realized that they saw the need to reinsure us of the worthiness we deserved to feel and encouraged us to see and feel our worth through the experience that was gifted to us. The main takeaway from the retreat was to give myself permission and be unapologetic about taking up space and entering places where I used to think I didn’t belong.

In 2021 Dream Big Darling presented me the opportunity to write an article for the well-known national publication, The Tasting Panel. When I received the news, I was super excited but at the same time a deep fear took over me. I had never considered myself a good writer or a writer in general. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I could not say no to it. Facing this fear was required, opening the doors to find my voice and speak about something that I was passionate and cared about. Thankfully I was given the opportunity to choose the topic which made it easier to develop an outline and start writing. To my surprise, writing this piece was much easier and enjoyable than I expected. Once I finished my research, wrote the piece, and sent it to a few of my professional writer friends to get their opinion and edits, I was humbled and in disbelief that they had no comments and did not change any of the formatting. Even the magazine editors’ kept the piece in the original state I submitted it! In her words, my friend Natalie said, “You are doing yourself and the audience a disservice by believing you’re not a good writer. This was the validation and permission I needed to dismantle the engrained beliefs I had about not being good enough. After the piece was printed and distributed, the results of my writing brough me public speaking opportunities regarding the topic of the article, including a trip to New York City to speak at a beverage conference! From then on, I have given myself the freedom to believe I can do anything no matter how out of my league it might seem.”

“Life is too short to neglect your dreams and desires. Nothing is impossible. Your limitations are self-imposed and do not serve you or the people who would benefit from your gifts and creativity. Abundance of opportunities are at our fingertips; we get to choose the life we want! Also, do not ever believe that there is one particular way of creating a business. The old business structure is outdated and being able to use your intuition, authenticity and values as a compass to make decisions will get you much farther than marketing gimmicks that are targeted to “create sales”. Trusting that the right customer will be attracted to your personality and vibes doesn’t just feel good, but it will also make your experience and journey as a professional meaningful and fun!

Ulloa Cellars is a wine brand based in Paso Robles, specializing in the production of obscure white wines sourced from California’s Central Coast, made with Intention and a little bit of Magic. Nancy began her entrepreneurial journey by accident in 2019, following the creation of her first wine. Being a first-generation business owner, Nancy’s business model approach is the opposite of conventional. Her intuition, energy work and passion for mindfulness has guided her to lead her business and business structure. Nancy’s passion and purpose are to create inclusivity in the wine community through wine education.”

“I grew up in Pamplona in the north of Spain, a region that is heavily based in agriculture. Both my mom's and dad’s families have connections with agriculture and both of my grandparents were farmers at times. My grandfather on my dad's side built a garden when he retired, and where he grew a lot of vegetables. He had a lot of fruit trees. And that was one of my more vibrant memories growing up, gathering with family and going to that little piece of land that he put together.

My parents were an important influence. They started the restaurant when they were very young and they had nothing. They've created everything that they have with their hard work. They've always instilled in me the importance of having a passion...just finding something that you're passionate about and doing it happily.

I realized early on that a lot of my friends didn't know things like when tomatoes were harvested. And I knew all that. We grew up preserving tomatoes and my grandma would call everyone because there were a lot of tomatoes and we needed to preserve them. Then my parents started a restaurant 32 years ago, so I grew up surrounded by the hospitality industry. My biggest memories are connected to people, food, wine and the community.”

“When I was going to college, I really liked biology and, and science but never wanted to be a doctor or nurse. So I decided to go to school for agricultural engineering. And that was fascinating. I loved every part of it. I was passionate about food science at the beginning. I thought I was going to end up working in food innovation or in a food science or lab. And then I did try that a couple of summers and that wasn't for me.

Towards the end of my college years I took a couple of marketing classes, in food marketing. I spent one year in Italy abroad and it's when I got interested in the international dimension of business, in the exports and imports of goods. And I found that in Spain we were very good at producing things like food or wine, but we were still behind in commercializing and creating value for it. I went to school and did my masters in International Trade Management. I got a job right after that in New York, helping Spanish companies to not only get into the US market, but once they were here to grow. And it's how I came on board at Bodegas LAN, the company I work for now.

Starting in 2016, I started to develop an expertise in wine. I took WSET Level II, then Level III and for life reasons, I stopped there. But I became fascinated with wine and the wine world and I really enjoy learning. And I felt that it helped with my work as well because the more you know, the more confidence you have when you talk about it.”

“I came to know the Dream Big Darling retreat through the International Wine Center where I started my WSET courses. It was a turning point for me, between that and the the FLOurish mentorship. But not only that, the support and the faith of having someone that believed in you.

It was during the Dream Big Darling retreat that they made us write a letter to ourselves. It was one of the most emotional moments like I've had in the last few years. It was the first time I expressed or put on paper that I wanted to pursue my MBA, and now I am an MBA student at Columbia Business School. Everything started there. They made me believe that was something that I could achieve.

I remember at the retreat we did a meditation walk, a silent walk around the vineyard. And that was magical. It was during the sunrise in the early morning, and it was a very peaceful time. Sometimes when you work hard on your emotions, you need the time and tranquillity to process, and I was processing things for days after that retreat.

I also liked that though everyone's in wine and spirits, it's a very mixed group of people from different backgrounds, different parts of the country, different jobs. I think that's really a good challenge because it forces you to think a little differently. And to think about other perspectives beyond your own and experiences beyond your own. Sharing our fears, our abilities, our dreams, our ambitions, and not being afraid to speak up about any of these things was comforting.”

“Never stop believing. Take every opportunity and believe that you can do it. Work hard. Speak up about opportunities in your organization, about salary, and getting to where you really want to get. I know it depends on the person, but there is a tendency more in women than in men to please. Think about what you really want. Also, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. And feel confident to go to your manager and ask, “Do I have your support? How can I get it done? This is where I want to be.” I'm still in the process of getting better at this. Finally, cultivate your relationships and keep your network alive. “

“I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and living on the island has made huge impacts on how I see the world and move through it. At a young age it is instilled in us to live our lives with the Aloha Spirit. This means caring for others, as well as caring for our lands. I kept these thoughts with me everywhere I travelled and even when I moved to the mainland.

After graduating with my business degree from University of Miami, I decided to move home to pursue my passion of becoming a sommelier. To me, being a sommelier is more than an expert in wine, but being a student in the craft of hospitality. Working in the heart of Waikiki, I am grateful for the opportunity to practice the art of service and welcome guests into our restaurants like our own homes.”

“For me, graduating with a business degree was an important step in my story, however, it did not fully encompass my passion for history, geography, hospitality and storytelling. When I first realized I wanted to leave the traditional business world to become a sommelier, it was a jarring notion to explain to my friends and family. 

However, now that I am a beverage director I feel fulfilled in having both intersections of my personality expressed: my analytical approach, coupled with my creative love of storytelling. 

Wine is a beautiful thing, as it encompasses intersections of nature and human culture. From history, to geology, to geography, and gastronomy, wine is a vessel that allows us to travel beyond our dining room table and into a harmony of taste and storytelling. I love the practice of being a sommelier because it allows me to study an eclectic spread of business, science, and art. I am proud that I took a less traditional route, and paved my own way into a world that I have come to love.”

“Dream Big Darling has been one of the most impactful organizations of my career. Although their workshops, seminars, and involvement with the beverage community are ground-breaking and significant, it is the individual relationships that I was able to grow that far exceed anything you can learn in a book or in an exam. 

Meeting these amazing women and uplifting one another is not just a treasure, but a true necessity for what women in the beverage industry need in this next chapter.  Amanda and her team are some of the most supporting, talented, and professional experts, regardless of gender. However, their bonds that they share as women, friends, and sisters make the organization a place of true compounded growth.”

“Growing up in this industry, there was an immediate comfort I needed to develop with being the only woman seated at the tasting table. I think being one of the only female sommeliers on the island means that I need to balance embracing where we have come from, but also acknowledging how much farther we have to go. I see my unique position as a female sommelier as a strength, as it allows me to be independent, yet also foster camaraderie within our community.”

“Wine was destined for me. I’m from Washington D.C. and I’m a fourth-generation native of Washington D.C. I grew up in the house my dad grew up in so I’m D.C. through and through. But in the late ‘90s my mom and dad came out to California for about a week and a half and drove all up and down through California’s wine countries. At some point during that week and a half they made their way to Paso Robles and found JUSTIN Vineyards on the west side of Paso Robles. They definitely had a lot of fun as I was born nine months later and they named me Justin! My name is unique for a woman so I always say, wine inspired my life which is pretty awesome.

My parents always had delicious wines paired with the meals that they made, so from a young age I had the opportunity to learn about the importance of wine and food, hospitality and culture and how it all blends together. When I got to looking at college, my mom said, “You could study winemaking or hospitality, and there are a few schools you can go to for that.” They found Cal Poly [California Polytechnic State University]. That really solidified my excitement and joy for it.

To put the icing on the cake, my junior year [of high school] my parents had a Black sommelier come to our house and it was really cool to learn what a sommelier was, what do they do. He said that “wine can take you anywhere.” He was really the reason I buckled down and decided I wanted to go to Cal Poly. Over the course of four years I studied wine and viticulture as well as wine business and decided to focus on wine business. As a freshman at Cal Poly you can choose between wine business, viticulture or enology. I didn’t know anything about the science side and I didn’t like dirt at that time, so I chose wine business as I loved hospitality.”

“The perfect example was in 2021. That year I transitioned from tasting room associate to a hospitality supervisor [at Ancient Peaks Winery in Paso Robles]. I went from an environment where I was interacting with customers, hanging out with clients and working in a team environment to “I am now the supervisor of this team.” I was supervising 10-15 people, and we’re not only offering tastings but also lunch experiences and hold up! We’re now experiencing the pandemic and you’re a supervisor in the middle of a pandemic. Your tasting room is now closed so none of your employees can go into work, but you want to make sure that you can still employ them and they can still be paid.

I had to pivot from, “Ok, I’ve got 10-15 people that still need to be paid so let’s see what we can do” to “Let’s do phone sales.” I was able to educate the tasting room staff on the art of a phone sales call. We were able to start calling previous customers, current wine club members, one-time buyers, and not only reconnect with them but reinvigorate their interest in Ancient Peaks. Although it was an awful year in its entirety, it was really incredible to see how we could adjust to everything.

Another twist was when I realized I wanted to learn more about agriculture. My sophomore year I got to work at a cool apple orchard and I spent two weeks helping them out with the pruning season. That was my first time working in green spaces and working with the land. I came back from that opportunity and then spent an entire summer working in that apple orchard and also assisting in their organic pumpkin patch. I helped put together and take apart irrigation systems and created schedules to make the best irrigation possible. From that experience I decided hey, agriculture is cool. I like this side of the business.

I also worked wine harvest in Australia in my junior year [2016] which also helped me decide I really liked that side of the business. Since then I’ve worked about 14 harvests all over the world, and the majority have been in California: Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Sonoma and Napa (after I moved up here in 2021); and two harvests abroad in New Zealand and South Africa.

On that topic, my hands-down favorite harvest was in 2021 in South Africa. It was my very first time working with an all-Black tasting room, cellar and vineyard staff so that was really special to me. Over the course of my [7] years working in wine, the demographics of the wine world are shifting. The accessibility and visibility are shifting a lot and I’m really thankful to see that. During my four years at CAL Poly I was the only Black student in my four-year wine program so it was a little isolating. So when I graduated I tried to put the pieces in motion to try to create more accessibility and opportunity for BIPOC students. Back in 2021 I was able to create a scholarship program at Cal Poly for BIPOC students that want to study in the four-year program and it’s a full-ride scholarship. https://www.calfund.org/calpoly_bipoc_wvit-_scholarship/ “

“Dream Big Darling fell into my hands at the absolute most opportune moment. Back in 2019 I had gone to a really cool event down in New Orleans called Radical Xchange and at that event I re-realized my own potential and it inspired me to go into a supervisory role. When I came back from that event I started looking into different organizations and opportunities for growth because I wanted to find a community of people that supported me. I stumbled upon Dream Big Darling and felt really lucky to find a organization for women in wine directly in the Paso Robles area. We had people coming in from all over but it was nice to have something that felt part of my immediate community. In 2019 I got the opportunity to go to the Dream Big Darling retreat and got a full-ride scholarship to attend.

Through that 3-4 days I got to experience some really cool presentations, not only about how to be your best self but how to be a good employee, how to get ahead in your career. There were also presentations on how to combat burnout, how to know your worth and how to build a team with love and respect versus fear. Dream Big opened my eyes to the way the industry should be, how to treat yourself and your employees. It also helped me with all of the opportunities for networking as well. On the fourth day of our retreat we did a wine tasting with women winemakers from all over the country. It gave us a great chance to network and talk about job opportunities and enjoy the wines. Dream Big Darling is community and community growth.”

“Ask for more money. Women and especially women of color have always been historically paid less than either a white male or male of color. I’d tell my younger self, fight for your worth and fight for those extra dollars because it really will help you along. I’d also say trust your gut where you encounter situations that feel uncomfortable. When you feel uncomfortable, talk about it. Talk about it with your boss, or whoever is making you feel uncomfortable because if you let it sit in your mind and fester it becomes not only a problem for you but a problem for multiple people. Find community. My younger self didn’t have community but I realize I wasn’t putting in the effort to find my community. Make sure to leave your comfort zone because it’s a lot more exciting when you do. Also, don’t be afraid to join tasting groups. Wines are so expensive and it can definitely create a barrier to access when you’re looking at the wine shelf and the wines are $12 each and you can only afford one. There’s power and strength in numbers and connecting to other people who want to grow and educate themselves.”

“I grew up in Pennsylvania. I remember spending a lot of time outdoors and my great grandparents had a farm, so I grew up around a lot of agriculture. I also always had a desire as teenager to travel but no one in my family really travelled at all. Once I got to college I was in school for interior design and met people who travelled widely. That influenced a lot of what I do today and also made me realize that If I want to do something, to have the confidence to do it for myself and not wait for someone else to make it happen. Having gone through some of those early doubts impacted some of what I do today, because I focus on confidence building to empower people to do what they want with their life, whether that’s learning about a topic like wine that might have otherwise intimidated them or something else. I’ve been focused on working with consumers and giving them information in a way that’s not overly academic. I want it to be fun but also correct and empowering.”

“I went into school for interior design. I wanted to do something that had an impact and I loved the merger of creativity and applying it to real life. I was always super sensitive to how physical spaces made me feel, even as a child. Looking back, even though I'm not doing interior design now, all of the things I learned in school still do help me a lot now.

After graduation I worked for a large architectural firm, but mainly doing design strategy. I was laid off during the pandemic and it was a surprise. They asked me to come back but by that point I knew it wasn’t for me. Around 2018 I had started exploring wine. In college I took a wine course. I was already on another track so it was just a hobby then. When I started working at the design firm I attended a few wine tastings in my building that were being run by a sommelier and the way that he explained and presented it was so down to earth. I saw everyone having aha moments and I was immediately like, I need to do this. I connected with the guy who hosted it and shadowed him with his clients. I ended up doing WSET II and III in 2019. The more I did with wine the more positive things happened. I ended up getting a part-time job at a local wine shop while doing my other job. I then did a few virtual tastings but once I lost the interior design job I said no to going back and reached out to the shop to see if they needed me full-time (which they did).

I don’t know if I would have left the interior design job on my own, but the point was for me to move on. Working at the wine shop got my foot in the door. I knew I wanted to host tastings and be involved in the industry, not just as a hobby. The pandemic gave young people like me with no experience a chance to get the foot in the door. I'm not sure I would have had the opportunity to go full-time otherwise.”

“Dream Big has greatly impacted and helped me. I heard about the virtual retreat through my retail job. I applied and didn’t know if I’d get in since I was so early in my wine career and I did. There are attendees that I still communicate with. It’s amazing to have that community and it’s still helping me now. Through my relationship with (Dream Big Darling founder) Amanda and Dream Big I realized I could transition my skillset from retail into marketing in the wine space. I ended up moving out to California and starting my business from there. Dream Big Darling helped me understand what my strengths are and that I had more to offer than what I was doing at the time. I also was part of the FLOuirsh scholarship ion 2021. It was about diving deeper into your skills and determining what your strengths and challenge areas are. It helped me understand better how I work. The retreat was broader thinking, but FLOurish was honing in on specific skills and how to use those to help you succeed. It was an amazing thing.”

“Be open minded about what’s being presented to you. I don’t like to make a snap decision. If an opportunity comes up I like to sit with it to see how it feels. Give yourself time to look at a situation and be open minded about it. Also, when I was in interior design I just felt something felt off and I started subconsciously exploring other interests, but for enjoyment. People often say to follow your passion but sometimes it’s more subtle than that, finding your direction. Sometimes in just exploring things that bring you joy you might find the thing that becomes a path for you. If you’re feeling stuck or starting out in your career, that’s something that is helpful. You might not know the answer of what lights you up until you can explore it. This could be outside of work but also within your company if you get a chance to rotate departments. Information interviews are also great. This is a great way to hear about someone else’s career but also getting yourself in front of them. It’s really important to talk with people and learn from their experiences and what they know. You never know where that will lead. It could be just making a new friend or five years from now it helps you in whatever you’re doing at that moment. People in the wine industry are pretty open to help.”