Our Chief Grape Stomper and Head Cheerleader Rick Libby brought home a real treasure from one of our Traveling Vineyard regional meetings—a collection of handwritten reasons why our Wine Guides love living the Wine Guide Life! From fun and friendship to personal fulfillment and flexibility, our Wine Guides shared inspired reasons for doing what they love, and loving what they do.
One reason that stands out from the rest? Being a Wine Guide is a passion that pays.
From covering a car payment to paying for piano lessons, the Wine Guide Life has provided financial freedom for many women and men. Some even turn their tasting earnings into family trips. Here are two tales of Wine Guides who took their families on Spring Break without breaking the bank.
Jamaican Memories and More
Wisconsin Ruby Director, Tanya Van Someren, began her Traveling Vineyard journey in March 2011. One of the highlights, she says, was taking her husband and two young boys to Jamaica in 2015—a trip that was entirely funded by her Traveling Vineyard income.
“That trip was by far the best vacation we have ever been on. It was the first time the boys flew on a plane, touched the ocean, and got to experience an all-inclusive resort … They had never seen water so blue, sand so soft—they were in awe,” Tanya says.
This year, Tanya has done it again! This time, she and her family traveled from Wisconsin to Arizona to watch the Brewers play baseball during spring training in Phoenix. The Van Somerens are HUGE sports fans and love the Brewers. They attended two games during their four-night stay!
“We rented a house—indoor pool, wet bar, the whole nine yards,” Tanya says.
But, long before the baseball caps and Brewers jerseys were packed, Tanya had been working her business to cover the cost of the trip. It was the same plan she had followed in preparation for their Jamaica trip. Here’s how she did it.
“First, I needed to research how much this entire trip was going to cost, then I began to work backwards to see what needed to be done to ensure we had enough ‘extra’ money to set aside for it. We began planning for this trip back in August 2016, and booked the first round of flights to Arizona in September, while flight prices were so low,” Tanya says.
“To plan for the trip, I made sure I held enough events each month to earn the 30% commission. So, for me, that meant I needed to ensure I held 5-6 tasting each month. I also continued to work closely with my leaders to help them build and grow.”
With a little planning and a lot of dedication, Tanya’s family enjoyed guilt-free (and debt-free) family fun.
Wine is Magic—Disney Magic
Jenn Gelardi is a Team Leader from Staten Island, New York. She joined Traveling Vineyard in June 2015, soon after returning from a dream Disney vacation—a trip that left her with some not-so-dreamy debt.
The Disney trip was a first for her two-year-old daughter, and an anniversary getaway for Jenn and her husband.
“We saved, asked for Disney gift cards in lieu of birthday and Christmas gifts to offset costs, and we even had some family discounts on our rooms,” Jenn says. “Even with all that help, our wonderful trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth still left us with some debt when we got back to reality.”
At the time, Jenn was a stay-at-home mom who worked as a makeup artist on the weekends. Unfortunately, her makeup jobs weren’t enough to pay off the Disney trip. Jenn’s husband suggested that she find a home-based business she would enjoy while earning an income.
“I couldn’t even imagine that there was a job out there that would reward me for tasting wines, but with the power of Google and some research, I found and instantly fell in love with Traveling Vineyard! I joined without ever going to a tasting and jumped right in!”
Within her first two tastings, Jenn had earned back her investment, and by the end of the summer, their Disney trip was paid off.
“We’re currently in the works of planning our next Disney trip for April 2019. My son will be two and my daughter will be six, and I’m more than confident we can do all the things we want to do without struggle thanks to my success as a Wine Guide,” Jenn says.
That “wine is magic” line? That’s all Jenn. She believes it, because she has experienced it. And, we can’t help but agree.
So, what’s holding you back from discovering your why? Find out more about the Wine Guide Life today.