Women’s History Month is celebrated every year in March to shine a spotlight on the bright, brilliant and impactful change women have had on our communities. At Traveling Vineyard, our community of Wine Guides are a collection of diverse, smart, and kind women who contribute to their communities every day. For Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day on March 8, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the women that make Traveling Vineyard so great, and what working in wine means to them.
Wine Guide Testimonials
Robin Berseth
Team Leader | Arizona
In April of 2020, I found myself in the middle of a global pandemic, confined to my home and not living the life I had envisioned. I had recently taken early retirement in December of 2019 from a high stress corporate job, and quickly realized I needed something in my life that was just for me. Over a decade ago, I was a Wine Guide with Traveling Vineyard as a side gig. At that time, it was ideal for my schedule and gave me the opportunity to spend my days with my son, and then have something of my own in the evenings that was centered around my own interests – wine and socializing!
As 2020 was changing everything that we knew, I was looking for something that I could enjoy, but still familiar. Hello wine! Everything aligned perfectly and led me back to Traveling Vineyard. Originally, I came back for “me”, but I quickly realized it was leadership and serving others that I really sought out. Not only do I get to continually learn more about wine, I get to share it with others and bring people together in a time where connection is so important. The friendships I’ve made, and the love for my team, can never be replaced. This wine journey is so much more than wine, but let’s be honest, the wine is so good that it’s definitely the “icing on the cake”.
Lisa Gardner
Director | Maryland
I started my Wine Guide journey over 4 years ago! When I first joined, it was simply because my family needed additional income. At the time, I had no plans to continue as a Wine Guide after getting out of our financial issues. I quickly realized that being a Wine Guide gave me my individual identity back. My oldest daughter has special needs and requires a lot of medical care, which I manage the majority of since my husband works full-time out of the house. The great thing about my wine business is nobody knows my background story until I tell them. To my customers, I’m just Lisa the wine lady and I love that!
Being a business owner, mom, wife, and special needs mom, is sometimes challenging but rewarding in so many ways! I’m teaching my girls to go for whatever they dream! Somewhere along the line when I wasn’t even looking, I found this whole community of Wine Guides that I didn’t know I needed in my life, but they have become a priceless part of my life! This Wine Guide life checks a lot of boxes for me!
Caryn Myers
Two-Star Leader | Tennessee
I am quite an extrovert, so being around others is one of the things that “fills my cup”. Additionally, feeling like I am contributing to my family’s expenses gives me fulfillment. I knew I would want more than the regular flexibility of “Stay-At-Home-Mom”. Being a mom is a full-time job in its own right, but I still crave connection with people, and wanted the ability to continue to use my professional skills. What better way to do all that AND have flexibility for my family? Becoming a Wine Guide immediately interested me. I saw the opportunity to be creative and have something that was my own. Add in some wine? Who could turn that down! Little did I know, this opportunity would bring me so much more!
Being a Wine Guide makes me a small business owner, and offers me a title of more than just mom. I love the joy I am able to bring people during even the hardest times with wine. It is even more fulfilling when I see my hard work pay off for my family. It’s empowering to run a small business as a woman, as it proves that I can do hard things and accomplish so much on my own.
Deby Kidney
Two-Star Leader | Virginia
I love being a woman in wine! My connection with the wine world began when I attended a Traveling Vineyard wine tasting way back in 2013. All I knew then was that I liked wine, but this opened an entire new career field for me. What I came to realize was that tasting wine, learning how it’s made, and teaching others was something that I was connected to, and that I wanted to explore. I visited wineries with friends, devoured recommended reading materials, met and discussed wine with wine experts. Then, I left my full-time job and was intent on finding a “wine job.” Shortly after, I visited a local winery with a friend to tour and taste their wine, I decided to asked if they were hiring. With my wine background, their manager had me complete an application that day, and hired me the next!
I love that every single day I get to talk about wine, work around wine, taste wine, learn about wine-the list goes on! I have been very blessed to have so many opportunities as a woman in wine over the last five years. It never would have happened had I not attended my first Traveling Vineyard wine tasting!
Mary Speight
Two-Star Leader | California
When I think of International Women’s Day I think of all the women of color and non-color who circle the globe. Women who are independent, yet know when it’s okay to ask for help and support, and who don’t mind the encouragement. Myself, I am a bi-racial woman. My father was Black and my mom is Japanese. There is something I think about a lot that my mother taught me, which is to have great respect for myself and always handle my own business. As I have gotten older, I always try to keep this lesson top of mind.
Traveling Vineyard started as a great side hustle, and later became a part-time job. This community has shown me how to respect myself in conducting my business in a meaningful way, and modeling respect to others. It’s important for me to pay attention to my Hosts and customers, and building respectful relationships that are meaningful and go far beyond marketer and customer.
There will always be one thing that makes us better than any direct selling company, and that’s our community of great women in wine. Are you ready to explore the Wine Guide life? Click here for more information and join a company that puts you first.