We recently connected with Hailey Bohlman and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Hailey, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
One of the biggest realizations that has completely changed the way I feel about imposter syndrome is realizing that everyone brings something unique and special to the table, including me! As a wine educator who’s only ever had one formal certification in wine and no restaurant ability, I often felt like, “who do I think I am teaching people about wine.”
But here’s the thing. I don’t claim to know everything about wine. In fact, you’ll hear me say over and over that I’m always learning new things about wine. What do I bring to the table then if it’s not never-ending wine knowledge? I bring my unique ability to teach people about wine that is approachable and fun. It is something unique and special to me, and only I can bring that to the table.
Sure, other people can teach you about wine. Other people can host wine tastings. Other people can host wine podcasts and lead day retreats. But only I can do it in the way that Cork & Fizz does it.
It’s hard to feel like an imposter when the only person I’m trying to be is me!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m Hailey, wine enthusiast turned wine educator and founder of Cork & Fizz. I’ve always loved learning new things (yes I was that kid that did math for fun), but throughout school and joining the workforce, learning became more about achieving and succeeding. It wasn’t until I found my passion for wine that I rediscovered my joy for learning! With this in mind, I created Cork & Fizz to share my passion and make wine more approachable to everyone. I want to be a resource for casual sippers and wine lovers like myself. By offering guided in-home and virtual wine tastings along with local wine tours and multi-day retreats, I hope to make learning about wine fun and exciting.
I’ve also struggled throughout my life to find my people or feel like a part of the group. I’ve often felt like I was on the outside looking in. With Cork & Fizz, I want to create a community around where everyone feels welcome and like they belong. This is why I created my Cork Crew. The Cork Crew is a virtual wine tasting club where we explore new wines every month and get the opportunity to chat with wine professionals from all around the world. And the best part? Anyone (of drinking age) can join! It doesn’t matter where you live or how much you know about wine. As long as you have a desire to learn about wine and belong to a community, then you are welcome in the Cork Crew!
And lastly, I know the wine world can feel out of reach financially for a lot of people. Wine courses are expensive, as are many wine tastings. I wanted to create a free resource for folks wanting to learn about wine which is why I launched my Cork & Fizz Guide to Wine Podcast last year!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The first thing that comes to mind is one I’m still working on to be honest and it’s the ability to fail. I know that sounds crazy, but you have to be willing to fail in order to grow. If you only ever do things you know you’ll succeed at…well…you’ll stay in the same spot you are now. It takes stepping out of your comfort zone to realize what you’re capable of.
The next skill I’d say that has been most impactful on my journey is the ability to connect with other people and share a genuine interest in their lives. Building a business is all about building a community and growing a business on social media is all about connecting and being social. When I’m chatting with someone about their dog on Instagram, it’s not just me sending messages because I think I should. It’s me genuinely wanting to know all about their dog: when did you get them, what is the goofiest thing they do, etc. And when I’m at networking events, I’m not just there to promote my business. I want to hear about all the cool things that everyone else is doing. I want to share advice and help them!
Lastly, I’d say organization is key as a small business owner. Everyone has their own systems, but you need some system! I post massive calendars on my wall and add my to-do’s and events to these calendars every month. In my email, I created two labels: Action Item and Keep an Eye On. Anything I need to do something (reply, fill out a form, etc) I mark Action Item. Anything that I want to follow-up with if I don’t get a reply back is labeled Keep an Eye On. I use an app called ClickUp to organize my social media post plans and podcast schedule. Again, you don’t have to use what I use, but you need something!
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The book that I think has had the biggest impact in my life is Daring Greatly by Brené Brown. I read this book in college way before I ever created my business, but it’s been something I find myself referring back to many times. It starts out with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech “Citizenship in a Republic.” The quote says, “it is not the critic that counts…the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.”
This goes back to what I spoke of before in that fear of failure can hold you back. I think about this quote all the time when I’m afraid to do something new or someone has criticized me or spoken poorly of me.
The book focuses a lot on vulnerability and how being vulnerable can make us strong. I’ve always been a very empathetic person. I cry at most movies and refuse to watch any at this point where the dog dies. It hurts my heart to see other feel fail or feel hurt. As my husband says, “I have big feelings.” I was always worried that would hold me back as a business owner (and in life), but this book highlights empathy as a valued asset.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.corkandfizz.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corkandfizz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corkandfizz
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hailey-bohlman-5b480ba9/
- Other: Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2189095
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