Meet Devin Reed

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Devin Reed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Devin, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

Being the only one in the room that looks like you just is what it is! Once I was able to accept that, not let it make me feel uncomfortable, and most importantly, be confident, that’s when things opened up. Beyond being a minority, I worked my ass off to achieve some of the things I’ve achieved, so I know I belong. Once you have the confidence of belonging, you’ll find that many people want to know more about you and understand your story simply because you’re different. Being uniquely you is what got you where are you today.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a sommelier/wine expert. I’ve basically put in years and years of work in the wine and spirits industry in nearly every facet, to be able to have a strong voice in my field. There’s so many people who’ve put in way more time than me, so being able to have a seat at the table is a really good feeling.

I’ve done a lot of out of the box things, whether it was doing wine events for athletes/entertainers, helping collectors fill their wine cellars, or filming an entire music video for “Wine, Wine, Wine” – which by the way, shameless plug – is out now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, etc! But I’ve really just had FUN with the whole thing, taking my wine knowledge into different rooms and different spaces and trying to reach different people.

The song and music video was a really fun project and we had a blast creating it. I’ve also released new episodes of my show “Wine & Culture LA” on YouTube, and we’re just diving back into wine & culture, drinking even more wine than before, and having a fun time with it. We want people to drink wine with us and have fun.

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 3 skills that helped me most have nothing to do with wine. They would be 1) hard work, 2) building relationships, and 3) knowing how to interact with people and read a room. I studied Psychology in school and have read certain books like 48 Laws of Power, which have helped me interact with people well. Work hard, build relationships, always look for opportunities to make yourself smarter or more valuable, treat people well, and magic can happen.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

In addition to 48 Laws of Power, I also read How to Win Friends & Influence People, simply because I wanted to know how to understand people better. Both are great guides on how to interact with people in a positive way, and both contain lessons on how to go about doing so. Understanding humans and how they function and think will make you successful in any field. I once had a gentleman who’s a very successful business agent tell me that when you’re putting a deal together, trying to start a project with different people, or make an idea or dream come together, “always think about what the other side wants.” That small piece of advice has stuck with me and it’s a great connector.

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Aña Monique

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