Meet Isis Daniel

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

Isis, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

The real question is, can you ever truly overcome imposter syndrome?

A year ago, I moved to Paris to chase my dream of becoming a WSET diploma candidate. I was also starting my wine culture case study and quickly realized how ambitious my dreams were. I wasn’t financially prepared for the move, and my understanding of culture was much narrower than I had thought. I had to return home, feeling defeated. Though everyone praised me for taking a leap towards my dreams, I felt like a failure. I slipped into depression, convinced that I wasn’t who I claimed to be because I couldn’t manage the simple tasks of attending school, paying for it, and rallying support for my studies in wine culture and community.

Imposter syndrome is like a lie that distorts our perception of life. Whatever you don’t know, you can learn. Whatever needs to be done, you can do. If you’re invited to the table, your feelings of inadequacy shouldn’t determine how you show up. Life is about rising to the occasion, not questioning if you deserve to be there. Failure, or not meeting others’ expectations, doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong field or won’t fulfill your purpose. Anxiety, depression, and embarrassment are rooted in lies that feel true. So, how do you overcome imposter syndrome? By exercising faith and pursuing what is ACTUALLY true.

After coming home, it took time to wake up. Instead of focusing on social media, where I was constantly reminded of my perceived shortcomings, I turned to reading, furthering my professional education and writing my book. I reopened myself to dreams I thought were long gone. The truth is, I felt like an imposter because I felt I was failing everyone’s expectations. I needed time to develop my own expectations. I needed to discover what truly mattered to me and understand why I felt so emotionally disconnected from my work. I’m still grappling with imposter syndrome, but I’m also chasing old dreams I thought were impossible. How I’ll incorporate them into social media is still a work in progress, but I now realize that I am capable, intelligent, and creative.

You also overcome imposter syndrome by remembering that you have everything you need to succeed. Whatever you don’t know, you can learn. Whatever you haven’t done, you can still do. And what others think of you, or what you perceive as negative opinions, doesn’t really matter. Your gifts will make room for you. So, don’t let the lies you tell yourself keep you from pursuing your dreams. If you need a break, take one, but always get back up and try again, no matter how you might feel about yourself.

As cliché as the snowflake analogy is, you are one in a billion. I am one in a billion. Without vision, people perish. If your vision doesn’t scare you or make you feel small, you’re not dreaming big enough. I might not always feel like I deserve to be where I am, but I am here, and I will fight with every breath. I have to make sure I save space for myself. I am not an imposter; I am the owner of my fate and the captain of my soul. And so are you. Dare to believe in yourself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Professionally, I am a wine professional and content creator. My journey in wine began in 2018 when I decided to use social media as a tool to help me study for my wine certifications through the WSET program. Little did I know, people would enjoy my personality and teaching style. Since then, I’ve become an ambassador for wine brands, written for various publications, been named a 40 Under 40 Tastemaker, featured on panels, judged for the 67 Pall Mall Communication Awards, and sold the highest white wine bid for the Sonoma Barrel Auction in collaboration with Maritana Vineyards (Isis Cuvée). I was even named an industry leader by Wine Business Insider.

There are many more accomplishments, such as hosting my own podcast, traveling the world for wine, and meeting incredible people along the way. But although I am in the business of wine and wine content creation, the core of my passion lies in understanding people. “Hello, my name is Isis, and I am an extreme empath”—haha! This past year, I’ve slowed down to focus on who I am and who I want to be within this space. I’m currently writing a wine education novel. If you know me, all the content I create is fun yet educational. I try to slip in knowledge so that you’re learning without even realizing it.

I’m also doing a tour called Sip Sessions. This tour is specifically designed to gather data for my wine culture case study. The aim is to speak directly to consumers, understand their desires, and see if wine can meet their needs based on where they are today. I’ve found that many wine leaders tell consumers what they want rather than listening and figuring out a way to honor tradition while embracing evolution within the wine space. This speaks to wine culture, tradition, and evolution. I just want to be a voice for the people. The truth is, that’s how I started—even when I was doing my #TastingThursday interviews on Instagram Live throughout the COVID pandemic. Producers are important because they make the wine, but consumers are crucial because we buy it. Without us, the industry dies. So, let’s listen to us, right?

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that I believe have been most impactful in my journey are authenticity, studying to show yourself approved, and curiosity.

My advice for anyone who is at the beginning of their journey is simple: just start. When I first began my wine journey and decided to use social media as a tool to learn and figure out my place within the wine industry, I had no idea it would lead me to where I am today. I believe I gained my success because I was always true to myself and dedicated to truly studying this field. I made mistakes, corrected myself, laughed at myself, and remained light and kind to myself throughout the beginning of my journey. I believe people connected with that authenticity.

So if you’re at the start of your journey, push yourself to try something new and remember that if you start today, you will end up somewhere greater. Without vision, people perish, so you must have a dream and pursue it— even if you don’t completely see what that dream is.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

This year, I read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. You have no idea how many times different people encouraged me to read this book. It finally took a random YouTube video where a woman spoke about it to get me to pick it up!

The book is packed with nuggets of wisdom, and honestly, there’s no way I can do it justice in just a few sentences; however, the word that comes to mind is “desire.” The world and its realities often try to crush your dreams, and it’s up to you to protect them. It’s also up to you to pursue them, understanding that failure is only a stepping stone because we should keep trying until what we desire comes to fruition. I aspire to become an expert on persistence, and WHEN my dreams come to pass, you’ll be able to look back at this article and remember that I said it would happen—even without knowing exactly what “it” was.

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