As a women in business it’s very easy to get overlooked or pushed aside. I started dealing with that very early on with my first company. I applied for an SBA loan and the loan agent ( who is a man) asked me what will I do if I want to have a family some day? I couldn’t even believe those words came out of his mouth. I looked at him and said ‘like every other man does’.
Having gone to an all girls preparatory academy, I had zero clue that these prejudices were still being circulated. I learned very quickly that I was going to have to fight for what I want. You will face many obstacles owning a business and if you are not resilient you will never succeed. It can be very hard to practice that but at the end of the day you have no choice but to bounce back.
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?
Decanted Wine Truck and Mobile Bar was a covid inspired business. I had virtually lost my other business is less that 24 hrs. A business that took years to become successful. I could have let it been the end of my entrepreneurial career but I knew I loved wine and I loved being an Event Planner in the past.
I thought to myself, how cool would it be to have a bar come to your house? Boom! Decanted was born. I spent the lock down finding a camper and figuring out all of the licensing on my own. I didn’t have the resources to hire a big attorney so I utilized my own resources.
Decanted Wine Truck and Mobile Bar has now grown from 1 camper to 3 campers, 3 mobile wine carts, a champagne wall and we have started private labeling our own wine. We have an amazing staff of women and we currently service MA and CT. Decanted is so much more than camper or bar rental. We provide the whole experiences from carefully curated wine lists to decor and catering. If you book Decanted for an event you will be booking a luxury experience without the worry.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The most important skill I acquired early on was to pivot. You may have an idea in your head that you think is amazing! When you execute the idea you have to be really honest with yourself. If it’s not succeeding, then you need to move on and Pivot. If you don’t pivot in business you will fail.
Learning to be Authentic was another big one for me. If you are authentic with yourself, your clients, your audience they will not only see that but appreciate you for it. People like to support people who are relatable and honest.
To be humble. Your business, no matter how successful, will see highs and lows. Take the Pandemic for example, no one ever expected the world to shut down. Be humble and be honest. You can always do better, Every time I have a situation good or bad, I ask myself, what is the take away from this?
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I feel overwhelmed almost daily. Between parenting, being a wife and running a company, I’m torn in so many directions. I have learned that self-care is so important to success. Taking 45 minutes of your day to work out, go for a jog or walk or to journal is crucial for your mental health. I work out 5 days a week so that I can have mental clarity, I have a glass of wine and relax at night and I’m also a big list writer. If I write it out, I’m able to prioritize what is truly important at that time.
Contact Info:
- Website: decantedwinetruck.com
- Instagram: @decantedwinetruck
- Facebook: @decantedwinetruck
Image Credits
Le Petite Studio ( Head shot and photo of Rosie).
