Women and the Drinks Biz

Ever wondered if your website is working well for you? There are specific things that the bar and restaurant industry need to make sure their online presence in their website is doing the best that it can to help their business. Kelsey Gilbert-Kreiling has built a community and a business around designing amazing websites and teaching others to do so with the Week of the Website. She joins me to share her story as she moved through the male-dominated tech space and grew a small business that was woman-led and a force to be reckoned with. Important Links Week of the Website Squarespace from Sign-Up to Launch (book) Better than Launched: Advanced Squarespace Tools (course) Instagram: @bykelseygk Instagram: @weekofthewebsite Squarespace Website Builder Shopify E-Commerce Solutions (None of these are affiliate links. I do receive any compensation from recommending them) Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Born with strong German roots, Anna and Wendelin came up through the entertainment industry in the US, following their passions for film and music. But over the years on the road they fell in love with whiskey. In 2023 they set their sights on building a new brand and a new beverage that builds a community around whiskey and is open and accessible to all. Lodestar Whiskey was born and these ladies are full steam ahead! lodestar (noun) : a star that leads or guides; one that serves as an inspiration, model, or guide Lodestar Whiskey Instagram: lodestarwhiskey Special Mentions: Distill Ventures Diageo American Craft Spirits Association Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Building a cidery and orchard from scratch on an Island in the Puget Sound in Washington State was a major career shift for Laura Cherry and her husband. Now in its 2nd decade, Dragon’s Head Cider has started true to its traditional english cider roots and added a taproom downtown this fall. Laura joins me to reflect on her cider journey and celebrate the community that she has built under the cider apple and perry pear blossoms. Dragon's Head Cider SHOP! Terms: Methode champanoise - a sparkling wine production method whereby wine undergoes a second fermentation process in the bottle to produce carbon dioxide Pet nat - A wine process made according to the ancestral method, the result of a single, continuous fermentation. Cider Education Resources: Cider & Perry Academy Cider Institute of North America Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Annually the US celebrates and recognizes the amazing achievements of women throughout history and in the present day. What started as a Day turned into a Week and finally in 1987 gained the designation of an entire Month - Women’s History Month. This March we jump into the humble beginnings of this idea and how it grew into an international movement. For better or worse. References: US Census Bureau - International Women's Day The National WWII Museum New Orleans - An Introduction to Women's History Month Wikipedia - Women's History Day Britannica - International Women's Day History Channel - Women's History Month 2024 National Women's History Alliance - Why March is National Women's Month NPR - Women's History Month grew out of a weeklong commemoration by Jimmy Carter in 1980 Special Mentions: Women's History Week Congressional Resolution (1981) - Pub. L. 97-28 Women's History Month Congressional Resolution (1987) - Pub. L. 100-9 Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

DC Brau has been a gold standard in craft beer in DC for more than a decade. During that time Paulette Palacios has moved up through the beer scene, learning all the ins and outs of beer buying and building a network within the industry. Today they head up the taproom for the DC Brau Brewery and are instrumental in supporting diversity and equality initiatives in the beer industry across the region. Paulette sits down with me to share how they got here, walk me through a day in the life, and announce what’s on the horizon. Notes: DMV = The Washington metropolitan region that encompasses the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia The Great Detroit Bankruptcy of 2013 Special Mentions: DC Brau Mustang Sally Brewing Company Port City Brewing Company University of Richmond Beer Brewer Professional Certificate Program Black Brew Movement Urban Garden Brewery Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day Pink Boots Hop Blend (Yakima Chief) Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Monique Allen has spent the last several decades in landscaping, building a thriving business, supporting a team, and recrafting their approach to the industry through the three pillars of planet, people, and profit. From her entrepreneurial experience she has also developed a program called lifescaping to help others build better lives and better businesses in the trades. She joins me to share her journey in another male-dominated industry and share how she has grown and learned to be a better leader and now a coach for others. Garden Continuum The Lifescape Coach Lifescaping BOOKS Lifescaping BLOG Lifescaping: Organization, Health and Vitality, and the WOW factor @monique.allen Resources: The Gap and the The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success but Dan Sullivan and Dr Benjamin Hardy (not an affiliate link) Stewartia Tree Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Amberlee and her husband landed in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia for college and have now made their mark by launching the first cidery in town. Together they built a local network, organically grew a business during a pandemic, and now have a thriving space for cidermaking, the arts, and the community. She has built the vision that is Sage Bird Ciderworks and they are crushing it. Literally and figuratively. Special Mentions: Sage Bird Ciderworks CIDER STORE! BOTTLE CLUB! Glaize Orchards Virginia Cider Association The Apple House (Linden, VA) - GO VISIT! Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Here we are! A new year, and a new name for this podcast. I’m changing it up, cleaning it up, getting organized. As I jumped into a rebrand for this podcast, it brought me back to so many points of time along my cider business journey. So here’s why I felt I needed to shake things up and give this podcast a fresh start. But don’t fear! My stories and interviews will be the same and my mission and goals have not changed. Women and the Drinks Biz now offers even more inspiration, motivation, and support. Change is a good thing! Instagram: @drinksbizwomen Website: www.drinksbizwomen.com Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

I talk a lot about the village in the cider world, and in beer, and in spirits. Michelle Mandro is building a network and a community within the wine world to support and highlight the work and successes of women across the wine industry. Wine Country Women has built a network, printed beautiful books featuring women in wine and spearheads scholarships and mentorships to support members at every level. We talk about what it’s like to be the first to build a network like this and what it takes and why it’s important to bring women together. Wine Country Women Special Mentions: American Institute of Wine & Food WCW Scholarships through the SommFoundation Wine Country Women Books 50-State Winery Guide (book, mentioned but not an affiliate link) Statistics for Women Participating in the Wine Industry from Zippia Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Building your organic marketing ecosystem. Say what?? Entrepreneurship takes a lot of work - building a product or service, constructing a business around it, securing sales, and marketing. So much marketing. And the website still reigns supreme as the gateway to your audience online. It must showcase your company culture and purpose while also hitting the right keywords and points. It’s a lot and that’s what Lauren Gaggioli is here to talk about. How do we optimize SEO while also focusing on purpose-driven goals. And yes, you should be doing both. And we’re gonna walk you through it. Lauren Gaggioli's Website - DIY Website Audit (free) - Big Why Life (8 course series) Resources: Page Speed Insights Wordpress Divi (Wordpress Page Builder) Google Business Profile (Make sure you're listed today!) Untappd (If you're affiliated with an alcohol product and it's not listed, do it!) Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Sarah Real is a self-taught home brewer out of Brooklyn who, along with her husband, took the giant leap and founded a commercial brewery in the Berkshires in Massachusetts. She loves fermenting traditional beers but also highlighting the ingredients and pushing the flavor profile to construct new and interesting brews. She joins me to share her brewing journey and what it took to set up a taproom for Hot Plate Brewing Company and a community of their own. Hot Plate Brewing @hotplatebeer Special Mentions: Northeast Grainshed Alliance Turner Hill Malting Co. Valley Malt Four Star Hop Farm Crawford Brewing and Distilling Equipment Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

In 2017 when we were a couple years into South City Ciderworks we launched an effort to find a new location for a taproom/tasting room. We looked up the peninsula and down the peninsula. We looked at our own location and down in South Bay. So many places and so many letdowns. I’m stepping back in time to share our tale of shopping around for a taproom for our cidery and all the reasons it never worked out. I’d like to think it shines some light on where we were going with the brand. And in the end with COVID, it all might have been a blessing in disguise. But we’ll never know! Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

She’s an activist, a survivor, an entrepreneur, and a mentor. Virginia Lacayo has been through a lot growing up in Nicaragua and is here to share her story and how she has learned to be her own advocate and fight for the rights of other women and minorities. Anyone can be an activist but sometimes you just need a little help to get that change started. Luckily there are people like Virginia who can guide the way. Special Mentions Massive Systemic Change - We partner with leaders who are at the intersection of business, consciousness, and social change to cultivate the mindset, personal brand, and activist leadership skills necessary to change the system. FCAM - Central American Women's Fund/Fondo Centroamericanode Mujeres is a feminist organization that works toward a Central America where girls, women, trans and non-binary people actively participate in the construction of favorable environments for their lives, the lives of others, and their communities. Indomable - “Indomable” es el podcast en que, cada semana, Virginia Lacayo, Ph.D, feminista, coach certificada de mindset y liderazgo sistémico, a través de conversaciones poderosas con sus invitadxs, te brindará nuevas perspectivas sobre distintos aspectos de la vida y la sociedad. Aprenderás a manejar tu mente y tus emociones, expandir tu consciencia, y liberarte de los condicionamientos sociales que limitan tu crecimiento y tu potencial de impacto. Es neurociencia, feminismo y pensamiento sistémico aplicado a la justicia social y al desarrollo personal. Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

It’s all about the Power of One! Katy Dang of Cider Sister’s Cider in Idaho has stayed true to the traditional cidermaking processes of old and as a one woman business has built a brand and a following around her cider. Her path took her from one coast to another and across the pond and back. Join us as she shares what she has learned along the way and how she keeps it real and keeps it simple with her aged dry cider. Cider Sister's Cider Resources: Washington State University Extension - Cider Research and Education Oregon State University - Wine, Beer, Cider and Spirits Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Mae Littlefield had a couple of different businesses under her belt before she set out with her husband to develop and build a beautiful distillery in Southern Maine complete with a lovely lineup of craft spirits foraged from all parts of the state and showcasing the amazing smells and tastes of this unique New England region. But it has not come without its challenges. Special Mentions: Wild Bevy Distilling Hardshore Distilling Company Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Johnny Appleseed is an American folk hero, myth, and legend. But he was also an actual man. On this episode we go back to the time of John Chapman to relive his story and learn about his contribution to cider and the American apples culture. It’s a far cry from the happy go lucky Disney version but like with most legends, there are always seeds of truth. Thank you so much to those who were referenced for the content in this episode. I cut and pasted a bunch and I appreciate the time you spent putting these words together. May my use of your content be the highest form of flattery. Referenced Works: Johnny Appleseed, Wikipedia Johnny Appleseed, American Nurseryman - Britannica The Real Johnny Appleseed Brought Apples—and Booze—to the American Frontier, Smithsonian Magazine The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World, Michael Pollan Johnny Appleseed - Biography The Debaucherous Tale of Johnny Appleseed - Science History Institute, Museum and Library Who was Johnny Appleseed - History Channel The Legend of Johnny Appleseed - Apple Holler And for your enjoyment: The Walt Disney Legend of Johnny Appleseed 1948 Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

We’re heading to Michigan to talk with Molly Stepanski, co-owner of Presque Isle Farm and Cider. She and her husband have learned by trial and error what works and what doesn’t on a farm and have created a successful vegetable farm and small batch hard cider brand as well, complete with a brick and mortar tasting room in town. Join us as Molly shares her cider journey and how she has conquered obstacles all along the way to create something amazing. Special Mentions: Presque Isle Farm Cider - To order cider and get info about the taproom Taste the Local Difference - Marketing Local Food in Michigan CINA - Cider Institute of North America The Trevor Project - Support for LGBTQ young people Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Every year COVID aside the Central Coast of California cider community comes together to host an amazing event so aptly named: the Central Coast Cider Festival. The event showcases ciders from all over the state, poured by the producers themselves. There’s music, and food trucks, and did I mention tons of cider? If you’re nearby, check it out. If you’re not look around and you might find one just like it nearby. For this episode I sit down with the planning team to share all about why it started, why these festivals are important, and what it’s like putting one on. We’re heading behind the scenes of a cider event! Central Coast Cider Festival - AUGUST 12th 4pm-8pm Buy Tickets! Volunteer! Follow! @ccciderfestival Awesome Cider Participants 2 Broads Ciderworks Gopher Glen Cider Co. Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards Sycamore Ranch Cider Works Tin City Cider Co. Two Broads Ciderworks Bristols Cider Blindwood Cider Durham Cider + Wine Co. Shindig Cider SLO Cider Co. Mount Diablo Cider Apiary Beverage Co. Hemly Cider Raging Cider & Mead Lassen Traditional Cider Mission Trail Cider House Casa De Oro Cider Benny Boy Brewing Black Hand Cellars Friendly Noise Ponderosa Cider Poisoned Apple My805Tix Event Website for the Central Coast Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Entrepreneurship can be something learned from family or passed down through generations. Or it comes to us as special opportunities to build something new and watch it grow. As a serial entrepreneur, Carina Ramirez Cahan has been building companies over the years to meet different needs. First it was in the area of biofuel and now she is setting her sights on disrupting the bra industry with an innovative wireless option. This New Yorker joins me to talk about what it takes to dig deep, lean on your courage, and keep learning and growing as strategies for success. Special Mentions: Cobalt Rose Lingerie Company Fashion Institute of Technology Parsons School of Design at The New School Small Business Administration (SBA) - Women's Business Centers - Main Resource Search SCORE (for small business mentoring and advice) Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!

Inventory tracking, production scheduling, ingredient buying, vendor relations, task organization. All the critical yet not very sexy responsibilities that go into getting that craft drink in your hand. My former co-worker Alisha Blue joins me as we share a day in the life of production management. When everything is going right until it all goes very wrong. What needs to happen and how you adapt in the constantly shifting world of alcohol production. Online Production Management Resources (that helped us) Ekos - Brewery/cidery/distillery management software Asana - Task management software Production Meeting Agenda: Tasks for the Week: Tuesday - Can 500g of Dry Wednesday - Finish brite in kegs of Dry with an emphasis on 1/2BBLs Thursday - Filter OG Friday - Juice arrival!!!! Inventory Check In: At the end of the day, it's not a heart in the cooler. Stay safe and have fun! Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a family member, a friend in the alcohol industry, or even just a stranger on the street! I so appreciate your support. For more information about me and this podcast visit us online at drinksbizwomen.com or follow the podcast @drinksbizwomen on FB and Instagram. Talk to you soon! And thanks for joining me today!