What does a typical Thursday look like for you, starting from when you wake up – to heading to bed?

I must admit that I’m not a morning person, but being my own boss sure gets me out of bed in the morning, more than any cup of coffee or any kind of alarm. A typical Thursday for me is hard to fully pin down, as each and every week is completely different. But my weeks (and every day of the week for that matter) are filled with many exciting entrepreneurial adventures. Therefore, I will give you a snippet of what my favourite Thursday looks like.   

On my favourite Thursdays I head over to the CBC to begin my prep for filming with the Steven and Chris Show. The night before I’ve prepped my wine selections and finalized my last minute wardrobe details.  I head straight to hair and makeup and shortly after begin filming.  Once I’ve wrapped up this part of my day, I grab a cab to work on the iYellow Wine Club.  This portion of my day is usually filled with conference calls and meetings with our Board of Advisors and other business partners. The day quickly falls into night and my boyfriend and I usually order takeout, walk the dogs and a grab a glass of vino as my nightcap. My theory is work hard, play hard… and drink great wine! 

What was your first job out of school?

Coming from a large Italian family and being the eldest of four, I honestly can’t rewind back to my first job out of school. Ever since I was 16, work has been a natural part of what life is. I started working in family pizzerias, did a small stint at a factory and then thanks to my mom I ended up at Vineland Estates Winery. I ended up bussing at one of the best restaurants in Niagara. I was there for 5 years and that job taught me more than I probably will ever know- from discipline to an intense involvement in the world of wine and food. I then worked with Andrew Peller Limited for a total of 4 years. I spent 3 years serving at the 4 Diamond Restaurant at Peller Estates Winery and one year working in the Vineyards Estate Wines flagship retail store (in TO), which leads to me my first job out of school – wine retail. However, spending a good amount of money on a university degree my first “real” job out of University was in a very busy TV commercial production company as a receptionist – which lasted about a year and a half.  

What are the 3 skills you require most to do your job well?

Perseverance  – Pushing through to reach your dreams in a skill that many don’t have. Motivation comes very close to this skill. You need to be personally motivated to persevere and in turn be what I feel is successful.  

Flexibility –The ability to be flexible is a crucial skill to have. Life is ever changing and being able to flex with the changing times will surely make you easy to work with and will assure relationship retention when it comes to business relationships 

Passion – I believe that passion is one of the most important skills. Best of all you can find it inside of yourself. Finding a real way to monetize your passion is a true skill that takes time and patience to discover.  

What do you love most about your career?

Sleeping in, living in a whole world of wine and having the ability to put my creative mind to good use not inside a cubicle. 

Do you have any warnings?

The work of an entrepreneur is probably the most stressful and rewarding career you could ever have. There are high days and there are low days and having the ability to look past the challenges in the present and realize that neither the highs nor the lows last too long is always a challenge.  

Also working in the alcohol industry can be dangerous for some. You need to be aware of yourself, your limits and your surroundings. Frankly, I drink more wine than most, but I know when to go home and/or say “No thank –you” to a glass of vino. Starting young in the industry taught me discipline and the ability to immediately think about the consequences of my actions, instead of dealing with potential dilemmas and issues that happen from a lack thereof.  

 

If you could try a different career on for a year, what would it be?

Hmmm…interesting question. Does having no job and traveling with the people you love count? But wait… no backpacking please, and do you mind if I visit the wine regions of the world?  

Check out the iYellow Wine Club at www.iYellowWineClub.com