Beyoncé could not have said it better. With Bey, Taylor & Barbie fueling the economy it had me reflecting on the past and inception of See Jane Drink Wine and while this is me being vulnerable, it's important so thank you for reading.
My prior career was in advertising where I worked for some of the biggest brands in the world building programs on the site(s) I was working for (The Knot, Evite, WebMD...) I loved my job was pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Fast forward to when Trevor and I got married and pregnant with Huey, my ultimate dream in life, to be married and be a mother, until week 21 and I was put on bedrest due to risk of premature labor. I ultimately resigned to be a full time mom knowing any subsequent pregnancies would be similarly complicated plus I wanted to take on this new "project". There was a transition there that I never thought about or even heard of from others. It was an identity crisis. Where was the praise from my customers/peers/managers? There were no goals being achieved, no contests to win, no paycheck, bonus or commission supporting my efforts. A baby doesn't give quarterly reviews. I wasn't happy because I wasn't the person I knew, I was this baby's mom and only that. Looking back I now realize I had postpartum depression because the transition was in a matter of moments when I was forced to bedrest and the stress of keeping a baby cooking, too much. I was lost but probably didn't realize the gravity of it at the time but looking back, it was a force.
I did not want to go back to work full time, that I knew so through the years I was looking for something with minimal amount of hours a week to get me out - small marketing jobs, social media managing, communications and proposals for a contractor and it just wasn't doing the trick because all of these things weren't aligned with my interests. So I wrote down my interests and wine was top of the list. I'd been traveling to wine regions for nearly 20 years and I geeked out at wineries so why not take my travels to the classroom and learn the technical side of wine? I loved it, I found "my thing". People would ask what my plan was with the certifications and I didn't have an answer other than, "I feel the opportunity will eventually present itself". Keep in mind this was in 2020/21 so still very much in the pandemic. A friend wanted to do a client event and asked if I'd virtually lead a wine tasting and I enthusiastically agreed! Wait, I get to present something (which I loved in my first career) and better yet it be about a product I LOVE and not erectile dysfunction? The best of both worlds.
And here I am today, just over 2 years of See Jane Drink Wine and about 150 tastings plus cellar management, wine trips and other consulting I've found the perfect balance. I am the full time mom I always wanted to be but also have my outlet that allows me to channel that energy I need for myself and I have you all to thank for that. Your support has brought me out of the funk that I so needed. This is women supporting women (oh and those few guys that show up every now & then). Thank you...
It's our time ladies - so shine.
Your friend in wine,
Jane
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