Beverage Director at NA:EUN Hospitality and Founder of Likha Wine Co.

I am inspired to do my job every day as a default. I love what I do, and more often than not, this is enough to power me — and consequently my team — on a daily basis.

My internship at Wine & Spirits Magazine was a formative part of my first few months in New York. It was here, tasted through a flight of wines, that I realized that I wanted to be in this industry and to pursue this life long career in wine.

Coming from leading sports teams in my younger years, I've been able to bring some of that mentality to the team when we do our pre-shift meeting sendoffs. Entering service as a team with a strong battlecry will always set the vibe straight, even during moments of suddenly being understaffed or another challenging situation in the restaurant that we have to deal with in service. This and persistent positivity, which is infectious especially when wielded by a leader on the floor, helps me keep my team motivated.

I give respect and transparency to my team. I give them the time of day, even when that time is at 1AM in the morning. That may be an extreme example for some, but being able to be present when needed is important to me. This has not always been available to me in the past and so this is something I personally do to make sure our teams know they can reach out to me when they need to.

Success is not possible without multiple people actively working towards the same goal. I'm proud to be a catalyst for our team to also rally around all while I watch them grow into the leaders of tomorrow.

A strong foundation for beverage, either in bartending or as a wine professional, is required when I am hiring for beverage-focused roles.

I look for hardworking individuals who are eager to learn, humble enough to follow, confident enough to share ideas, and have the thirst for furthering themselves in the industry while working to provide world-class hospitality and working in a team environment.

Diversity of skills, cultures, mindsets, and ideas have always been the catalyst for change and growth.

Committing to your role, knowing what your responsibilities are and delivering on them, as well as making room for helping out with extra tasks has always been a great recipe to be noticed by management. If you are successful and proficient at what you do, the next step or opportunity should naturally emerge. On top of this, learning how to ask for opportunities and promotions is also very important. It's good to remember that the only negative thing that can come out of a well-intentioned and respectful discussion on moving into or applying for a management role, is “no” or “not at this time.”

In my early career, I actively sought out opportunities to grow. Whether it was taking the Intensive Sommelier Program (which is now housed in the Institute of Culinary Education) or actively pursuing education through the Court of Master Sommeliers, you take those experiences and apply for roles that can showcase your talent and ambition. There is no one path to progressing in a career even though society has a certain way of picturing this as a move "up" or "forward."

Tasting wines at Wine & Spirits Magazine as a database intern was a pivotal moment for me. I knew then, after tasting 80 wines that day, that this was where I belonged. Constantly daydreaming of travel, language, food, and adventure.