In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Adrian Biggs, Director of Trade Advocacy North America. Within this role, he is responsible for developing the strategy for the Brand Ambassador team's operations, activation, and fostering a culture within the advocacy program. Additionally, we have the honor of featuring Jen Marshall, who at the time of this episode was the Community Advocate at Casa Lumbre, focusing on developing program strategy and industry activation for Community Vodka. Jen Marshall has since transitioned to the role of Senior Trade Advocacy Specialist - National at Moet Hennessy.

Show Notes

Translating Hospitality Skillsets to Brand Success

Adrian and Jen discuss the skill sets acquired in the hospitality industry that have seamlessly translated into their successful roles working for brands. They emphasize the significance of managerial experience as a major advantage when transitioning between the two sides, particularly in understanding what works for specific accounts and audiences.

Learning from Observations and Politics

They share the value of observing successful ambassadors, replicating effective strategies, and learning from the shortcomings of others. Adrian elaborates on navigating workplace politics and how it has broadened his perspective, emphasizing the importance of considering key players before presenting ideas.

Navigating Career Progression

Adrian delves into the best practices he employed to advance in his career, from being a Brand Ambassador for a vodka to leading a team of 70 as the Director of Advocacy. These practices include active listening, seizing opportunities to voice opinions, and consistently being prepared to present. They also discuss the post-Brand Ambassador career trajectory, stressing the importance of familiarizing oneself with sales and actively pursuing desired roles.

Guidelines for Social Media Engagement

The conversation turns to the guidelines followed for social media engagement, including adhering to industry standards such as DISCUS rules and leveraging tools like Grammarly. Adrian shares insights from a study on the impact of social media on bartender behavior and recommends using a brand’s social media as a research tool for interview preparation.

Advocacy, Goals, and Culture

They shed light on the steps taken to advance in their careers, emphasizing self-advocacy and the pursuit of meaningful goals. Jen shares her experiences and challenges working with "Community Spirit" vodka, a brand dedicated to giving back to the community, while Adrian discusses his approach to cultivating a cohesive culture among his team of Brand Ambassadors.

Valuable Advice for Aspiring Brand Ambassadors

The episode concludes with insightful advice from both guests, including the importance of networking, seeking mentorship, and mastering tools like PowerPoint through readily available resources such as YouTube tutorials.

This episode offers invaluable insights into the world of trade advocacy and brand representation, providing practical guidance for aspiring and current professionals in the industry.

In this interview episode, we have the opportunity to hear from Leva O’Neal and Emmanuel Pena. Leva was employed at Lyre’s Spirit Co.and Manny was Brand Ambassador for Diplomatico Rum during this period of their careers. At the time, Leve O’Neal  held the position of Brand Ambassador Team Leader -Central & EAstern Europe with Lyre’s Spirit Co, while Manny served as the Brand Ambassador for Diplomatico Rum.. Since this interview took place, both individuals have moved on to new roles: Leva is currently working in Amsterdam, while Manny  now holds the position of CCO of Bosscal Mezcal..

Introduction

In this episode, Manny and Leva delve into the world of Brand Ambassadors in the liquor industry, shedding light on the challenges, triumphs, and unique experiences they encounter in their roles.

Challenges of Working in Different States

Manny discusses the challenges of working as a Brand Ambassador in New Jersey, a franchise state, and the intricate politics of dealing with distributors within the state. Additionally, they explore the unique hurdles of working in control states such as Pennsylvania and Texas.

Transition to Brand Ambassadorship

The hosts share insights into their professional journeys, detailing their careers before becoming Brand Ambassadors and the driving forces that led them to take the leap into this role. They also touch on what specifically appealed to them about representing their respective brands.

Alignment with Brand Values

Leva emphasizes the importance of finding a brand that aligns with her personal values, highlighting the significance of this alignment in her role as a Brand Ambassador.

Managing Stress and Challenges

The discussion delves into the stress and challenges inherent in the role of a Brand Ambassador, offering valuable insights into how they effectively manage these demands. Additionally, they address the difficulties of saying no and share strategies for handling such situations.

Preventing Burnout

The hosts explore the factors that can be exhausting in their line of work and provide actionable tips for preventing burnout. They stress the significance of creating rituals to start and end the day as a means of maintaining balance and well-being.

Trends and Industry Insights

Leva and Manny share their perspectives on the evolving landscape of the liquor industry, with Leva focusing on the challenges and potential of selling a non-alcoholic brand, and Manny highlighting the emerging trends in the rum sector and its future trajectory.

Building Relationships and Adapting Approaches

The conversation extends to the art of building relationships with multiple distributors and adjusting approaches based on diverse cultural backgrounds. They also touch on their experiences with off-premise strategies and leveraging e-commerce to connect with consumers, especially during challenging times such as shutdowns.

Differentiating Off-Premise and On-Premise

Manny delves into the major differences between off-premise buyers and on-premise, offering valuable insights into the distinct dynamics of these two facets of the industry.

Navigating Drinking Pressures and Non-Alcoholic Options

The hosts discuss the pressures associated with drinking and the growing appeal of non-alcoholic cocktails, shedding light on the benefits and considerations surrounding this evolving trend.

Insights from Experience

Leva and Manny conclude the episode by reflecting on their experiences and sharing valuable insights they wish they had known when they first started as Brand Ambassadors.

Conclusion

This episode provides a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the world of Brand Ambassadors in the liquor industry, offering valuable perspectives on the challenges, strategies, and evolving trends within this dynamic space.

In this interview episode, we have the opportunity to hear from Nick Crutchfield and Laura Lashley, who were both employed at Diageo Wine and Spirits during this period of their careers. At the time, Nick Crutchfield was Division Educator with Diageo Hospitality Partnership, while Lauren Lashley served as the National Education Manager for @Seedlip. Since this interview, both individuals have moved on to new roles: Nick is currently serving as the Director of Advocacy for Lyres, while Laura now holds the position of On-Premise Manager for Northern California at Diageo.

Show Notes

·In our podcast episode, we delve into the actions taken by Nick and Laura within their hospitality careers that made them stand out to brands. We also explore their motivations for making a career change.

·  The transition to a new role often presents challenges, and we discuss the obstacles faced by our guests during this process. Furthermore, we explore how they effectively adapted to their new roles.

·  We emphasize the importance of promoting oneself and provide practical tips on how to accomplish this. It is crucial to showcase your achievements and abilities.

·  We highlight various courses that can enhance your career, such as Toast Masters and Excel. These educational opportunities can greatly amplify your professional growth.

·  Our guest, Nick, elaborates on the numerous benefits of being involved in Toast Masters. He shares insights on how this organization has positively impacted his personal and professional development.

·  Laura shares her experience of transitioning from a bartender to a Brand Ambassador. She candidly discusses the challenges she faced during this career change.

·  We share effective tactics for maintaining balance and organization in our lives. These strategies help us navigate our personal and professional responsibilities more efficiently.

·  Laura provides an insider's perspective on Seedlip's early days before it became part of Diageo. Her insights shed light on the brand's journey and growth.

·  Working for a small brand offers unique advantages and opportunities for skill development that may not be as readily available in larger companies. We explore these advantages in detail.

·  We provide valuable guidance on creating mutually beneficial relationships with accounts and offer key considerations to keep in mind during the process.

·  Clear communication with stakeholders about the role and responsibilities of a Brand Ambassador is essential. We emphasize the importance of effectively conveying expectations and limitations.

·  Training distributors on best practices in both in-person and virtual settings is crucial. We discuss the do's and don'ts of this training process.

·  Nick and Laura reflect on their experiences and share the knowledge they wish they had possessed earlier in their careers. 

In this interview, I had the pleasure of interviewing Aleka Ross for Hotaling.co and Daniella Solano from Makers Mark.   These two ladies hold jobs similar to being Brand Ambassadors, but slightly different @Aleka Ross is the  Business Development Manager in SF @Hotalingco, and Daniella Solano a NY Diplomat for @makersmark.    In this episode, we dive into what exactly that means and such more, including:

This week on Episode 28 of "Celebrating the Brand Ambassador," I have the pleasure of interviewing Zach Berger then Brand Ambassador for Edrington and Tommy Mauriello, NY Area Manager for Edrington. 

This week on Episode 27 of "Celebrating the Brand Ambassador," I had the pleasure of interviewing, Nathan S. Reffell, the Multicultural Brand Ambassador for Bacardi and Kyle McHugh Director of Advocacy for Samsung and Surrey.

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Show Notes

This week on Episode 26 of "Celebrating the Brand Ambassador," I had the pleasure of interviewing, Kirsten, "Kitty" Amann @drinkinglikekitty, the MA / NH Brand Steward for @UncleNearest Premium Whiskey and author of Drinking Like Ladies and Camille Austin also known as “La Loba Alpha”, the Director of Advocacy for Mexican craft spirits company @CasaLumbre. ⁠

Show notes

Episode 25 of "Celebrating the Brand Ambassador," I had the pleasure of interviewing, Jordan Zimmerman @Jzimmerman_tx  Premium Whiskey Education & Advocacy Leader at @Brown-Forman and then Brand Ambassador for The Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky Cam Millar.

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In this episode we discussed:

In Episode 24 I have the pleasure of speaking with Anthony Pullen then Vice President of Trade Marketing at Q Mixers and Stelio PapadoPoulos based in Greece, the co-owner of the Tequila bar Barro Negro and  the Global Brand Ambassador for Jose Cuervo.

On this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing  "Robert Mariana" Italian-born mixologist, currently living in London working as the Global Project Manager at Martini for the iconic MARTINI brand, its vermouths & bitters. Along with "Cameron George,"  a Whisky evangelist born and raised in Seattle, Washington, spreading the word about whisky around the  USA  as the National Brand Ambassador for Ardbeg, the 4x reigning World Whisky Distillery of the Year.

Cameron and Roberta start by speaking about their past experiences working as bartenders.

They share their challenges of first becoming a Brand Ambassador:

Lastly, they both speak to the challenges of creating and implementing cocktail strategies for the brands.