This episode features Vanessa Raymond, a wine-loving socio-technologist and entrepreneur. Working in tech since 2012, she is committed to software that solves real world problems, improves people’s lives, and makes for a more equitable and just world. She was first introduced to the wide world of wine as an assistant cook on the S.V. Steven Taber from co-owner and wine professional, Jane Barrette Barnes. She went on to work as the assistant to Michael Dorf during the startup phase of City Winery. After leaving New York to join the Peace Corps as a volunteer in Bulgaria, she fell in love with Bulgarian wines and wine traditions for homemade wine and small scale family vineyard. She then spent six months living (and tasting!) in Santa Barbara, and fell in love with wine towns, vineyard landscapes, and great wines. We talk about how these multiple experiences have led to her current project as the founder of an online wine event platform called Telesomm. At Telesomm, customers meet a hand-picked group of sommeliers and wine professionals with a passion for sharing their knowledge, telling the stories of wine, and making wine accessible. We also talk about our shared goal of using wine in ways that brings people together and the ways in which the wine industry continues to evolve. You can connect with her on Instagram at @telesomm.app and learn more about booking wine experiences by checking out https://telesomm.app/.

Recorded March 24, 2021