In the spirits industry, women have persevered through challenges and celebrated successes. From overcoming misogyny to navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship, their journeys exemplify resilience and innovation. These insights uncovered by Bartender Spirits Awards highlight the importance of determination, networking, and following one's passion despite obstacles.

Makenzie Helem, bartender at New Society, Top 30 bartender for USBG World Class 2023: 

Image: Makenzie Helem

Can you share some highlights of your professional journey in the spirits world?

A few highlights in my professional journey include the first rum tasting I did that had a Rhum Agricole. My first experience with that funky spirit made me even more interested in the rum world and wanting to find more unique liquors and spirits. Anytime I see a new Amaro or unfamiliar bottle on a backbar, I’ve got to try it. I think the ability for constant learning and new experiences is a highlight of the spirits world.

My first menu has to be a memorable moment as well. The bar BackDoor in Bellingham was the first place to trust in me and my creativity, and I’ll always be thankful for the years I had there.

Her challenges: 

I’m sure this might be relatable for many women in the industry, but one challenge that’s a constant battle is misogyny. Having to either work with men who believe they deserve to bartend the busy shift over you or the male consumer who asks if you can make an old-fashioned or if the “bartender” can make something.

It’s discouraging, especially in the beginning when you feel like you have to prove yourself to these people. I think it’s small steps towards overcoming those challenges. Maybe it includes informing the guest that you are the bartender and can make whatever they want. Or believing in yourself so that you don’t have to prove anything.

In most of those cases, it’s the person dealing with their own insecurities, which means you’re probably doing a great job. There’s definitely been growth in the industry and hopefully, that trend continues where this is less of something women have to overcome. 

Advice given:

My advice to young women wanting to pursue the industry is to go for it! You won’t know how you truly feel about the industry until you try. I truly believe we can do whatever we want and that it’s okay to change our minds. If it makes you happy, chase that and if the time comes when you decide to go a different direction, that’s just part of life’s experience.

But there are so many options and directions to go within the spirits industry that if you’re doing what makes you happy, the right opportunity will present itself when it’s ready.

Absinthia Vermut, CEO of Absinthia’s Bottled Spirits: 

Image: Absinthia Vermut

Her journey:

It has to be the people. The spirits industry is quite small, and I have met the most interesting & fun people! There’s a season of shows, from cocktail weeks in various cities to DISCUS to Bar Convent to Tales of the Cocktail, and so many more, where you get to see many of the same people and brands. This group works so hard, is so creative, and knows how to have fun!

Her challenges:

When I first started, I had a male business partner, Jared Hirsch. I didn’t yet have my MBA, and a lot of knowledge & confidence came with that. He was the flavor guy, the bartender, an important role. And a dear friend. He’s a great guy. I was running the business. Yet everyone assumed it was his business, and I was his wife, never mind that he has a wife and twin girls. It drove both of us crazy. We did find ways to make it work, though. We learned to pick up on cues if someone wanted to work with a man or a woman. So we made it work for us but it was frustrating.

Now I’m a solopreneur and I put MBA after my name on everything. That has made a difference. That said, I’m definitely in the minority in the industry, and it’s true what they say about women rarely receiving financing.

Advice given:

If you’re launching a brand, have plenty of savings &/or another source of income. It takes a tremendous amount of resources to launch. But that advice I would give to anyone. Specifically for women, I would add that finding an investor may not be feasible, so have a backup plan for growth.

Also, make sure you know your shit. You’ll have to work harder than men to prove yourself.

Allison Evanow, Founder and CEO at Square One Organic Spirits:

Image: Allison Evanow

Her journey:

Before starting Square One in 2004, I had previously worked in a variety of marketing capacities in the wine and spirits world, including Jose Cuervo International, and Domaine Chandon, and as a Board Advisor to Patz & Hall Winery.  Some of the highlights from those stints included being a key team member on the launch of Cuervo’s 1800 tequila brand’s first-ever barrel program -1800 Colección  - and the commemorative 1800 Milenio to celebrate the year 2000. Those were groundbreaking programs in the tequila world at the time, especially the barrel program.

At Domaine Chandon, as VP of Marketing, one of the highlights was seeing the brand win an award from GLAAD for outstanding advertising targeted to the LGBTQ+ community when many advertisers shied away from marketing to that community at that time; and a cross-promotional TV ad and in-store display campaign with Restoration Hardware that showcased Chandon sparkling wine as a casual luxury for home entertaining. Those were two programs that broke out of the box from the staid, typical wine marketing programs most other companies did.

Her challenges:

Early in my wine & spirits career, I was often the only Director/VP-level woman in the room, and as Founder of Square One, I was also one of the first women to start, fund and lead a spirits company. There were definitely some encounters during meetings and the like where my input was not given as much weight as from male colleagues, and in a few instances, there was blatant backstabbing that was very obviously done because I was a woman.  

But throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have some bosses, leaders, and other colleagues champion my abilities and positive impact on the business far more than the negative situations. The most important thing for me was to try to maintain the balance between knowing when to dig my heels in and fight for ideas and programs that I believed in and when to let things pass, all while staying true to myself as a person and a female professional.

More recently, I have been absolutely gobsmacked at how hard it has been for women (myself included) to raise outside capital to grow our businesses. As with many other industries, women entrepreneurs are severely under-represented when it comes to raising outside capital from investors, and even more so in spirits.

So many women in my circle in the spirits industry who have great products, great commercial plans, and a solid team behind them are failing to raise capital when their male counterparts are succeeding in raising capital with sometimes less-than-stellar products and business plans. It is still an area that needs a lot more focus and attention from investors.

Advice given: 

The spirits industry is just one segment of the overall hospitality industry in a way. The consumption of beverage alcohol is, by its nature, a social one, so it can be a very fun industry to be in as it can fit into a personal lifestyle choice if you love to go out to dinner with friends, travel to resorts and hotels or entertain at home.

There used to be a little bit of a stigma for women in the industry given the old-school stereotype of the “liquor rep”, but that is changing thanks to more diversity across all parts of the industry. But I still hear some of the backroom comments about ensuring the “prettiest” girls are put in front of the predominately male buying community, which is an ongoing issue. There is still a way to go in eliminating the stereotypes, but I believe it is easier today for women to feel like this can be a good career path for them.

From a professional development point of view, it is an industry that is still far behind many others in terms of changing the way business has been done in the past.  It is still very heavily relationship and in-person selling based and highly regulated in terms of marketing, which may limit the acquisition of modern-day skill sets that translate to other industries.

For women seeking to start their brand, it is easy to see the press hits, promotional LinkedIn posts, and the like that make it look easy and glamorous. So my advice would be to talk to as many spirits founders as you can (including men) to understand the challenges and obstacles of building your brand.

It is much harder behind the scenes than it appears in public media. It looks exciting from the outside but it is a very, very challenging industry so you do need to do your homework to create a path to success. This applies to both women and men, but from what I have seen, the women do have a more challenging time of it given that the industry is still a bit “old school”.

Alicia Macinnes, Claire Fletcher, and Georgina Kitching, Owners of Lussa Gin: 

Image: Lussa Gin

Biggest achievements:

Receiving “Innovation Of The Year” at the Scottish Gin Awards 2019 for freezing our botanicals rather than drying them was a great accolade, to know that we were doing something cutting-edge and innovative right at the start of our distilling journey was great.

Winning Gold at the Women’s International Trophy 2021, an international all-women tasting competition was also a highlight because we were judged exceptional by other women in the industry. We are proud to be producing a premier gin in the Wilderness of Jura!

Challenges as a woman in the spirits industry and how did you overcome them?

As an all-female business, we are obviously in the minority, but we have not encountered any major hurdles because of this. We consider being a woman-only team to be a strength rather than a hindrance.

We communicate well, we all bring different talents to our partnership and as we are all raising families as well as making excellent Gin, we can accommodate each other better than in many other working environments.

Their Advice: 

Do what you love, believe you can do it, and be prepared for it not always to go right. Remember, you learn from your mistakes!

Conclusion:

In the dynamic world of the spirits industry, these women have forged remarkable paths, marked by both challenges and triumphs. Makenzie Helem's passion for unique spirits and Absinthia Vermut's entrepreneurial tenacity exemplify this.

Allison Evanow's trailblazing spirit and Lussa Gin's collaborative success further highlight the strength and determination of women in the industry. Collectively, these stories resonate with resilience, innovation, and the unwavering spirit of female leadership in the spirits industry. We are proud to know them and share their inspiring journeys with the world of spirits.

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