- Janet Lewis

EPISODE 26 – ERIN HENDERSON – ON THE GAME OF BUSINESS, WHY MONEY MATTERS AND IMPORTANCE OF STAYING TRUE TO YOUR BRAND AND TO YOURSELF

Today we are talking with Erin Henderson Founder of The Wine Sisters where she is also the Chief Sommelier.

Erin started out her professional career as a reporter and journalist but she was drawn back into the world of wine and become a certified sommelier in 2008 through the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. She worked for some of Toronto’s top venues before launching the Wine Sisters, with her sister Courtney.

The Wine Sisters offer in person and virtual wine tasting experiences, exclusive wine tours, wine training and education programs, full food and beverage event management services, and party planning.

Erin has been entertaining, educating and sharing her love of wine and party planning for over 14 years. She loves to take the stress out of planning for her busy clients and has earned the trust of top executives and companies that need the job done right every time.

She not only runs The Wine Sisters but also shares her experiences as a sommelier and party planner with her students at George Brown where is an instructor helping to educate the party planners of the future.

Erin has been featured as a wine and cocktail expert on CTV’s Your Morning and The Social, and she has also been featured in the Huffington Post, Maclean’s, theloop.ca, and the Canadian Special Events Magazine.

Erin is super passionate about all things food and drink, she is outgoing, and entertaining. She wants her clients and followers to have an amazing experience and is willing to go above and beyond to ensure they are delighted.

One of the things I love about Erin is she is so honest and upfront about her experiences and willing to share them to help others learn and grow. She is also really engaging and funny. There are so many one liners in this episode that made me laugh.

I am sure you will find more than one or two things to take away from this podcast.

In this episode, Erin and I discuss the following:

- - Benefits of growing up, working, and living in Nova Scotia
  - Value of recognizing what you like and don’t like to do and how it helps you figure out what to try next
  - How she became a broadcaster on Toronto radio station and why she moved on from that career
  - When you learn your biggest lessons and how they can impact your decision making for your future
  - Importance of understanding money
  - Why you should listen to your inner voice
  - Being willing to hustle and do what it takes to make it work in order to head in the direction you really want to go
  - How getting fired can actually help you
  - Why there are so many angry comments online and people in the world these days
  - Why you shouldn’t believe the Instagram ads
  - What passive income really means
  - What happens when you go broke
  - Why money matters and how it impacts your daily decisions and lifestyle choices
  - Allowing your ego to take a hit so you can do what makes you happy or brings you joy
  - Value of having parents who work hard and what they teach you along the way
  - How goals can help you be successful in a stressful environment
  - Value of giving the gift of stamina, hard work and hearing “no”
  - How she stared a business with her sister
  - How to develop a brand that is authentic and makes sense based on what you really want to do
  - Value of having fun regardless of what you are presenting
  - Importance of recognizing when a client comes to you, and you are not the best fit
  - Pivoting the business during Covid
  - Difference between being a small business and a large business
  - The biggest challenge for any entrepreneur and business
  - What happens when you are waiting for a client to pay you
  - Making sacrifices to make it work
  - How to get your name out there
  - How everything takes so much more time than you think it will
  - How having the freedom to choose projects and clients can impact your business in a positive way
  - Value of always creating new experiences for your clients
  - How to treat running a business like a game
  - Why you should continue to question yourself
  - How a competitive spirit can help drive you to success
  - Value of keeping sharp and how it is important for you as an individual and for your business
  - Importance of staying true to who you are
  - How some of your most difficult and painful decisions can be the most rewarding
  - What loneliness is
  - Why you should stay true to yourself and be happy with who you are and where you are at