I owe my wine career to my 8-year-old (almost 9!) son.  After he was born, I left the hectic world of selling computer software for a large distributor.  I was a Business Development Manager and my territory was the United States and Canada.  As you can imagine, I traveled …. a lot.  While 1st class upgrades and hotel perks are great, traveling in a post 9/11 world, in addition to traveling up until my 8th month of pregnancy, got a little old.   My 3 month maternity leave turned into a two-year hiatus.  Finally, he was almost two and we both really needed to get out of the house!  I joined the group of mom’s at Mommy’s Morning out and then quickly signed him up for pre-school.  I searched the newspapers and the web for part-time jobs.  What could a mom with a BS degree in Marketing from Rutgers University, an MBA from the University of South Carolina, and a two-year gap in her resume do for a living?  My prayers were answered by a tiny ad in the newspaper looking for a “Wine Sales Representative – full or part-time.”  My husband agreed that the job would be perfect for me and hoped that we could save money on future wine purchases.  So I mailed my resume (the company had no website or fax number) and I waited.  Finally, the phone rang and in record time, I interviewed and accepted the job.  Since that humble beginning over 7 years ago, I have learned a great deal about wine, traveled around the world, and met some of the best friends I have ever made.  I have also passed the first level test of the Court of Master Sommeliers and have earned my CSW, Certified Specialist of Wine, from the  Society of Wine Educators.  I now work for a “real” wine distributor, with a great portfolio, and we have a website.  Thanks for reading,  hope this wasn’t TMI.

Christine