I’ve been waiting to share this episode with you. Because this one is personal.In 2021, I joined a wine marketing course at UC Davis.I was in Australia, pregnant (without knowing it yet), staying up through the night to join the lessons. And there he was, Paul Wagner, challenging everything I thought I knew.At one point, he said something I couldn’t agree with:“Tasting rooms don’t need someone with deep wine knowledge. Most of the time, they bore the customers.”I remember literally raising my hand to disagree.I was proud of my knowledge. I wanted to be taken seriously.And to be honest? I felt offended.But, that comment stuck with me. It lit a fire.Not because it was comfortable, but because it made me question.Why do we assume the customer wants a mini WSET lecture?Why do we act like knowledge alone makes us worthy of being listened to?Why did I feel I had to perform this “serious wine professional” role… even if it felt robotic?Looking back now, I realise that moment changed everything for me.I started watching people differently.Noticing how they react when we talk about “production trivia”, how quickly their eyes glaze over, how often we lose the joy, the actual magic, in an effort to sound credible.And a few years later… here I am, saying Paul’s words loudly on social media, laughing at myself for once resisting them.Paul Wagner helped change me. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful.Because sometimes, the people who challenge you the most are the ones who help you find your real voice.Listen to our Vino Visionaries chat on Spotify:Or watch the full episode of Vino Visionaries on YouTube.Let me know what you think. Because the wine world won’t change just because we talk about it. It changes when we start asking better questions.📲 Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/vino_visionaries_podcast▶️ Explore more episodes on our YouTube channel: @vino_visionaries🌐 Visit our website: www.rethinking.wine👥Connect with Paul Wagner: https://www.paulwagnerwine.com/#VinoVisionaries #RethinkingWine #YouAreNotTheMarket #WineMarketing #SocraticThinking #WineWithHeart #PaulWagner #HospitalityNotHierarchy