As a kick-off to my annual summer “Creative Leaders 2.0” series, I’m gladly starting with brilliant Sommelier Brianne Cohen of Brianne Cohen, Wine Education and Event Production.
A shared passion for travel and adventure brought us together in 2006.
When I was searching for the next chapter in my life after 22 years as an entertainment publicist and talent manager for visual and performing artists…
I came upon a fun travel direct sales business that would give me travel perks while encouraging others to join me as an associate. It was one of those network marketing business models.
I met Brianne through this short lived venture. The travel gig didn’t last long but our connection carried on years after; so grateful for that. She’s the type of person you know in your heart is a keeper; a true, authentic gem of a person. I kept her on my radar.
Somewhere between social media coming on the horizon, the starting of my new coaching business in 2008 and Brianne’s new event planning business in the same year, we lost connection but the friendship remained intact.
We kept it alive with a casual connection supported by Facebook seeing each other now and then liking each other’s posts here and there. It wouldn’t be till 10 years later in 2018 when we reconnected more frequently on Facebook when I saw her posts about her event planning business and more so her wine adventures.
Her bright, bubbly personality was always a delight to be around. I became curious.
“What’s she up to now? That girl always knows how to have fun!” She has this remarkable knack for knowing how and where to experience adventure. It’s one of her genius qualities I adore about her. It was no wonder she chose the event industry to anchor into. That was a perfect fit for a fun, outgoing and genuinely caring woman.
She had been in her event planning business as long as I had been in my coaching business. We were both celebrating 10 years. Parallel lives.
After a few private Facebook messages last summer resulting in scheduling a catch up call after all these years, we had a great time reconnecting. You can imagine how much was shared after 10 years!
She was so excited sharing about her pending Sommelier certification that would be officially announced within a few weeks. She spent the last few years in an in-depth wine education program that became one of the most challenging experiences of her life. Can you imagine the dedication required to learn about wines, their origins and processes to create the delicacy?
It was at this point in our conversation when she mentioned she wanted to add a wine education division to her event planning business but had no idea where to start. I call it Divine intervention and Universal Intelligence. How did I know she needed that? A hunch. An intuition I could not define until that moment in our call.
Fast forward a few weeks. She not only passed her long-awaited well deserved certification, but she was ready to jump into success and business coaching with me to develop and launch her wine education division of her event production business!
After nine months of mentoring and coaching her, she proudly launched “Brianne Cohen, Wine Education and Event Production.” She was one of the most delightful clients I had in years. She was always efficient, ready to learn, always vulnerable, high achieving and seeking direction.
As of April 2019, she was well on her way to curating wine events and educational presentations (wine- tastings) locally and internationally. She even had her first gig as a judge at two international competitions in London! The wine events and requests keep pouring in and she couldn’t be more excited!
“Hi Marla I had to share. I’m watching our last coaching session video together from April. I was talking about an inquiry I got for curating wine vendors for a new wine and tapas festival. Fast forward to today and I am hired! I’m preparing a contract as we speak. Will be the end of August in DTLA. Thank you for helping me to manifest all of these things!” says Brianne.
After her program ended, I asked Brianne for her most profound change in mindset from the program and how it affected her decision-making in business. She said,
“The feeling of constant and ever-present gratitude was the most profound. God knows that starting or up-leveling a business is not always a smooth and consistent road, but I can confidently say that I have never felt more in gratitude (and more often) ever in my life. When my coaching program began, this was such a huge piece of the “curriculum” and now I see why.
I have also started to move away from fear and making decisions out of fear. I have let go of clients who are no longer a match for my new standards and have learned to say no to potential clients who do not fit in my ideal client profile. I have really started to see and feel my worth. I used to THINK I valued myself and my skills/talents, but now my confidence (and ironically my humility) is at an all-time high.”
Transforming your money relationship is a key part of my programs. She was so diligent in wanting to breakthrough her common limiting beliefs.
“Before the coaching program I also felt a scarcity mentality around money. Whether I earned $2,000 a month or $15,000 a month, I felt the same. I was worried it wasn’t enough and worried I wouldn’t have enough tomorrow. Even if I was in abundance, I was worried that I’d be back in scarcity going forward.
Now I stay focused on gratitude and abundance. If I can go to bed every night knowing that I am living in my core values, am happy, and am committed to my business, then I feel good (and abundant!). I now record every dollar that comes into my business and celebrate it. When a client pays me, I take a minute and remember that this client paid ME. They paid me for my advice, my skills, and my talents. That is quite a special feeling,” says Brianne.
My own coach a few years ago introduced me to the most remarkable book, The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks. I was so moved by it personally and professionally that I made it a core part of my trainings. Brianne shares a recurring response to the teachings…
“The Big Leap book in learning how to navigate my genius zone? There’s not enough time in the day for me to explain how much this book spoke to me. Prior to the book, I held onto (clung onto) many limiting beliefs around my skills, my talents, money, relationships, my family, etc. Overall, I had a fear of owning my own potential…in a lot of different areas of my life.
I’d always been a Type A, go-getter, but my level of success was within a well-defined, limited area. Call it nothing too crazy or successful, just modestly successful. I am now working on really relishing in my successes. Talking about them. Rewarding myself for them. Etc. All of this allows me to live in my Genius Zone. It feels good to be in this space, which inherently allows me to naturally go into that genius zone more frequently.”
The deep fulfillment I receive for doing my calling by raising human potential and success in the lives of creative entrepreneurs is beyond words.
Ready to explore your next level of success? Let’s chat. support@marladiann.com to schedule a 1-1 call to identify your needs.
Loads of blessings and adventure!
