We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elise Cordell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elise below.
Elise, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
While there are several anecdotes I could share here, as I’ve been working in the wine industry for more than 15 years and have been with Perrier-Jouet and G.H. Mumm Champagnes for 8 of those – there is one in particular that I believe truly embodies the spirit of what I do, which is educate and connect people to authentic stories and experiences.
This year marked a real shift in my professional identity and priorities, as I became a mom in early April. Though my husband and I were not planning on expanding our family, the universe had other plans, and we decided to listen. Thankfully my entire team was incredibly supportive and I work for a company that values the importance of what it means to work inside the home for those who choose that journey. For perspective, I’m usually on the road between 50-60% of the time visiting key markets like New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Los Vegas, Atlanta – the list goes on – so entering into this new world was (and continues to be) a daunting proposition. The benefit is that I’m now spending time in my home base of Dallas, Texas, meaning I’m able to cultivate meaningful professional relationships that were left on hold in the past.
We live in an area of Dallas called Oak Cliff, a vibrant community full of history, incredible people, and entrepreneurial vision. Having moved five times in the last 15 years, finding that sense of belonging among your neighbors was pivotal for me – I’m from the Midwest, it’s just what we do – and why we’ll likely be in Texas for a long time. This area has attracted a strong population of young professionals and creatives in a wide array of specialties, and what I’ve found is that there are very few degrees of separation between us all. That fact is the spark that ignites the community and drives accountability for our collective success.
Since Perrier-Jouet announced the appointment of their first female Cellar Master in 2020, many of my events have revolved around uplifting female voices in the wine industry and beyond. Since I would actually be in Dallas in March of 2024 preparing for the birth of my daughter, it was the perfect opportunity to gather some of my favorite women for an event to celebrate International Women’s Month. It was a project that had been a long time in the making, but organizing the schedules of six highly motivated women can pose a challenge. The idea was that it would be a series of events that highlighted relevant topics while enrapturing our clientele with champagne, caviar, and excellent conversation. Honestly, a win for everyone, and I decided that hosting the first event of the series would serve as my ‘last hurrah’ before I went on maternity leave.
The synergy that erupted from that first call was amazing. It showed me that time spent in Dallas pays huge dividends. Tapping into our respective connections and ideas, we curated an incredible event that focused on female entrepreneurship called ‘Risks Worth Taking’, complete with a panel discussion with voices representing real estate, luxury consumer goods, bespoke food delivery, concierge travel services and super premium spirits. It was hosted at a local wellness club that boasts predominantly female leadership, and in a stroke of luck and instant friendship, the founder agreed to be one of our panelists.
The goal was to welcome 30 guests, and I knew that if we incorporated a donation-based RSVP system, we would not only have a more accurate count of attendees but could provide real support to a charity that the Texas chapter of Pernod-Ricard’s female employee resource group has aligned with, Genesis Women’s Shelter. Remarkably, we ended up having over 50 attendees, and even more donations from those who weren’t able to make it but wanted to participate. The atmosphere of the day was lively, and overall, the event was a huge success, with great feedback coming from members of the club and the community of attendees. My fellow organizers and I were so pleased – we are pumped for the next one.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Where to start?!
In terms of the personal and family stuff, I grew up in Northeast Ohio (yeah yeah, make your jokes) and am the oldest of three girls. I share that information because I think it gives insight into who I am as a person – I exude a ton of stereotypical eldest child qualities (I’m writing this while laughing at myself because it’s true). Ohio gave me a fabulous childhood, and even though I’ve vowed to never live above the Mason-Dixon line again (I shoveled enough snow in the first 22 years of my life to get me through to the end), I love that there are people from my generation that are returning home and flourishing there in life and business.
From a very young age, I knew I wanted to attend Cornell University. Not because of the prestige or beautiful landscape, but because three generations of my family attended before me, and that seemed significant. My father took us to Ithaca a few times for reunions and homecomings for his own celebrations, and the memories still bring a smile to my face today. Thankfully I was admitted, and those four years helped to shape the adult I am today. I studied International Relations, but ended up taking a lot of courses in the Hotel School once I was mostly finished with my own academic requirements. One of those courses had (and still boasts) the highest fail rate on campus – HADM 4300 Introduction to Wines. In my mind, it was ‘Challenge Accepted’, and I was looking forward to learning more about a subject that had always been a part of my family life. Believe it or not, Ohio was a powerhouse grape producer prior to prohibition, and there were several vineyards and wineries near my childhood home. I think this experience is what laid the framework for my eventual professional journey, especially after I TA’d for the course the following semester. After graduation and a brief stint living it up (and working two jobs to make quick money and accidentally finding love) in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, I lived overseas in Bratislava, Slovakia working for the British Chamber of Commerce. Upon my return in 2009 the employment situation was less than desirable, and I wasn’t quite ready to take the leap of moving to Florida with my boyfriend (the wait paid off – he’s my husband now). With some helpful advice from family and a little bit of creativity I realized that I could utilize my experience in non-profits outside of the public sector and began working for the Ohio Wine Producer’s Association under the tutelage of an incredible woman named Donnie Winchell. There I honed my skills as an educator and community builder, and realized that regardless of where I lived, I could work in some sort of hospitality adjacent business.
Since that time it feels as though I’ve lived 1000 lives. With every move to a new city, interview for a new job, and new community, I’ve become a better person and a better professional. My superpower is my versatility – I’ve worked in non-profits, direct to consumer sales, retail, restaurants, wine distribution, and now imports. The common theme in all of those is advocacy. Advocacy for my teams, the brands we represent, the industry that we work in, and especially those who are looking for mentorship. I’m in my giving era, and I love it.
My work with Pernod-Ricard has been my longest tenure thus far with a company, and I’ve really enjoyed diving deep into a category within my industry. As an ambassador and trade engagement manager for Perrier-Jouet and G.H. Mumm Champagnes I bring the stories of these historic houses to life everyday. Consumers want authentic connections to the brands they support, and it’s my job to create opportunities for thread them together. My favorite part of the role is when I get to act as a host and hospitalitarian. Curating events with our brand principals that leave lasting impressions, speaking at food and wine conferences, and strategizing product launches energizes me. I believe in these wines and the people who make them.
What I’d like to do next is take this advocacy even further and start my own wine travel business. The logistics of planning a trip to wine country can be daunting – for example there are more than 600 wineries in Napa alone, not to mention where to stay, how to get there, and what to eat. I’ve developed wonderful relationships with wineries, restauranteurs, and trade professionals, and I want to create something that directly benefits them, while also providing those ‘ah hah!’ moments for consumers. It’s a dream.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
In my late twenties I was given the opportunity to manage teams within restaurants. It was rewarding and challenging, and though I’d like to think that I generally rose to the occasion – I know I made mistakes. Thankfully I had some really strong managers of own to learn from and go to for advice when I was out of my depth. Reflecting on those times informs how I make decisions as a leader AND as an employee.
Regardless of the size of the team, it’s imperative to get to know each person as an individual and build accountability as their leader. This doesn’t mean you have to get too personal – everyone has their boundaries in the workplace – but they have to trust that you really see them and care about the collective good, not just about the bottom line of the business. Empowerment comes in many forms, so when you know what drives the individual you can create an environment for them to thrive.
Information has power, and from what I’ve witnessed, Millennial and Gen Z employees like to know what is going on. They want to live in their purpose and do work that supports their values. This is difficult to do if the hierarchy of the business prevents them from having access to decision makers or aren’t given the opportunity to truly buy-in to the company vision. If you don’t tell them the truth, they will make it up and it will spread like wildfire.
Something I’ve personally experienced – never let your troubled employees cost you your productive ones, and always be transparent about team members that have left the business. Too many times I’ve been in the middle of a project with several stakeholders, only to find out that a key person is no longer on our team through the grapevine or a bounced back email.
A few books that have made an impression on me –
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown. Her work on shame, communication, and interpersonal relationships is incredibly relevant for today’s professional.
Radical Candor by Kim Scott. It’s a dense read, but has so many anecdotes to learn from. For example, for a business to be successful, you need rock stars and super stars. Each has a purpose, and recognizing the difference is crucial.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
I’ve found that using social media to connect with people is a low-risk, high-impact strategy, especially since many of the trade professionals I’m engaging with are incredibly active on those platforms. People put their whole lives online these days – so I meet them where they are spending their time. When I was in distribution, I had to rely on email and sitting at the bar to form new relationships and build trust before I could even present my wine portfolio. I was always playing the long game, which paid dividends when they actually opened the email, but did nothing for me if they didn’t. I still do those things, and they work, but sending someone a message on Instagram or LinkedIn in an honest and authentic way – not a salesy way – breaks down barriers. It gives me insight into what is actually important to them, who we may know in common, and humanizes the relationship. I’m not trying to sell them anything – I want to celebrate them and their accomplishments, and if my brands are a good fit at that point – excellent. That builds brand loyalty and not one-off placement favors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://live.eventtia.com/en/just-add-champagne
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisecordell/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisecordell/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNkHz0Txrb7Almm5sMHf-ZQ/featured
Image Credits
Kathy Tran, Tara Fougner