We recently connected with Montserrat Franco and have shared our conversation below.

Montserrat, appreciate you joining us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

A big issue when it comes to a women in the spirits industry and specially in a male dominated industry such as Tequila or Mezcal, which the first is considered the spirt of Mexico and the second a cultural spirit which is gaining more demand but very little information is available specially in the sustainability of the spirit. Although both spirits come from a protected denomination of origin, the first is a monoculture (just one type of agave as the raw material) and the second can be made with any of the agaves that grow in the different States within the geographical denomination of origin, which is actually the largest of all the world’s denomination of origin (DO).

I come from these two worlds: Tequila and Mezcal; when I joined the industry five years ago (previously I was ten years in the wine sector) I had to always deal with the gender leadership issues; but in reality women had always been in these industries; they were maybe silent but today there are movements that help us get heard.

Montserrat, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started first in the wine industry; as a certified Sommelier I developed a nose and a palate; this plus my marketing background and endless visits to wineries in the Old and New World coupled with passion for everything I do, helped me achieve career goals and I kept on building my clientele as I transitioned in to the spirits sector; then to the Mexican distills of agave. It fascinated me that now I could go in to a higher ABV and be a tastemaker; describing and educating on something that for many is just a shot without thinking in all the processes that are behind these spirits before even it was aged in casks; these plants need to grow for years; at least 7 years for certain species; now I was able to compare it with territory (terroir) and the differences between species, varieties and sub-varieties just like in the wine world.
I believed that I had the mission and responsibility to educate consumers on the importance to appreciate these “slow processes” and therefore with all our senses; understand also what’s inside our glasses; all the hard work and the cultural facts and what makers are doing to make it sustainable.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I had many conflicts as a career oriented women who was also an artist and creative inside a corporate world. I learned to live with a system always respecting everyone; being a team player and winning spaces by showing hard work and commitment; when you are passionated on what you do; it shows; there’s no way to fake it. I believe that everything that you envision career-wise can be achieved as long as you keep on working in your craft, in developing your skills and in my industry is all about embracing a culture, and that’s what I did. it doesn’t matter where you come from or your gender.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

You can be a creative and disruptor in any industry; you don’t have to be actually in the arts business. From the moment you find solutions; you need imagination to create programs and meaningful experiences. In the corporate world, challenges are that you present your ideas but they have to go through a long process to be approved and that could be frustrating for a creative.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @montserrat.franco_official
• Facebook: Montserrat Franco
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/montserratfranco
• Twitter: @montserratfranc

Image Credits
1 (cover) Karli Evans (Miami) 2: Detzani Rodriguez (Oaxaca) 3- Palenque Mal de Amor (Oaxaca) 4: Sinuhe Gerardo (Oaxaca) 5- Yiamouris Studio (Greece)