Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tania Van Pelt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tania, appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

We learn through failure. To take a risk is to flirt with or even succumb to failure. In my experience, a risk, a bet on oneself is nearly always worth it. My biggest successes rise from the ashes of my biggest failures, which were all risks taken. I wrote and co-produced a TV pilot, which in the end was not picked up by a distributor. That was a big risk. And ultimately, while I learned SO much, it failed. Still, it got me in the door, got a book, and then a second one published. Most recently, at the height of lockdown, during a pandemic, I started a wholesale wine & spirits distribution company with a couple of sales reps and ten producers of South African wine. Was I crazy or just into wild risk-taking? This was an expensive endeavor. Everyone said, “no one wants South African wines. No one understands them.” Yet, I persevered through a lot of nos. Something failure has taught me. Nowadays, I’m known as the South African wine lady. We carry many other producers from around the world. But the thing that put us on the map was wine from a region no one knew much about. We continue to grow as a company organically, and sustainably, much like our wines! And, likely, the next book I write will be about wine.

I have failed more often than I’ve succeeded. That’s probably true for most of us. And I always, always, learn and grow more from those failures than any victory.  That’s what taking a risk is all about. Betting on yourself and risking failure.

Tania, 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?

With Hi-Lo Beverage I’m most proud that what we do supports small farms and the people who work that land. In the last 4 years, I’ve learned so much about true sustainability and regenerative farming and how it can restore the land and sustain us. That’s as true in regular farming as it is in growing grapes or agave and making wine or mezcal. How we treat our earth matters. And I love that we only sell wine and spirits that embrace that ethos. I figured if I was going to start a company that relied on fossil fuels for shipping and freight, then at the very least, let this work support the little guy, the small producer, the farmer who works to regenerate the soil, take care of their workers, and educate their community on a better way to grow food, grapes, raise animals, and also make some pretty spectacular wines.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

My most expensive failure, a few years ago, was in hiring the wrong person. A marketing executive with a world-famous former boss, who misled me at great expense. It was a severe lapse in judgment on my part. I had more belief in her talents or potential than in my own. The lesson I learned from that mess was that I need to believe in myself. I’m the necessary, vital component to any venture of mine. Self-belief is a form of faith. Of course, we need people. We need community. There are few things better than collaborating on a project with a group of passionate colleagues and friends. But someone with an impressive pedigree and fame-adjacent isn’t going to answer your prayers.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Be kind to everyone you encounter. The wine & spirits biz is a very small one. The kinder and more supportive you are, the better off you are. Word gets around. People talk. You never know where someone will end up. A sales rep you disparage today could be the wine buyer for your biggest client tomorrow. Be kind not just out of self-interest but because it’s the better way to be. Yes, there are people who will want to cut you down. However, this is not a zero-sum game. You can be successful at your job, and I can do well at mine. There is room for all of us to play.

Contact Info:

• Website: hilobeverage.com, taniavanpelt.com, agelessdietlife.com
• Instagram: hilobeverage

Image Credits
Marlida Ferreira (Tania’s photo), the rest credit TVP