Potential Dream Opportunity

I had an amazing meeting yesterday that got me more excited than anything else I have looked into and more realistically, had the opportunity to actually do!

Details aren’t finalized and what this may entail is still to be determined but the potential is there. This could be a great combination of my strengths with my passions.  If you have read either of my previous blogs, you will know that I consider myself a foodie and that passion definitely includes wine.  Hence the interest in seeing if I could get a job at one of the vineyards/wineries doing just about anything.  It is a topic I feel passionate about and would love to expand my knowledge.

Yesterday I had a meeting to go to a small gourmet wine and food shop in Falls Church.  It is close to where Justin and I used to live and we frequented this place often.  The 2 men that own the shop are 30 something’s who used to work on Wall Street.  A few years ago, they elected to leave their Wall Street jobs and the bank accounts that come with those positions and follow their hearts for a job that they loved.

The shop that they opened, a little over a year and a half ago, is an wonderful boutique wine and gourmet shop.  They sell speciality chocolates, artisan cheeses, have a charcuterie, over 100 beers and an incredible selection of wines.  Off to one side is this great tasting room that seems to serve as the local weekend happy hour.  The perfect place to stop by after work to begin your weekend.   They also host private parties and hold events in the tasting room.  Example: Next Tuesday they have an event planned with Argia’s in Falls Church for a Autumn Six Course Dinner with Wine Paring (Only $90–that is a STEAL.)  The menu looks amazing!  Too bad $90 for a Tuesday night dinner doesn’t seem like the wisest choice while I am staring at impending unemployment.

They have survived the down economy with little to no marketing or advertising.  They exist only on word of mouth and are looking to grow in their PR.

And here I am, a comrade in the world of quitting your corporate jobs in hopes of finding something you love.  I believe they are willing to give me a chance to see what I can do.  Luckily I feel comfortable in the world of food and some what the world of wines and the DC area definitely has money and the market is there to grow in.  I also know a good amount about the DC food scene, restaurants, chefs, etc.

The job will begin small and basically be paid on commission. I did marketing and advertising for a job I had through college/grad school.  Albeit, the market was much smaller in Blacksburg, this still included ad design, ad placement, talking with newspapers, etc.  By what we discussed yesterday, the more people I bring in, the more I’m paid and I will get a commission on events that are placed.  In addition to advertising, it would include attending events and basically just networking, two things I am excellent at when I am passionate about the topic/product.

So this could be another position to add to my multitude of numerous part time jobs.  I am so THRILLED about the possibilities!  I have already started running through a million different possible ways to help them market.

As I was walking out the door, James gave me a wonderful selection of chocolates to take home.

There was a huge range of flavors.  One was a garam marsala chocolate and another sea salt and almond chocolate, which is my current chocolate obsession.

Downright adorable.

I haven’t let myself taste this one.  It looks too fancy to eat.  Chocolate covered in gold. Just what every fashionable lady needs!

Luckily Justin and I both know restraint and we only tasted a small piece of the garam marsala and the sea salt chocolates.  The rest will be stretched out through all their chocolaty goodness over the week.  This job could have its perks!

To Smile.