Stepping up

In October of 2021, I came across several posts on social media from distilleries announcing a program created by the American Craft Spirit Association, Spirits Training Entrepreneurship Program for Underrepresented Professionals (STEPUP Foundation), seeking mentors for an internship program. Upon reading more into what this new program would entail and its mission, I knew I had to throw my hat into the ring. A few weeks later, I received an invitation to a Zoom call with Margie Lehrman, president of STEPUP, and Sharlie Ward, executive assistant for the program. I was chosen to be one of the first mentors for this program and told I would be assigned to one of the interns and that I was to create a regular schedule of checking in with that person during their year-long internship.

To say I was astounded is an understatement. I was excited and also terrified – what a responsibility! I knew,