Raise a Glass reposted this
I had the great pleasure of being invited to speak at Cal Poly, on Tuesday night! Every other week the student-run Vines to Wines club hosts leaders from the wine industry to speak on their work in viticulture, enology, or wine business. I was humbled as I shared my journey as a co-founder of Raise a Glass, which brings digital experiences to consumer goods products using augmented reality 🤳🍷. So many of the speakers that have come to speak before me are renowned in their field, while my journey as a founder has merely just begun. I discussed our first wine project, "The Resistance Blend" with Costa de Oro Winery, which takes their specialty wine and a story of an everyday Ukrainian hero that bursts to life on the bottle! Mainly though, I focused on the reality of being a founder: the self-doubt, the need for perseverance, the unknown of what's to come, and the many, many failures along the way. I told them to start something they are passionate about so that both the highs and the lows of the journey are worth it. This experience felt far different than when I was a student and had guest speakers lecturing me. Instead, it was refreshing to have students brainstorm and ask questions with me, as if they were part of Raise a Glass. Thank you so much to all the students that attended, your thoughtful questions, and belief in our mission.