Tess Ankeny shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Tess, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I love to be out in nature. I’ve lived in some amazing places—Austin, San Diego, Washington, D.C.—but on my first trip into the mountains I really felt like I’d finally found my place, where my soul feels at home. I recently read Jonathan Haidt’s ‘The Anxious Generation’, in which he discusses the importance of awe in grounding ourselves and remembering what is important in life. I’ve lost track of how many hikes I’ve done at this point, but that sense of awe is a constant each time. (Apart from that, I also love to lose myself in romantasy books.)
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Tess, and I’m a sommelier and the owner of Flights Wine Events + Consulting. I have nearly 15 years of experience in the wine industry, and I have long dreamed of combining my different areas of expertise into my own business. I love sharing my love of wine with my clients, and helping them figure out exactly what it is they love to drink.
Flights offers a personalized service to customize a wine list for weddings (and other private events). Our goal is to get to know everything about the event, preferences, and budget, and put together a one-of-a-kind list that perfectly reflects the special day. I think the most unique part of our service is the final tasting component: we host a private tasting to give our clients the opportunity to taste through their options and learn about each wine before placing the final order with the retailer. Our process is always fun and never snobby—we want to make sure our clients feel confident in their choices and love every wine that they’ll be serving.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Without a doubt, my entire view of myself changed after I had my children. Seeing myself through their eyes has made me more confident and capable, as well as shifted my priorities. I want them to know that it’s always possible to be more than one thing in life, and to always keep learning and trying. Children are incredibly perceptive, so I know that if I want them to believe something, I have to believe it about myself as well.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Time is always moving, and life is full of different seasons. It’s so easy when you are younger to believe “this is it,” and that can be a really hard feeling. But as you age you realize we are constantly changing, and in each change there is possibility for growth.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Celebrating the little moments. Life is full of small moments that are easy to brush aside, but I’ve always made it a priority to find reasons to celebrate little milestones for all the people I love the most. (It helps that I love to throw a party!)
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
For a number of years, I worked in a different industry and wine was just my hobby. I wasn’t passionate about what I was doing before, but I wasn’t sure if I could actually make it work to make the leap into wine full-time.
With the encouragement of my husband, Cody, I finally quit my other job and started working at a boutique wine shop called DCanter in Washington, D.C. I was positively giddy to be learning and tasting so much! I grew a tremendous amount in that role and learned an incredible amount about the industry. It really was the take-off point for me professionally.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flightswine.co
- Instagram: flights.wine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566999916756
