Sommelier Michelle Erland went from bartending at a local NYU bar to managing wine for Giovanni Rana, a fine dining Italian restaurant in NYC — all in just under two years! Listen to Michelle’s inspiring conversation with Like A Boss Girls Founder Marla Isackson as she talks about her career and how she became a sommelier.
Aside from her fascinating wine work, Michelle has faced incredibly difficult hardships in her personal life. Michelle lost both her parents within a few years of one another just as she was entering adulthood. Michelle is a Boss Girl who epitomizes resiliency and we hope you’ll find strength in her story, just like we did.
Notable quote from the episode:
“Create your own timeline. Your journey is the only journey that really needs to matter for you.”
– Michelle Erland –
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Update from Michelle:
Since our Mind of a Mentor episode recording last month, I traveled to Italy to take part in the Vinitaly International Academy with selected candidates from around the world. I passed the exam and became an Italian Wine Ambassador in the United States! I am very excited because being an ambassador opens the doors to new opportunities to learn and grow within my passion- wine!
I am studying for my third Sommelier level (Advanced) with the court of Master Sommeliers but don’t have plans to take the exam until 2018/2019. I am however, finishing my MBA in hospitality at Johnson & Wales University. One class at a time is what I am doing- the finish line looks farther away but it will be here before we know it. 🙂
Michelle Erland, NYC
May 10, 2017
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