There”™s another significant crack in the glass ceiling thanks to Deborah Brenner, who will go to Manhattan April 22 to be honored by the federal Small Business Administration as New York”™s Women”™s Small Business Champion of 2009.
It”™s a validation for Brenner, who, up until 2005, had been a regular straphanger from Rockland county, commuting to her corporate job in Manhattan where men dominated the broadcast technology field she worked in. A life-changing experience ”“ one that temporarily knocked Brenner for a loop ”“ found her feeling the time had come to get out of the corporate world of machines and find one populated with people.
On a soul-searching trip to California, she discovered her life”™s new journey. A woman named Karen Cakebread, who owned her own winery, was joining Brenner and other women at lunch. The two hit it off and, through Cakebread, another refugee from corporate America, Brenner met other women who toiled in traditional men”™s work and took it on themselves to be successful, an achievement that inspired Brenner to make a career change.
“One of the women vintners woke up and found herself and two children with no income,” she said. “Her husband had just picked up and walked out. She did what she had to do to keep her family going … that was an underlying current with the women I met on that trip. It inspired me to write about their achievements and to compile their life stories into a book, ”˜Women of the Vine.”™”
The book was cathartic for Brenner, who went beyond the written word and saw the possibility collaborating with the women vintners she befriended.
“Unless you”™ve worked in a field and depended on it to keep you and your family fed and housed, you have no idea of what a difficult life it is,” said Brenner. “But ”˜Women of the Vine”™ is truly not just about women in the wine-making industry … it”™s about women who went out on their own ”“ whether by chance or by choice ”“ and found a sense of self worth and achievement in their lives and a way to support themselves that made them feel fulfilled.”
Brenner”™s “glass breaking” moment came when she realized there were “six award-winning winemakers in Sonoma, Napa and Paso Robles, all entrepreneurs who could partner together and do something most women don”™t do ”“ make their own wine.”
The idea for Women of the Vine Cellars was born: The six women who participated in the original book liked the idea of working together to create something unique.
But like all good ideas, it takes money and a solid business plan to turn dreams into reality.
Brenner turned to her local bank for advice. Sarah Tucker, vice president and senior business relationship manager for HSBC in Nyack, met with her.
“It was instant chemistry,” said Tucker. “Not only did Deborah have this remarkable idea to sell and distribute wines grown and raised solely by women, but she had a great name for the company ”“ Women of the Vine Cellars ”“ and the fortitude to go through the process of securing the loans to make it happen.” Â
Brenner fine tuned her business plan and applied for the needed credit while Tucker mentored her client through the process and sold HSBC on the Women of the Vine Cellars. “We were able to get her $150,000 guaranteed through the SBA Express Loan program,” said Tucker.
Some of the equity came from Brenner”™s home.
Brenner found another mentor in Steve Porath, business director at the Rockland County Economic Development Corp., which helped with another small business loan.
“From an economic development standpoint, I can certainly say Deborah”™s business model, demeanor and energy made it a very easy decision to give her a loan,” said Porath. “Our loans are not just based on a credit score, but on a person”™s ability to demonstrate how they are going to be successful. She”™s an absolute gem.”
“Deborah has surrounded herself with people who know what they are doing and giving her sound advice,” said Tucker. “It was a pleasure to nominate her for the SBA award and I”™m thrilled she was chosen. She”™s certainly worked hard for it and she”™s really an inspiration to thousands of women who want to own their own business and are willing to put their heart and soul into it.”
SBA loan officer John Miller, who”™ll present Brenner with the award on Tuesday, agreed. “We receive applications, but Deborah”™s was particularly compelling,” he said. “We”™re just amazed at how far she”™s brought her business and her message to other women business owners.” Â
Today, Women of the Vine Cellars”™ products can be found in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and California.
The business is a challenge, said Brenner: “The wine business is a multitiered industry, not just dealing on the federal level, but also with the state liquor authorities. It is daunting to navigate through the legalities.”
The obstacles have not stopped Brenner or the women vintners who are her not just her partners, but her friends.
These days, instead of traveling multiple hours to a job where she was connecting with machines, planes and trains, Brenner is connecting with people on a continual basis: “Ultimately, that is the most satisfying part of my new career. I do the marketing, the selling and the strategizing, but more importantly, I”™m working with people. Computers are great, but you don”™t have a human relationship with them.”
Brenner said Women of the Vine Cellars is on its way to its first million-dollar year this year and more than ever she wants to encourage women to follow their dream.
“I”™ve given talks to the Rockland Women”™s Business Network, the Alliance of Hudson Valley Women Business Owners and several Westchester organizations that want to inspire women to feel empowered to let them know there are incredible resources out there,” she said. “Women of the Vine Cellars”™ mission is support other women and to encourage them to support each other and to follow their heart.”
