Dan Sims, Founder / CEO, Revel (Melbourne, Australia)

Years in the Industry:
A couple of decades. I kicked off my career in hospitality in the late 90s, and still to this day, it remains at the core of what I do. I started as a sommelier working in a number of awarded restaurants. My final stint was at the Melbourne version of Fifteen Melbourne and even got a little recognition of my skills from the Age Good Food Guide. From there, I consulted to restaurants and wine bars writing / developing wine and training programs and it was here I began focusing on events working with the likes of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, Good Food & Wine Show.
 
Through this I observed that whenever we spoke about wine it was ‘death by master class'. Seeing this was the catalyst for me to develop a wine focused festival that put the wine drinker (and fun) first; enter Pinot Palooza.
 
In 2013 I started my own business, Bottle Shop Concepts, with the specific aim to run these events globally. Fast forward to today, REVEL (as we’re now known) has run wine festivals in over 15 cities and seven countries with Pinot Palooza the flagship alongside Game of Rhones, Sake Matsuri, MOULD: A Cheese Festival, Gauchito Gil’s Malbec Day, Wine Day Out, and Oinofilia.
 
Whilst we do festivals, today I see REVEL as much of a media company as it is an events business as we play a role in communicating a winery’s (or cheese producer) message to our audience. I remain a sommelier and communicator at heart, anchored in hospitality.
 
My Biggest Challenge To Wellness:
Mostly travel, lack of routine and, perhaps ironically, the wine industry. There are a lot of perks to working in wine and travel is indeed on of them. But there can be negatives for as much as I love imbibing what I promote (wine), the effects can and do build up over time.  Add in a lack of routine, time away from home, fatigue, bad diet, stress and caffeine, it can sometimes feel like a hamster wheel of unwellness which can lead to mental health challenges (I certainly face my own).
 
We work in wine and it is wonderfully social for when you open a bottle, you share it with others after-all. But the flip side of this is getting caught up in the ‘go hard or go home’ (and sometimes misogynistic) culture of which drinking is at the core. Don’t get me wrong, I love working in wine but too much of a good thing can and does add up.
 
My other challenge is I really, really like the taste of wine so I admit, I am my own worst enemy!
 
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
Ha. I often think I struggle to keep it together! Jokes aside, I’m trying my best to focus on … (what was that word?) … “moderation”. Walking for me, especially in the morning, is a massive help for me as it allows me to clear my head prior to the workday which also gives me some time to think. I try and do this wherever I am in the world. On any event day I walk between 15 to 20 kilometers a day , and and my team at a large event (eg: PinotPalooza) walk up to 280 kilometers over the course of the event.

"For 2020 my ‘new year, new me’ routine will be including more gym time, better diet and severely moderating my wine intake during the week which, in turn, helps me sleep better; lack of sleep is of no good to anyone.  I’d like to mediate more but often struggle as my head does spin (I need it guided) but I do often use apps like ‘Calm’ and ‘Headspace’ whilst flying as it’s a perfect excuse to. One thing I do love enjoy and which think keeps me sane, is listening to podcasts / audiobooks by people who aren’t necessarily in wine. It’s inspiring and their stories help me think outside the box. Taking time outside the wine industry bubble is also very good to my wellness!
 
You can connect with Dan on Instagram @dan_sims Twitter @dansims, LinkedIn: Dan-Sims  and online at www.revel.global