Emma Criswell, Vice President, Balzac Communications and Marketing (Columbus, Ohio, USA)

Years in Industry:
12 years. I became interested in the nuances of wine during undergrad at Ohio University when a professor of mine would bring in a wine here and there from the country we were discussing in class. When I tell people my first white wine was a canned Retsina, they always wonder how I ended up in this industry!

I’ve worked in many facets of the business including importing, events and retail, but have always focused on marketing and public relations. It’s always a challenge to present yourself as part of the marketing team to an industry that is always more interested in sales than media coverage, but I learned at the beginning how marketing can help sales if you let it. It’s been my mission over the years to prove that.
 
My Top Three Challenges to Wellness:

1. Travel. If Covid taught me anything, it’s that travel wreaks havoc on my system. I used to do a lot of it, and I’m hoping that business travel will be sparse from here on out. There are so many factors at play, and making the best choices can become difficult.

2. Consistent routine. I find myself varying my morning routine based on who I’m with, and where I am, but I need to learn to put my foot down and make it happen, regardless. I know what works to calm my mind and prepare me for work, but I let the commitment lapse.

3. Anxiety. I’ve dealt with Generalized Anxiety Disorder most of my life. I’ve improved at managing it with tools like meditation, yoga, and medication. I’m lucky to be working with Michael Wangbickler because he understands and supports me through all my anxiety. I’m honestly not sure how I could work at this point without a boss who gets just how erratic anxiousness can be.

How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:

I have a stellar support system of friends, therapists, family, colleagues and pets. I used to think I had to do it all on my own, but I’ve slowly been learning to ask for help and guidance when I need it. It’s been slowly changing the way I live my life and who I let onto my island. If you haven’t read the island story from Glennon Doyle’s Untamed, I highly recommend it.

Meditation and journaling are literal lifesavers. I first started meditating when I was suffering from SIBO (a gastrointestinal bacterial issue) and learned that switching into the parasympathetic nervous system helps healing. Does it ever. If I don’t meditate and follow up with three pages of journaling every morning, my day has the potential to go in a completely different direction. Davidji is one of my favorite meditation teachers.

Yoga. I started practicing yoga in high school and it’s stuck with me ever since. There are a lot of days I feel too tired, or I don’t want to change my outfit, get out the mat, etc. etc. I have a friend who is a yoga instructor and she tells me on days like that, she gets out the mat and just lays on it while hoping for the best. I’ve started to do that and it really works, inevitably you turn on a class or at the very least, do some twists. The whole mentality around yoga, spirituality and Buddhism has been a saving grace.

Cutting back on caffeine and alcohol. Both of these things have the potential to cause my anxiety to go through the roof. At this point, I’ll have 1-2 cups of caffeinated tea per day and the rest is made up of herbal tisanes. I’m also the daughter of an alcoholic, and there was a time I was proud that I don’t have an addictive personality, and I can drink alcohol in moderation. I’m also learning to be more mindful about it and like to say I’m sober adjacent, in that I don’t imbibe often, but when I do, it’s for true enjoyment.

What Inspires Me:
Compassionate Leadership. Working with Mike at Balzac has been one of the greatest gifts to my career. I’ve never had anyone who is so compassionate and empathetic. I’ve learned how to power through, find solutions to challenges, take the whole picture of my life into account, and give myself breaks during my time with the company, and I look forward to continuing to learn and grow into my leadership role even more. 

Community.  I’ve taken the time to cultivate a community that I am in awe is real. I have some of the best friends, family and colleagues in my circle right now, and while I sometimes hesitate to reach out to them for support, I know they are there, and I am there to support them in the same way. The give and take has taught me a lot about how to be what I consider a good human, and it’s beautiful.

Fiction. I often burn myself out on self-help books. While I love them, and generally have a least one or two going at any given time, it’s fiction that always provides me with the transformation. If you’re into strong female, childfree protagonists with beautiful Victorian language and roots in history, I highly recommend the series. 

A very curated Instagram. Removing everything that doesn’t make me feel good and following hashtags pertaining to my interests has made getting on the app a restorative, rather than draining experience. 

Listening to myself. This is a big one, and one I’m still very much learning to do. It takes effort, but I have begun to notice that my first inclination is the one I need to listen to.
 
A Quote I Love:
“And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anais Nin

Connect with Emma on Instagram, Facebook and through the Balzac website.