Lisabeth Willette Danneels, Co-Founder, The Fine Line Podcast & Partner at Natural Wine Co. (Boulder, Colorado, USA)

Years in the Industry:
21 years in the industry - I moved to NYC in 1999 to work as an assistant sommelier for David Bouley, then went into wine sales for Michael Skurnik. Five years later I started my own small company, Willette Wines, which I merged with Grand Cru Selections in 2011. In 2017 I sold my share of that to move to Boulder, CO and work with Natural Wine Company. In March 2020, I started The Fine Line: Balancing Hedonism & Health with Emily Gold. We aired our first episode in September 2020 and seek to find out how the people we admire in and outside the wine business balance their love of food and wine with their physical and mental health.

My Top Three Challenges to Wellness:

1. Sugar! I have a big sweet tooth. I don't deny myself, but do make sure to eat a lot of healthy food around it as a base. Chocolate chip cookies are my happy place, but I keep a dark chocolate bar in my purse at all times (and Maldon salt!). One small square after lunch will satiate me and still feel "healthy-ish".

2. Wine - I love to drink but it does negatively affect my sleep, so I am keeping that at bay too. The challenge is not to overindulge when I do finally get some time with friends.

3. Sleep - I can usually fall asleep but then I wake up in the middle of the night with my heart racing when the sugar hits and often cannot fall back asleep. My sleep routine includes powdered magnesium and a 20-minute Headspace meditation to help calm my very busy mind.

How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:
Exercise. I am like a dog who needs to be run in the morning, and that is my saving grace. I will sacrifice sleep to get a workout in, I can't function without it. I actually don't literally run very often. I hike out my door (very lucky to live in Boulder) with my dog every morning.

I also do strengthening work. For years I did Tracy Anderson, but lately am super into Melissa Wood Health. She has new workouts of varying lengths a few times a week that combine pilates and yoga, and also have taken The Class by TT since 2012. They now have a digital platform which has been a godsend. It's an incredible workout but also great for the mind and the soul. Through the method you tap into the thoughts that arise and observe them, much like meditation. We also scream sometimes in that class, which feels amazing.

What Inspires Me:
Lately the incredible network of women I have gotten to know through this podcast who are using their spare time to push the cause of racial and gender equality in our business (eg: Batonnage Forum, Lift Collective). I was in such a bubble in NYC that I wasn't not aware of all the activism around me. It's nice to feel a small part of that now. 

A Quote I Love:
"Everything in moderation, even moderation"

You can connect with Liz on Instagram @lizwillette Facebook @lisabethdanneels and online at finelinepodcast.com