Sam Viklund, Account Supervisor at Jarvis Communications, Los Angeles, California (USA)

Years in the Industry:
Seven years. I got my start in wine while studying at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. I was fortunate to take an anthropology of wine course with Professor Deborah Heath, a scholar of the cultural significance of terroir as it relates to food and beverage. While studying, I gained hands-on experience through an entrepreneurial internship at a small winery and vineyard in the Willamette Valley, which solidified my choice to pursue a career in wine.

After college, I worked as a wine buyer at an Italian specialty market and as a server at several wine-centric restaurants in Portland and San Francisco. My entry into the world of fine wine marketing and communications was through an internship that lead to a full time position on the Public Relations team Colangelo & Partners. Then in 2019, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a role at Jarvis Communications, where I currently oversee and execute public relations campaigns for a number of fantastic wine clients.

My Top Three Challenges to Wellness:
1. Time management and organization.
As we all know, working in the alcohol business is not always easy - it’s a crowded, competitive space and the hours are long across the board. In order to succeed and stay well, I have to be organized and intentional with my time and stay on top of my calendar and to-do lists while also making time for rest and personal pursuits - it’s an uphill battle for me and a work in progress.

2. Moderation and mindfulness.
I have to remain diligent and focused on keeping my own consumption in check. It takes a lot of self-discipline to set healthy boundaries around drinking and eating when promoting, discussing, and experiencing these things occupies the majority of my time.

3. Isolation.
I’ve lived alone in small apartments for the duration of the pandemic, which has been an interesting journey. The past 16+ months have made it abundantly clear to me that we all need our “village” more than ever. We are lucky to have so many new tools at our disposal to facilitate this.

How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:
Networking and Team Building - I genuinely love connecting with people, getting to know them, and ideally being of service to them in some way. Building strong personal and professional relationships keeps me going, and I am thankful to work for a company that fosters a culture of mutual respect, support, and collaboration.

Healthy-ish habits - While I delight in indulging while dining out or entertaining, I keep things pretty healthy and light in my personal kitchen. I’m not naturally athletic or particularly fond of exercise, but I feel best when I make time to walk every day for at least an hour, ideally more.

An Academic Lens - Wine is so endlessly complex and there is always more to learn. I approach it as I would school, it keeps me sharp and engaged to constantly read and study.

What Inspires Me:
I am inspired by the tenacity and resiliency of those who, in the face of fire and disease and broken systems, have kept the wheels turning and figured out how to make it work. I am inspired by and grateful to those who are working to make our industry a more inclusive, safe, and equitable place for people who have historically been excluded.

A Quote I Love:
“Use really good olive oil” - Ina Garten

You can connect with Sam on Instagram @samviklund and Linkedin