Stevie Kim, Managing Director, Vinitaly International, Verona (Italy)

Years in the Industry:

About a decade ago, I started in the Italian wine world… as divorce prevention!

After working for years and years with my husband in the field of eating disorders, I needed a change to avoid our demise! I ran a publishing company for academic books with my husband and oversaw the organization of medical congresses. In a way, my professional challenge was to transfer the knowledge and experience I had gained in that sector to the wine world, and attempt to make a difference in the promotion of Italian wine abroad.

One thing led to the next and I found myself truly passionate about wine. I am not a wine expert and this lack of highly technical knowledge, especially at the beginning, was my strength because it pushed me to simplify and communicate about Italian wine abroad in a more accessible way. I was able to greatly contribute in this way.

With Vinitaly International it’s been a different kind of marriage, whose ten-year anniversary falls in 2020.

My Biggest Challenge to Wellness:

Time… The main challenge is finding and making the time for wellness, because you always think you will do it after a meeting or trip but there’s never enough time.

Physical wellness will also dictate your psychological wellness, so I try to keep that in mind even though I often forget. Consistency is tricky when you live a busy life.

How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:

In the beginning, I was a runner and did a few marathons. However, when I started working in wine I found that it’s difficult to keep it all together physically when you’re paid to eat, drink and indulge. This question comes at a good time though, because sometimes you have to be made to think about these things.

I’m not terribly spiritual, but I do believe in karma and that things happen for a reason. This topic is clearly something I need to address. To be honest, I don’t have it all together, but I have my moments.

My philosophy in life is that when there’s an obstacle or difficulty, try to turn it into an opportunity. For example, this summer I had to cancel my plans last minute because of something that came up. Instead, I ended up in the mountains. Every day I went walking up and down mountains in the Dolomites and on walking trails in the woods, in a region that is home to brown bears. On my walks, I would go a long time without seeing any people. Cell coverage was also spotty there. I am used to being connected at all times, so I became a bit panicked. It was truly remote. I began to realize just how vulnerable I was, but sometimes I need these moments to bring me back to earth. These are the times to learn how to connect with your psyche. So I began to focus on my breathing, which I found to be a real source of comfort and release. Now whenever I face some critical moment, I resort to my one reliable friend, breathing. It’s all about breathing.

You can connect with Stevie @steviekim222 on Instagram Facebook and Twitter and via LinkedIn .