Lesley Liu is an assistant sommelier at Odette who believes that fear should not stop you from opening doors when opportunity comes knocking. This is why she jumped straight into the wine industry despite it being male-dominated. Her advice for women who share her interest – don’t be intimidated.
“Speak with confidence, be yourself, always know what you are saying and say it with strength. Be a role model,” she says. “Through hard work and experience, you can develop confidence and bring value to the table. And never hesitate to throw an idea out there; it might just be what your team needs.”
“It’s also important to shut down negativity, maintain a positive attitude and focus on what you want to achieve,” she adds.
The 29-year-old Taiwanese admits she feels empowered when she’s able to mentor others. In fact, she is open to taking sommeliers under her wing and encourages more women to pick up the trade.
“When I arrived in Singapore, I joined the Sommelier Association of Singapore. It is an amazing group of like-minded professionals who have so much to share about wine and the industry. I have been a member for two years now, and I highly recommend anyone new to the industry to join it,” she said.
To her, mentoring other women empowers them with kindness and strength and helps make their aspirations a reality.
