Her Story
About Marisa
Marissa Hatfield serves as a Key Account Manager at FloState, a new distributor in the wine and spirits industry, where she handles a high-end luxury portfolio specializing in restaurants and country clubs. She began her career at age 21 after being scouted while waitressing due to her exceptional palate, and has spent 14 years in distribution aside from a brief stint at Gartner from July 2019 to April 2020. Hatfield earned degrees in chemistry and art with minors in biology and interdisciplinary studies from Florida Gulf Coast University. She also holds WSET Level 2 certification and Oregon Safe Training. Her approach centers on listening more than talking to customers, maintaining transparency and consistency, and prioritizing good ethics while helping clients succeed. She values the flexibility of her role, which allows her to create her own schedule.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Marisa
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of my suppliers told me when I was young that the best thing you can do when you're with a customer is listen more than you talk.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Think about what you want your day-to-day job to look like, not just big dreams. For this industry, taste everything because when people respect your palate, that builds relationships and opportunities to work with chefs and design menus. I have a lot of flexibility and create my own schedule.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Alcohol sales are down. There is literally a war on alcohol going on right now, partly because of marijuana and FDA warnings that even one drink a week is bad. Life is about moderation.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Transparency and consistency. I always do the right thing with no gray area. Good ethics. I'm very laid back and not pushy. I'm customer service oriented and want to help my customer succeed.
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