Monica Snyder

I attribute my success to God first and foremost. If you don't have God on your side, you're definitely not going to be successful. He's the main thing, it's the reason why I am where I am today. He opens the doors and I walk through them, so without Him, I'd have nothing. Beyond that, I credit the values that my parents instilled in me. Those values have guided me throughout my career and helped me stay grounded and focused on what matters.

The best career advice I ever received is something I keep right on my binder: 10 things that require zero talent. Being on time, making an effort, being high energy, having a positive attitude, being passionate, using good body language, being coachable, doing a little extra, being prepared, and having a strong work ethic. If you can do all those things, you will be successful in any business that you do. The other piece of advice that's stuck with me is that I would never ask somebody to do a job I wouldn't do myself. I'm a little bit different. You'll never hear me say 'that's not my job.' I'll say yes, or if I cannot, let me find a way.

I would tell young women entering this industry the same thing I live by: follow those 10 things that require zero talent. Always be on time, put your best foot forward, be positive and passionate. My friends describe me as the most passionate person they know. If you follow a few of those things and just have a strong work ethic, not being lazy, you're going to be successful because it shows people that you care about their time, not only your own. Everybody's time is very valuable, so as long as you're considerate of other people, they're going to respect you, and you're going to get so much farther in life.

The biggest challenge right now is distributor management, because people have gotten so lazy after COVID hit. If you have good relationships like I do with a lot of people, it's easier. But if you don't and you're diving into it new, it's a little bit more difficult and challenging. Another challenge is building a small brand when the big brands have so much money to pay to get on the menu. For example, I can offer to print menus for a restaurant, but then another brand comes in and says, well, here's $1,000, it'll pay for all your menus, put ours on it instead. That's a pretty tough challenge in the liquor business. As for opportunities, people love a healthier option, and that's what I have. Mine is additive-free, healthier, doesn't have any sugars added, it's gluten-free, it's organic, it's high-end, and it's female-owned. The moment I say female-owned and I'm meeting with women, they're like, I'm buying it. Those are the opportunities in offering a quality product over a lower-end one.

The most important value to me is having God on my side. If you don't have God, you're definitely not going to be successful. God is the main thing, it's the reason why I am where I am today. He opens the doors and I walk through them, so without Him, I'd have nothing. Beyond my faith, I value the principles my parents instilled in me, being considerate of other people's time, having a strong work ethic, and never asking someone to do a job I wouldn't do myself. I also value taking care of my body. I'm very health-conscious, I work out six days a week, and I cook all my food at home when I'm not on the road. I feel better when I eat better, and that's important to me.