CEO and Author Michaela Rodeno Speaks to a Sold-Out Audience

As part of Financial Women of San Francisco’s Industry Leadership series, author and retired wine industry executive Michaela Rodeno spoke about her experiences. Tracing the arc of her career development from its unlikely beginnings in early 1970s Napa, to being part of the (initially) two person team that launched Domaine Chandon in the U.S., to her role as CEO of St. Supery Winery, Michaela energized the sell out crowd on Thursday, April 3rd.



Over wine and appetizers, Michaela shared a story whose key thread was flexibility and constant learning that saw her take on a variety of increasingly senior roles in the industry. What was evident was how again and again, her intelligence, ability to rise to the occasion, willingness to take chances, and the serendipity of working with leaders who were willing to think outside of the box, more than outweighed her initial lack of industry experience.


In addition to sharing her story, Michaela provided useful career insights that apply well beyond the wine world. For one thing, she demonstrated the importance of timing as well as the power of simply raising one’s hand when a potential opportunity presents itself. She also suggested looking for gaps in the market, where your skills and/or product could be useful, stating that “there’s always a way,” pointing to startups as a great arena to pursue careers, since “they’re where all the fun is.” The evening ended with Michaela signing copies of her self-published book “From Bubbles to Boardrooms.” If you missed the event, you can learn some of her story by ordering a copy of her book.

Contributed by Deborah Adeyanju, Johnston and Alves