Philana Bouvier / Photo by Hardy Wilson
For Philana Bouvier, community is more than a buzzword.
“People are always going to be your best investment,” says Bouvier, president of Demeine Estates, a fine wine sales and marketing company whose portfolio includes Heitz Cellar, Burgess and Champagne Legras & Haas, among others.
She took the post in April 2021, a little more than a year after the novel coronavirus pandemic shuttered many businesses and took Demeine’s day-to-day interactions online. And so, Bouvier says, she works closely with Carlton McCoy, the managing partner and founder of Demeine Estates, to build a culture where colleagues feel seen, heard and valued, all while working remotely.
“The pandemic is, among other things, a serious mental health issue,” says Bouvier. She looks for practical ways to alleviate the professional strain of pandemic life on her team members.
“Because everything is virtual, we’re all getting twice as much email as before. There’s such a thing as Zoom fatigue. You don’t need five back-to-back meetings to look like you’re working. It’s important that we honor people’s time.”
“Bet on yourself, you’ll always win.” —Philana Bouvier, Demeine Estates
She recently helped launch Dream It Live It, a program that uses Demeine Estates’ established network to connect and provide opportunities to wine industry entrepreneurs from marginalized backgrounds.
In 2020, Bouvier cofounded Be The Change, an organization that facilitates job placement and career building for members of communities underrepresented in drinks businesses. She is also a board member of Lift Collective, a diversity-minded wine industry platform.
“We all have the opportunity to make a difference,” says Bouvier.
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