"If you’re alone, remember you’re never actually alone" with Kala Maxym
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Can you tell our readers about your background?
I was born and raised in Germany and England (nope, not an army brat) and moved to the U.S. when I was 14. I was raised speaking a lot of different languages and experiencing a lot of different cultures but I lived in one dominant sensory ecosystem in northern Europe, and that took me through into young adulthood. As I grew up, studied, worked, and traveled abroad, my “tastes” – in all senses of the word expanded – and I became a lover of many foods, many sounds, many cultures. I knew that people who said they “hated” opera or “just didn’t drink white wine” just probably hadn’t tried – or tasted – the good stuff, and that’s a big part of what inspired me to start my company.
I’ve lived in many different parts of the world and across the U.S. as well, including Boston, Washington DC, New York City, Honolulu, San Francisco, Chicago, and now I’ve finally found my home in Los Angeles. People always ask me what I love the most about this city, and I always respond: “The air of possibility.”
What inspired you to start your business?
I wanted to combine my love of music, wine, and food into one business, sure, but as a musician, I was curious to see if I could adapt the idea of a flight of wine to music. Once I started learning more about wine, I fell in love with the idea of traveling with a grape or a vineyard or a vintage through different stages of a story, and I wondered: could I get people to “taste” the music the way they tasted wines? Turns out with some clever storytelling that was totally possible, and it opened up people’s minds to things they didn’t know they loved. That’s one of my favorite things in the world: being able to open someone’s eyes to the hidden gems they didn’t even know they loved!
Where is your business based?
Los Angeles. However, we’ve traveled around the country with our events and now are hosting virtual events for private and corporate clients all over the country.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
I was working full-time on the side when I launched my business and so the first steps I took involved sneaking out of the office and taking calls in the elevator bank or the fire escape to take calls, network, organize my events, etc! I hired someone to help me with a website (that’s before Wix and Squarespace existed), and honestly, I just launched into it and created our first event to test the concept. That’s how I’ve done a lot of things in my business: say yes first and then figure out how later!
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
It’s really been a mixture of approaches but word-of-mouth has been a big one! Some careful writing and collaborations have opened some doors, and I’ve also openly asked for connections and introductions from friends and colleagues and graciously accepted referrals when they’re made. I’ve also always been a really good correspondent (that’s what happens when you leave home at age 12 to go to boarding school) so I’m really good at keeping up with people, commenting on their successes, noticing when there are changes to their business or personal lives, and just staying present. That’s resulted in a lot of re-connections and several have turned into successful business ventures.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Yikes - there are lots to choose from for sure! I think your question below about differentiating yourself touches on it but having built something completely new is both a blessing and a curse. “I am looking for something different” is the phrase I hear the most when I’m prospecting a new client. However, it comes with its own challenges as what we do is not something many people have experienced yet. So… it takes a lot of creative and consistent explaining.
Solopreneurship is also another challenge. Or let’s call it what it really is: loneliness! But I do know I’m not alone in that and so, at least when the world is in a normal state, I do find places to work so that I’m no alone and I make sure to connect with as many people as possible but on a real and consistent basis not just fleetingly after having a business card thrown at me during a networking event :)
How do you stay focused?
You’ll see a theme here but… my calendar. I work in short bursts or chunks, always have done. And I also take breaks to go for walks. Time outside really helps get me out of my head.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
I am very lucky in that I actually don’t have any direct competition. Again, that is both a blessing and a curse. I find that I have to work hard to make sure folks know that I don’t run a wine tasting company, am not a sommelier, and also am not just an opera singer. It takes a bit of explanation but I find that using stories and examples helps to clarify what I do.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Consistent (or persistent) communication.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
1) If you can find the right partner, don’t go it alone.
2) If you’re alone, remember you’re never actually alone.
3) If you really think you are alone, change that before you start your business.
And then from there, really hone in on what you’re good at, especially when it comes to the logistical and administrative staff. For example, I’m really good at maintaining my website. Right now I make the decision to keep doing that myself. However, I figured out what I really wasn’t as good at or really disliked and delegated that to an assistant. Even just a few hours a week that she’s taken off my plate have really made a huge difference. It’s worth the investment.
Oh and keep really good records of all your finances. Always.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
App - again, my calendar.
Blog - I actually don’t read blogs these days
Books - “Tiny Beautiful Things” by Cheryl Strayed
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
I’ve learned to love Trello, thanks to my assistant but really I just live by the simplest of things: my calendar! I just put everything in there, and rarely do I miss a meeting. That way I can also easily block off time for lunch with a friend, a workout, or just personal time, and then if anyone tries to schedule with me using Calendly (ok I guess there’s another favorite right there), then they only see when I’m free. That saves a ton of back-and-forth emailing and scheduling!
Who is your business role model? Why?
I don’t know that I can pick just one. I actually look to a lot of my fellow solopreneurs for inspiration, and I love that I can just pick up the phone or send a text and ask them about a particular hurdle they’ve just overcome or invite them to a discussion about next steps and planning. I certainly look up to the big guys like Brendon Burchard and Oprah and Gary V because who wouldn’t so I guess it’s a combination of the big Kahunas who have gone before me and the men and women doing it side by side with me.
What is your beauty routine? What are some of your favorite products?
To be honest, I don’t have one. I don’t have favorite products, and I change them up based on recommendations from friends, time of year, and mood! Usually, the only decisions I make on a given day are 1) am I going curly (natural) or straight today and 2) what color lipstick shall I put on? :)
How do you balance work and life?
I schedule my time on and I schedule my time off! It’s all a bit different now that we’re 100% in our homes but even for those of us who work from home normally, this is still a challenge. For many people, coming home is their time off. For me, it’s almost always the opposite. Because I work from home, I find going out and being outside my home is something I need to delineate work from home life, decompress, and recharge.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
A cool evening walk in nature - nothing beats that!
What do you have planned for the next six months?
All our events at Virtual at the moment. For the next few weeks (through the end of May) we are holding weekly virtual #WineWednesday Musical Happy Hours where travel around the world with a different grape pairing musical selections to the different regions based on on the essence and characteristics of the grape in those regions.
We have also launched our Monthly Music & Wine Tasting Club, which meets on the third Sunday of each month at 4 pm PT. Each month has a theme and features 2-3 small business vendors in the food & beverage worlds. We customize the event with three “acts” or courses and play musical selections from a wide range of styles and genres to match!
We are also curating private and corporate virtual tasting events and having a ton of fun with that. Hopefully six months from now we’ll be back in full swing in the world of live events, too!
How can our readers connect with you?
IG: @FiveSensesTastings
FB: www.facebook.comFiveSensesTastings