What do wine, cats, design, and career reinvention have in common? The guest this week, Jaime Drayer, will say everything.
In this inspiring episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel sits down with Jaime to talk about how she went from working as a graphic designer to building her own creative brand (hello, Kitties and Cabernet!) before diving headfirst into the wine world. What began as a part-time retail job at Burning Kiln Winery quickly turned into a full-time passion. Today, Jaime is the winery’s Marketing Coordinator, combining her eye for design, love for storytelling, and a growing knowledge of all things wine.
Jaime shares how she returned to her hometown of Norfolk County, found an unexpected opportunity in an emerging wine region, and discovered a supportive all-female leadership team that’s helping shape the future of Ontario wine. If you’ve ever thought about switching lanes, following your creative instincts, or learning wine from the ground up this episode’s for you.
What You’ll Learn:
- How Jaime transitioned from graphic designer to wine marketer
- The story behind her wine-and-cat-themed business, Kitties and Cabernet
- Why Burning Kiln Winery’s unique location sets it apart in Ontario
- What it’s like working with an all-female management team
- The ins and outs of learning about wine through hands-on experience
- Tips for anyone curious about working in wine
- How passion projects can fuel your main hustle
And we have our wonky term with Judith Lewis – What the term “RS” means in wine (and no, it’s not a new app!)
Jaime Drayer is the Marketing Coordinator at Burning Kiln Winery in Norfolk County, Ontario. A trained graphic designer, Jaime began her career in Hamilton, working in the creative industry across the GTA before launching her own wine-inspired brand, Kitties and Cabernet.
After returning to her hometown in 2023, she joined Burning Kiln as a part-time retail team member. Her role quickly evolved to include sales and marketing, a perfect match for her storytelling skills and growing passion for the wine industry.
Whether she’s designing greeting cards, planning winery events, or creating brand content, Jaime brings creativity, heart, and authenticity to everything she does.
Listen now at: www.winebehindthescenes.com
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