Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Karlgut.
Hi Amy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hello and thanks for sharing your time with me! My name is Amy and I’m a Mom, partner, daughter, sister, friend, and business owner. After growing up outside of NYC and Upstate NY, I lived in Europe, and then went to college on beautiful Lake Ontario. I’ve had the pleasure of working with many amazing teams and mentors, traveling the country in my corporate career, which spanned from 1999 through 2011. I’ve raised two amazing kids, who are on the cusp of adulting. I’m partner to an amazing man, going on 8 years. And I own the Burnt Barrel.
I come from a long line of entrepreneurs, and community involvement advocates. At it’s inception, Burnt Barrel had different owners, but I’ve been here since day one. It was so easy to fall in love with this community, which lead me to buying the business and making it my own. I like to think that I’ve taken all of the best practices and hospitality wins I’ve experienced over the years, and work to infuse them into my own business.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Has it always been a smooth road? Absolutely not. My dear mother has often told me that she knows I’m strong because of how much I’ve been through. My bumpy road list goes like this…..buying my business, getting divorced, and COVID hitting all within a few months. So many others have similar stories, this is nothing wild and crazy. Next up, after recoiling from COVID and hiring staff back on, I was served a $250K lawsuit for playing music at the bar and having bands. I share this openly in the hopes that someone else out there, building a labor of love, knows that the folks from music licensing aren’t just a racket….in the words of my lawyer, “Oh no. This is very real.”. I’m a rule follower, so this one really rocked me, and vacated my accounts of every penny I’d made in 8 years.
All of this to say one of my proudest achievements is that I’ve made it to 50 years old with a soft heart and still lead with kindness.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
One of the things I’m most proud of, in my professional life, is Burnt Barrel’s curated wine selection. While living in New York State, I spent a lot of time in the Finger Lakes, learning the wineries. It started my interest in the cultivation and overall process of wine making. Learning about soil, irrigation practices, biodynamics, what grows best where and why. If you’ve never had a Vidal Blanc from Thirsty Owl, or treating your Thanksgiving table to Cayuga Ridge’s Cranberry Essence….book a fall flight and go get at it! Spending time in the Alsacian region of France was on a similar longitude, but taught me more about culture around table wines. And living in the Loire Valley opened my eyes to the fact that Chenin Blanc is slept on, and Cabernet Franc can be so aromatic and delicate.
The Burnt Barrel has been nominated and won several Wine Shop awards, in our almost ten years of operation. It’s thanks for some really amazing vendors that genuinely care about the wineries they carry. Learning more about vineyards that have been family owned over generations, the trials and tribulations they’ve been through. How they persevered, how they care for their plants and people….these things inspire me.
I recently had the opportunity to meet an exceptionally interesting man who dedicates his current life to finding and promoting spectacular wines from South Africa. Now we’ve added to the shelves, a 2017 bottle from his findings, that only had 1000 bottles made. And it’s here in Youngsville! How fortunate are we?
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My grandmother always said no one can take away your education. It was a core family value and one I try to instill in my children as well; whether it’s college or trade school or certifications. But I will say, networking is huge. Networking in a corporate space stays relatively business focused. Networking in a small town is so much about who you know. I would advise staying true to your values and goals, and the right people will enter your circle. And always, always, leave someone better than you found them, if you can. If they’re thirsty, give them water. If they’re ready to learn something new, teach them. If they just need to talk, listen. We are all on this spinning rock, together. Be kind.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burntbarrelnc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burntbarrelnc
