Today we’d like to introduce you to Carey Jackson.
Hi Carey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My path has been anything but linear, but when I look back, the through-line has always been people and connection.
I started my career in HR and recruiting, which taught me how much I enjoy building relationships, understanding people’s goals, and helping connect them to opportunities. Over time, I realized I wanted to build a career that felt more connected to culture, hospitality, education, travel, and community. Wine became the place where all of those interests came together.
I began studying wine more seriously through WSET, eventually earning my WSET Level 3 Award in Wines. From there, I moved into the wine industry through distributor sales in Raleigh, North Carolina, where I worked with restaurants and retailers, led tastings, and learned firsthand how wine moves through the market. That experience gave me a much deeper appreciation for the people behind the industry including producers, importers, buyers, educators, and hospitality teams.
In 2025, I took another big step and began my MBA in Wine & Spirits Business at Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France. Studying wine in Burgundy has completely expanded the way I think about the industry. In addition to what’s in the glass, wine is agriculture, history, business, culture, hospitality, and a sense of place.
Alongside my studies, I started Jackson Wine Group as a way to bring together my interests in wine education, consulting, content, and community-building. Through that work, I’ve taught private wine classes, supported wine education programs, and consulted on market development projects.
Most recently, I’ve been developing a project called Convinvial, which is focused on helping people discover local wine, food, beverage, and cultural events. The idea came from something simple: people want to get out, meet others, discover new places, and feel connected to their community, but it can be surprisingly hard to know what’s happening around you. Convivial is my way of exploring how we can make those moments easier to find and more welcoming.
So today, I’d describe my work as sitting at the intersection of wine, education, hospitality, and connection. I’m still very much building, learning, and evolving, but my goal is to use wine as a way to bring people together.
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?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I come from a background where higher education and professional access were not guaranteed. I was the first in my family to attend a four-year university, and now I am the first in my family to pursue an advanced degree. That is something I am deeply proud of, but it also came with a lot of uncertainty.
My family has experienced challenges related to teen pregnancy, incarceration, and financial instability, and there were many moments when I had to figure things out without a clear roadmap. There were also years where I struggled deeply with my mental health, particularly when I was younger.
Those experiences shaped me in ways I am still understanding. They made me more compassionate, more resilient, and more committed to building a life rooted in gratitude and connection. I don’t take it lightly that I get to study wine in France, build a business, travel, learn, and pursue work that feels meaningful.
Today, I really do feel that life is a gift. That perspective influences everything I do. I want my work to help people feel more connected, more welcomed, and more aware of the beauty that can exist in everyday moments.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work sits at the intersection of wine, education, and hospitality. I specialize in making wine feel more connected to real life. My goal is to help people understand wine in a way that feels welcoming, joyful, and human. I’ve also worked in distributor sales in North Carolina, where I partnered with restaurants and retailers, led tastings and staff trainings, and learned how wine brands come to life in the market. That experience gave me a strong appreciation for the commercial side of the industry and for the many people who help move wine from producer to table.
Right now, one of the projects I’m most excited about is Convinvial. The idea behind Convinvial is to help people discover local wine, food, beverage, and cultural events. At its heart, it’s about bringing people together. I think many people are craving more connection and more reasons to get out into their communities, and I want Convinvial to make those experiences easier to find and more welcoming.
What I’m most proud of is that I’ve built this path intentionally. I didn’t come from a wine family or a background where this industry felt obvious or accessible. I had to learn, ask questions, build relationships, and take risks. What sets me apart is my combination of lived experience, curiosity, and range. I bring a people-first background from recruiting and relationship management, hands-on wine sales experience, formal wine education, international MBA training, and a genuine desire to make the industry more welcoming. I care deeply about the business of wine, but I care just as much about the people, stories, and moments of connection that happen around it.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
This isn’t exactly a childhood memory, but one of my favorite early memories connected to the work I do now is my 21st birthday. My mother organized winery visits with my friends, and I think that’s when I caught the “wine bug”. At the time, it was just a fun birthday outing, but looking back, I can see how much it shaped me. It was one of the first times I realized that wine could be about connection and life experiences.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careyjblige/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carey-jackson-209b259b/
