Episode 2487

Ep. 2487 Jessica Dupuy interviews Maryam Ahmed of Maryam + Company | TEXSOM 2025

TEXSOM 2025

October 4, 2025

1553.92

Maryam Ahmed

Episode Summary

<think> I need to create a concise content analysis of the provided text, which is a transcript of an interview between Jessica Dupuy and Maryam Ahmed at the TEXSOM 2025 conference. The analysis needs to follow a specific format with sections for Key Themes, Summary, Key Takeaways, Notable Quotes, and Follow-up Questions. First, let me understand what the text is about: This is an interview/podcast episode where Jessica Dupuy interviews Maryam Ahmed (of Maryam + Company) at the TEXSOM 2025 conference. Maryam is a Napa-based consultant who creates education programs for food and beverage clients. She discusses: - Her background and how she got into the wine industry - Her involvement with TEXSOM (first came for the awards in 2021) - Her panel discussion on "Living Your Values Through Work" - The current state of the wine industry, particularly in Napa Valley - Her new project called "plate kitchen" (a cooking class space) - The Wine Writer Symposium she directs - Her experiences with Italian wine and culture Now, let me analyze the search results to understand more about TEXSOM 2025 to provide context for my analysis: From the search results: - TEXSOM 2025 is a prestigious wine education conference in the United States (Aug 24-26, 2025 in Irving, Texas) - It's the 20th anniversary of the conference - The conference includes seminars, roving tastings, themed lunches, tasting suites, and a grand final tasting - Wines of Chile and Wine Australia are participating with dedicated tables and special events - The theme for 2025 is "Back to Basics, Forward in Spirit" - It focuses on wine education, hospitality, and community building - There are certification opportunities and bonus education sessions - The conference is organized by a 501(c)3 non-profit - Full Conference Passes are $525 Now I'll create the content analysis following the requested format: **Key Themes** (max 5 points): 1. Professional development and community building in the wine industry 2. Living one's values through work in the beverage industry 3. Challenges facing the wine industry (market contraction, climate change, economic pressures) 4. The evolving nature of wine education and communication 5. The importance of behind-the-scenes programming and mentorship at industry events **Summary** (max 200 words): The interview captures Maryam Ahmed's perspective as a Napa-based consultant at TEXSOM 2025, highlighting how the conference has evolved beyond just wine education to foster community and professional growth. Ahmed first engaged with TEXSOM in 2021 through the Awards program, teaching workshops on confidence to volunteers - an example of the valuable "behind-the-scenes" programming that characterizes TEXSOM. She moderated a panel on "Living Your Values Through Work," emphasizing the importance of identifying personal values and finding multiple pathways to align work with those values. Ahmed discusses current industry challenges including market contraction, climate impacts, and economic pressures particularly in Napa Valley, while noting that brands staying true to their purpose will differentiate themselves. She also shares updates on her "plate kitchen" project and the Wine Writer Symposium, which has adapted to be more accessible through virtual/hybrid formats. The conversation reveals TEXSOM's role not just as an educational conference but as a community hub that addresses both technical wine knowledge and the human elements of the industry. **Key Takeaways** (max 6 points): - TEXSOM offers valuable "behind-the-scenes" programming that builds community beyond the main conference sessions - Identifying personal values is crucial for professional satisfaction and resilience in the challenging wine industry - The wine industry is facing significant pressures including market contraction, climate change, and economic challenges - Successful brands will be those that stay true to their purpose and identity during difficult times - Wine education and communication are evolving, requiring new approaches to accessibility and inclusivity - TEXSOM serves as both an educational platform and a community hub that addresses the human elements of the wine profession **Notable Quotes** (max 3): - "You do not need to prove yourself to anyone here." (James Tidwell, TEXSOM founder, mentioned by Maryam) - "I think it's so important... having a conversation about values at a beverage conference is something that I didn't experience early in my career." - "Those that stay really true to their purpose or their identity and brand and, like, who continue to do the right thing in a tough moment... they'll differentiate." **Follow-up Questions** (max 3): 1. How is TEXSOM specifically addressing the industry challenges mentioned (market contraction, climate change) through its programming? 2. What concrete steps is the Wine Writer Symposium taking to support emerging voices in wine communication? 3. How might the "Living Your Values Through Work" framework be practically applied by wine professionals facing economic pressures? Now I'll make sure this fits within the word limits and is concise as requested. </think> **Content Analysis** **Key Themes (max 5 points)** 1. Professional development through community and mentorship in the wine industry 2. Living personal values through work in challenging industry conditions 3. Evolving nature of wine education and communication in a changing market 4. Behind-the-scenes programming as a distinctive value of industry conferences 5. Adaptation strategies for wine businesses facing economic and climate pressures **Summary (max 200 words)** The interview with Maryam Ahmed, a Napa-based consultant and founder of Maryam + Company, at TEXSOM 2025 reveals the conference's evolution beyond technical wine education to encompass professional development and community building. Ahmed first engaged with TEXSOM in 2021 through the Awards program, teaching confidence workshops to volunteers—a prime example of the valuable "behind-the-scenes" programming that characterizes the event. She moderated a panel on "Living Your Values Through Work," emphasizing the importance of identifying personal values and finding multiple pathways to align work with those values. Ahmed discusses current industry challenges including market contraction, climate impacts, and economic pressures in Napa Valley, noting that brands staying true to their purpose will differentiate themselves. She also shares updates on her "plate kitchen" project and the Wine Writer Symposium, which has adapted to be more accessible through virtual/hybrid formats. The conversation highlights TEXSOM's role as both an educational platform and community hub that addresses technical knowledge alongside the human elements of the wine profession, reflecting the 2025 theme of "Back to Basics, Forward in Spirit" that prioritizes foundational values amid industry changes. **Key Takeaways (max 6 points)** - TEXSOM's value extends beyond main conference sessions to include meaningful behind-the-scenes programming and mentorship opportunities - Identifying personal values provides professional resilience in the face of industry challenges - The wine industry is experiencing significant pressures including market contraction, climate change, and economic uncertainty - Successful wine businesses will be those that maintain authenticity and purpose during difficult times - Wine education and communication are evolving, requiring new approaches to accessibility and inclusivity - Community building is increasingly recognized as essential to professional development in the beverage industry **Notable Quotes (max 3)** - "You do not need to prove yourself to anyone here." (James Tidwell, TEXSOM founder) - "Having a conversation about values at a beverage conference is something that I didn't experience early in my career." - "Those that stay really true to their purpose or their identity and brand... they'll differentiate." **Follow-up Questions (max 3)** 1. How is TEXSOM specifically integrating value-based professional development into its core conference programming beyond special sessions? 2. What concrete strategies are emerging for wine businesses to maintain authenticity while adapting to market contraction and economic pressures? 3. How might the wine industry better support mental health and professional sustainability during challenging economic times?

About This Episode

Speaker 0 discusses their experience as a full-time consultant and full-time consultant at a Italian wine industry, as well as their work as a winery writer and food writer. They also discuss their background in the culinary industry and how they helped people with customer education experiences. Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 discuss their experiences at a culinary college and the challenges faced by the industry. They also talk about the importance of understanding values and living them through work. Speaker 2 talks about their experience transitioning from virtual to virtual and their desire to be a community-obsessed writer. They also discuss their interest in Italian wine and their love for Italian wine and personal experiences with it.

Transcript

Twenty twenty one was the first time that I came here, but I didn't come for the conference first. I came for the awards. Yes. First and as, like, effectively a mentor. So I taught a workshop on confidence, on clarity to the folks who volunteer. I think that's such an amazing part of the enrichment that Texon offers is all the behind the scenes, like, education and programming that the folks who decide to come and volunteer, they get. That was a really good entree in, actually, because I felt like I got a little bit behind the scenes before the big And I think that is really true. I feel like everyone I've talked to, it's on the face, like, a conference in which you learn things related to wine or other beverage, but it's the behind the scenes that's really fascinating because it's really developed a core community of people in the wine trade. We were learning to grow professionally. And so, yeah, like, coming and talking about confidence and how to gain place, right, to move forward. I think that's the kind of thing that, like, I don't know that everyone's thinking about doing things like that. Ciao y'all. I'm Jessica Dupui, guest host for a special Texom series on the Italian wine podcast, covering the twenty twenty five Texom Conference in Dallas, Texas. Join me in the heart of the lone star state as we dive into conversations with key speakers and attendees, exploring career paths, challenges, and the latest trends shaping the wine industry today. This series is proudly sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture' Uncourt Texas wines program. Which celebrates Texas wine culture by promoting local wineries and grape growers, both in state and around the world, building a vibrant community around the Texas made wine. Be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you get your pot casts. And don't miss our Texas wine tidbit in every episode. A fun little fact, insight or story that highlights the people and places behind this exciting wine scene. Alright. Well, Mary, welcome to the Italian wide podcast. I know you've been here before, but not with me. So this is different. That makes sense. And also welcome to techsom. I know this is not your first, but I'm excited to have you as part of this special series on Texom twenty twenty five. I wonder for those that, you know, aren't familiar with who you are and and what you're about. If you could kind of give us a refresher, who is Mary Am Ahmed? Yes. Who is she today? Yes. Thank you for having me back. I loved my first interview. I love this podcasts. I would say for the folks who haven't listened to the other episode, important things to know are that I am a Napa based full time consultant. I own my company, which is called Mary Mint's company, so easy to remember. We create education programs and, like, things tank spaces for food and beverage clients as well as for private sector businesses looking to connect more deeply or intentionally with food and beverage. It's a very niche consultancy, but I love what I do, and it's all word-of-mouth, and it's working. So why change it? What does it look like though? Like, tell me, like, what's the client and what are you doing to connect them? Yeah. There's some larger scale clients. I know we may talk about one, but I'm the program director for the wine writer Symposium. Okay. Yes. So it's an annual client or annual conference. I also contract with the culinary Institute of America for various projects, one of which is their annual beverage summit. And then smaller or sort of like quicker clients are I'm coming to Napa. I have a group of executives or leaders that are grappling with an issue? Is it possible for you to relate the issue to wine or conversation in wine? And usually the answer is yes. One of them was, like, a group of people who own mattress stores and, like, washer dryer stores Yeah. That are dealing with multi generational takeover and the impact of technology on their stores and foot traffic. Yeah. And I was like, yeah, wineries are dealing with that too. Yeah. We can do that. No problem. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So it's really fun. I like the challenge and the creativity in the work to, like, make something new every time, but having this through line be wine and food sometimes. How did you get to napa? Cause that's not just a if you're not from there, usually you're going there for wine, like, How did that happen? Well, sort of it's like a wavy road. I guess I'm from Upstate New York originally. Okay. I went to Cornell for my undergrad in hospitality, but I mean, I was like a pizza girl when I was sixteen and fell in love with this idea of multitasking and making people happy. Yeah. Hostile is great for that, and that kind of led me to, go into Cornell, and I studied beverage and beverage operations while I was there and went into distribution. Okay. So I was in New York City for a couple of years and loved it, but I really saw a lot of stories falling through the cracks. And at the right page of twenty two, felt like I can fix that issue all by myself. But in order to do it, I have to learn a language of the winemaker who at the time this was in, you know, twenty eleven. At the time, like, a lot of these smaller regions had winemakers we're also the ones selling wine. The ones, you know, selling at the tasting room or on or at the distributor, you know, and just wearing a lot of hats and not necessarily being great at all of them. And so when to winemaking school, went to Wallwala? Really? Graduated in fifteen. The whole time I was there, helped people with, like, their staff education, their customer education experiences events because I loved it. Yeah. And it was, like, support that was needed. And I feel really lucky because it meant that I got to work with a lot more wineries, especially Like, I have wasn't from the West Coast, so I was digging in really quickly. And then when I graduated, this really cool job became available with the culinary Institute. I never envisioned myself in Napa. I wasn't expecting it, but it was to oversee all of their food enthusiast programs at the time, which is what it was called. So all the programs that took what the CIA offered in academia and offered to the industry and made it bite size or digestible for the consumer. Yeah. And that was, like, majorly my role, I think, in a lot of these spaces I was in was how am I translating? Yeah. Yeah. And so it was supposed to just perfect timing was Kismet. Yeah. And then I've been enough since I've moved in twenty fifteen. Wow. Yeah. And you leave it, like, in Napa City or Okay. I live in the city of Nashville, which has grown so much. Like, it's such a vibrant place to be. That's really cool. I think people would say, you know, it used to be, like, a one stoplight town. I mean, they they save out walla walla. Yeah. So I live there, but it has changed. Yeah. And I think also it's exciting because where, you know, the valley is so beautiful and there's so much to see and explore being that first city or that entry point isn't really any longer of the place you skip over. Yeah. It's the place you start. Yeah. And so we do see a lot more vibrancy in the city of Napa and Napa generally because we're this gateway now. That's really cool. Yeah. That makes sense. So tell me about how you came to know Texom? How did you become involved when did all that happen? Well, I started coming to Texom post COVID. Okay. Oh, so I know about all the changes that have gone on and, like, the fact that it's at this new, really amazing space here, but only contextually do I know about it pretty good? Okay. Did you heard about it? I've heard about it. Definitely. And at the time, I was still working with the culinary institute. I I hadn't launched business yet, which I launched in twenty twenty. Okay. Naturally. And so, like, I was doing a lot of programming myself on path of the culinary institute. And so I never got to get here for the conference before COVID. In twenty, probably