Lessons from Local Leaders:

Renee Ventrice

Renee Ventrice: Pairing People, Purpose, and the Perfect Pour

By day, Renee Ventrice pairs entrepreneurs with their ideal collaborators. By night, she pairs wine with life—turning tastings into memorable, business-building experiences. A Navy veteran, bestselling author, and award-winning tour operator turned coach, Renee has built a career on three pillars: connection, creativity, and community.

From the Navy to Entrepreneurship (and Everything in Between)

Renee’s path wasn’t linear. After learning discipline and leadership in the Navy, she moved into luxury travel, grew a division of a local company into $2M in annual revenue leading to brand franchising, and later launched, built and sold her winery and brewery tour company in Northern Virginia.
When 2020 shut down tourism, Renee did what entrepreneurs do best—she pivoted. Mentoring other founders opened a new lane as a business coach. She trademarked Bizlationships (R) to formalize her framework for mutually beneficial partnerships that generate revenue on both sides.

At the same time, her growing expertise (and palate) in wine led her to WSET2 Wine certification, high-energy virtual tastings for groups as large as 100, and the creation of WineauxClock (R) Culinary Experiences events—because, as she quips, “it’s always WineauxClock if I’m in the room.”

Authenticity That’s Actually Useful

For Renee, authenticity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a behavior. She listens first, leads with empathy, and tailors the conversation to what the other person truly needs—whether that’s a strategic warm intro or a fun, hands-on tasting.

“If they invited me into the room, they knew who they were getting. I owe them the best version of me.”

She also names a truth many avoid: a lot of us weren’t raised to be authentic. It’s a muscle—built with practice, boundaries, and the right rooms.

How She Turns Community Into Currency

Renee’s core growth engine is simple and consistently overlooked: reputation. She coaches clients to turn reviews → referrals → revenue by investing in relationships, philanthropy, and local community—often spending under $200/year on traditional ads.

• Conversations convert to currency. Make every touchpoint relational, not transactional.
• Show up where people gather. From branded vans to neighborhood events, Renee turns presence into pipeline.
• Philanthropy compounds trust. Shared causes reveal shared values—and open doors.

Leadership, But Make It Fun (and Memorable)

Renee bridges “serious business” with playful analogies that stick. In corporate workshops she’ll map roles to grapes—your CTO as Cabernet Franc (structure and longevity), your sales team as ripe fruit (energy and approachability)—so KPIs and cross-functional collaboration become tangible. She doesn’t lecture; she opens conversations.

The Woman Behind the Brand

Renee’s success is anchored in intentional decisions with her husband of 32 years, a tight family circle, and radical self-awareness. She’s candid about navigating depression, protecting her energy, and practicing equity over equality in how she allocates time: giving more to what needs more, when it needs it.

“Balance doesn’t mean everything is equal. It means the right things get what they need.”

Books, Podcasts, and the Next Pour

Renee’s bestselling series began with POUR Relationship Choices, and more titles are queued up—including Nobody’s Pourfect, a celebration of our “perfect imPourfections.” Her blog and podcast, Start Wine-ing (yes, spelled like wine), explore the intersection of business, relationships, and elevated wine edutainment experiences.

Looking ahead, she’s scaling from 1:1 coaching to stages and workshops, expanding WineauxClock into a nationwide experience brand, and continuing to help leaders pair wine with moments they never considered—one sip at a time.

Renee Ventrice is proof that when you blend passion with purpose and community, you don’t just build a brand—you build a movement.

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