WOMENINBUSINESS
inside THE BUSINESS :
WINE TOURS OF KENT
BEYOND THE GLASS CEILING ...
BORN IN ASHFORD , KENT , ABI IRELAND MOVED TO AUSTRALIA FOR SEVEN YEARS WHERE SHE DISCOVERED HER LOVE FOR WINE . SHE WOULD VISIT VINEYARDS ON WINE TOURS AND SOON FOUND SHE WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WINE AND TOOK HER WINE QUALIFICATIONS ; ULTIMATELY , HER LOVE FOR WINE BECAME HER HOBBY .
Tell us a bit about you and what led you to starting your business , Wine Tours of Kent ?
When I moved home to Kent from Australia , I was so excited to see and hear about all of the vineyards that were welcoming visitors that I tried to book a wine tour around Kent to visit some of them for a day wine tasting . After having no luck booking a wine tour with a tour provider , I set out to plan the day myself and invited my other half along as the designated driver . It turned into a logistical nightmare , this is when I realised there was a huge gap in the market within the wine tourism industry in Kent . Shortly after , I quit my day job and turned my passion into my dream job and launched Wine Tours of Kent in March 2019 .
My goal is to make Kent wine accessible to everyone ; for our customers ( whether that have a little or much wine knowledge ) to feel they can join our wine tours and have a day designed to suit them . Most of the vineyards we visit are off the beaten track and we are bridging the gap at transporting customers around and making sure they have a fantastic memorable experience .
We offer wine tours with transport and we design the day around your group , selecting the perfect vineyards and lunch spot . We also found that not everyone has time to come out and enjoy a wine tour with us , so alongside our tour offerings we also offer in-house wine tastings where we bring a selection of Kent wines to the comfort of your home , holiday let or workplace .
What sets you apart from your competition ?
Over the last four years , I have learned to be more resilient and realised you constantly need to adapt and evolve the business as time goes on to keep ahead of the game . We work with over 15 vineyards across Kent to offer variety and options for our customers ( whether that have a little or much wine knowledge ) to feel they can join our wine tours and have a day designed to suit them .
What achievements and acclaim have you received ?
Kent Women in Business Award for Entrepreneur of the Year after one year in business .
What are you most proud of ?
Our team and the level of service they provide to our customers . It is so hard as a small business owner to let the reins go and put your trust in others to fulfil the level of service and standards you set , but we are the A team and I am very lucky .
What would be your one piece of advice to other women in business ?
Not everything will work out … and that ’ s ok ! Draw a line , curse a few times , learn from it and keep moving forward . Those little things that don ’ t work out will make you stronger and more determined .
winetoursofkent . co . uk
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