Thriving As A Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry: Isabella Rosal of 7th Sky Ventures On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Read up and keep learning. The knowledge will help you confidently lead the conversation, especially when you are the only female in the room.
In the United States in 2022, fields such as Aircraft piloting, Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Finance, and Information technology, are still male-dominated industries. For a woman who is working in a male-dominated environment, what exactly does it take to thrive and succeed? In this interview series, we are talking to successful women who work in a Male-Dominated Industry who can share their stories and experiences about navigating work and life as strong women in a male-dominated industry. As a part of this series, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Isabella Rosal.
Isabella Rosal is an entrepreneur and rum educator and the first female to obtain a Master Rummelier™ status, the highest accolade in the rum industry. She is the CEO of 7th Sky Ventures, a family of projects that brings innovative products to Tampa Bay and promotes unique Florida products overseas. She is also the founder of Tampa Bay Rum Society, an independent organization that brings together rum aficionados and professionals working in the rum industry to elevate the rum culture in Tampa Bay and beyond.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
Entrepreneurship is in my DNA. I have always been surrounded by business people: my family, friends, and classmates. I started my first business venture when I was only ten years old, selling chips to my neighbors off the back of my skateboard. Later, when I was a college student, I helped my friends, who were business majors, sell the product they had developed as part of their final project. It was an ID and wallet carrier with a matching lanyard called “slinky .”I sold them to so many students that the entire floor at my university building was wearing them!
Upon moving to the United States and after a short stint at a consulting firm, I co-founded TBD, a tea cafe that offered unique drinks made using sustainably-sourced loose tea — in a new country, where I knew no one, right after having my first child. So, I was beyond excited when my business won the 2018 Shining Star of the Year Award by my local, the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce. Two years later, right after having my second child, the opportunity to shift to a different industry came in. So, I sold my tea business and founded 7thSky Ventures.
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
Born and raised at a rum estate and sugarcane farm in Northern Luzon in the Philippines, I was surrounded by all things rum from an early age. My mother, Chuchi Honrado who is a chemist, spent most of her professional life working as a technical advisor at that rum estate and later as a consultant to large rum producers and distilleries in the Philippines. Today, I am a certified Master Rummelier (and the first female Master Rummelier on the planet). In this capacity, I collaborate with distilleries and rum experts around the world to ultimately elevate the rum industry either through products or awareness pieces.
Also, I have just launched the Tampa chapter of the Royal Rum Society, a professional community dedicated to sharing and advancing the knowledge of rum making. We hold rum tasting events to elevate the rum culture in Tampa Bay and advance the knowledge of rum among industry professionals and enthusiasts alike.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
When I was a child and later a teenager, I loved observing successful business people, both in my immediate environment and in the media. One of my role models was industrialist Martin Ignacio Lorenzo. Coming from a humble family, he built a business empire, created jobs and business opportunities for many people in the community and, among other things, he owned the rum estate where my mother, Chuchi Honrado, worked as a chemist. When he ran into my mom last summer, she proudly (like only mothers can) shared the news of my becoming the world’s first female Master Rummelier. The following week, I got an email from the man himself, inviting me to partner with his hospitality business, which operates six brands and 50 restaurants across Manila! I flew to the Philippines, held a series of rum education events at his restaurants, helped optimize cocktail menus and trained his staff on all things rum. This felt like a dream come true.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
- Grit. When I started my first business, the tea cafe, I was challenged at every stage: from licensing to build-out. Once, a visiting inspector asked where my parents were (assuming it was them, and not me, who owned the place). I was fortunate enough to quickly build a network of friends in the community who helped me through the process. Now, as an established entrepreneur, I make sure to pay back the favor and support other local business owners.
- Integrity. Growing up in the Philippines in a politically exposed family, I have learned the value of honesty in everything you say and how you do business. Honesty goes a long way in a world where so many people operate with ulterior motives. Your vibe attracts your tribe, they say. Good people love supporting other good souls. No matter what you sell: a USB stick, loose tea, consulting services or a bottle of rum, do your business with integrity, and you will build a network of genuine supporters.
- Setting Boundaries. As new business owners or every time we embark on a new project, we are full of enthusiasm. We want to say Yes to everything and everybody, often neglecting other areas of our lives. I taught myself to have boundaries for my business, team and myself. Like many fellow entrepreneurs, I have days when I am so burnt out that I start questioning: is this even worth it? And that’s when I know I need to refocus and think. What is more important: a new contract or my sanity? Healthy boundaries help me achieve that optimal state where I can balance my business interests, family wellbeing, and mental health.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you help articulate a few of the biggest obstacles or challenges you’ve had to overcome while working in a male-dominated industry?
Growing up with three brothers, I thought I knew how to hold my ground. How to be assertive and not come across as “pushy”. How to find the right words and adjust my tone of voice. Yet, it still feels intimidating sometimes to be in a room full of men, and when it happens, I rely on my competence and industry knowledge as my biggest allies. While there are so many talented women who work in the industry, as traders or distillery owners or technical advisers like my mother — we never talk about them. Rum making has had a reputation as a male-dominated field since the 1400s. I am the first female on the planet to earn a Master Rummelier status; this is saying something. Being a female rummelier is empowering and challenging at the same time. As the founder of the Tampa Bay Rum Society, one of my missions is to break the bias and shed light on women in rum culture.
Can you share a few of the things you have done to gain acceptance among your male peers and the general work community? What did your female co-workers do? Can you share some stories or examples?
I became the first female Master Rummelier on the planet, and by doing so, I challenged the century-long notion that rum making is a man’s job. A few years ago, my mother was called to come out of retirement by the rum distillery where she had worked for over a decade. They just could not do without her. If that’s not a testament to women being indispensable to this industry, then I don’t know what is!
What do you think male-oriented organizations can do to enhance their recruiting efforts to attract more women?
Provide optics. Visual representation matters. As a woman and a proud Asian American, I want to work for a company that truly values diversity and not just the idea of it. And cultural diversity is just as important as gender diversity. It is not enough to appoint a Chief Diversity Officer and hold some DEI training. A company must look and act welcoming to people of all backgrounds, starting from the Team section on its website to the CEO to the customer-facing staff in its retail locations.
Ok thank you for all of that. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry?” (Please share a story or example for each.)
- Read up and keep learning. The knowledge will help you confidently lead the conversation, especially when you are the only female in the room.
- Get out there and learn from others. We remain visible in the industry by getting together and constantly learning from each other. I attend monthly events organized by my local chambers of commerce, trade associations and informal interest groups to grow my network and expertise. Last week, I was a panelist at a luncheon organized by Working Women of Tampa Bay. I was the youngest among the three panelists, both in age and the stage of my company. Sitting there, next to these two amazing entrepreneurs I admire and respect, I thought to myself: would I have been invited to speak at this panel if I had not been out there, attending roundtables and business breakfasts, contributing to community initiatives, and mentoring younger members? How would anyone even know who I was?
- Spread kindness. I receive a lot of support from my network and try to give back. If a fellow entrepreneur reaches out to me for advice, I will find the time. If a supplier asks me to give a referral, I will recommend them to everyone I know. One woman’s success fuels everyone’s success.
- Tell your story. Not your product pitch, not your company’s mission, but your story and how it has inspired you. Would you look at me differently if you knew that I failed five courses in college, retook them, graduated with distinction and put that determination to launch my first company? And my company’s name, 7th Sky Ventures, comes from my kids’ shared birthday months, July which is number 7, and my son’s twin brother Sky, who is now watching us from above. The real stories behind our brands have transformative power. All we have to do is find the courage to unleash them.
- Keep at it. Last summer, I spoke to the students at my alma mater, the University of Santo Thomas in the Philippines. And I told them: I was never an A student, not even close. But I wanted to graduate on time, together with my classmates. So I never gave up. If I failed a class, I would retake it in the summer. You do not have to be the best or the brightest to succeed. You just have to want something bad enough and be willing to work towards it.
If you had a close woman friend who came to you with a choice of entering a field that is male-dominated or female-dominated, what would you advise her? Would you advise a woman friend to start a career in a field or industry that’s traditionally been mostly men? Can you explain what you mean?
Choose your team wisely. Be sure to have an accountant and a lawyer. Be insured. Identify what you can delegate and what you cannot and revisit the plan as your business grows. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Most importantly, learn how to say and when to say “NO.” My advice would be to ask herself if she is willing and ready to do the work because it will not be an easy road.
Have you seen things change for women working in male-dominated industries, over the past ten years? How do you anticipate that it might improve in the future? Can you please explain what you mean?
When it comes to the alcohol industry, women have been transforming the market for quite a while. Organizations like Women Leading Rum (where I am a proud member!) have made this trend public, and the big players followed. For example, Bacardi runs a women-only S.H.E Summit to celebrate women in the world of alcohol. We are no longer simply participating; women are leading the industry, especially its innovative aspects like sustainable production.
However, there is still room to grow. According to a report by Deloitte, women are less likely to enter the alcohol industry because of the lack of diversity in leadership positions, the perception of industry bias toward men and the lack of mentorship opportunities. I cannot agree more. We need to see more role models in leadership positions across the industry: from distilling to distribution to supply chain. Women are the creative and innovative force, and supporting us is the only way for this industry to move forward.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
I would love to meet Oprah Winfrey. She is a force to be reckoned with. I admire the boldness of her stories (starting from her own) and the universal trust that she has earned. The most powerful people on the planet put their trust in her when sharing stories they would not have shared with other media.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Thriving As A Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry: Isabella Rosal of 7th Sky Ventures On The Five… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.