How did you get into the drinks and hospitality industry?
I wanted to be a geography teacher but needed to save for university after A levels, so I went to work in telesales at a pub company taking weekly drinks orders from a patch of approximately 300 pubs. I used to see sales reps coming in from all over the drinks trade and thought that looks fun so that is what I did.
My first job was working for Bulmers (as it was then) selling Sidekick which was a shot in a plastic pot that fitted to the side of a pint glass! Then I moved to Carlsberg an amazing company that taught me so many skills that I use still today. Then in 2025 I moved into wine, first working for South African Brand Arniston Bay and then over to Ehrmanns and then set up North South Wines in 2014 – and as they say the rest is history!
How would you describe your style of management?
Kim Wilson says her experiences working in the beer and pub sector has helped her throughout her career in the wine industry
For me it’s working as a team and letting people shine, giving people the confidence to step up to the table and flourish. I am pretty laid back and some would say not tough enough but every day is a school day and you learn from experience.
What is your approach to managing and motivating people?
It’s 100% leading from the front. I am a sales animal, and my mind goes at 100 miles an hour. I have learnt over time to try to hone that in and condense it to bring the team on the journey with me. I love to celebrate successes and reward whenever possible. These days just giving a dam about your staff goes a long way. B Corp has been a great framework for this.
How do you retain good talent?
The team at North & South Wines - the heart and soul of the business
Genuinely care about your team - be ONE team. Always do what you say you will do and most of all just be honest at all times.
How do you deal with unmotivated, or non-performing members of your team?
You need to get to the root cause – once you have that you can work on a plan. No one wants to underperform in their job, sometimes life just gets in the way. You need to listen to staff and then work on that. It has to come from both sides though, if someone is not willing to change, get help or adapt sometimes it is time to say goodbye.
How has the role of business leader changed?
I wouldn’t say changed but I would say that you must adapt to what is going on in the world. If you just look at the last 10 years all that we have been through (some would say you couldn’t write it), you have to be agile so you can re-direct the ship when needed. You need bags of entrepreneurial flare, and this is something that we try to instil in the team and across the business. This is why we are still here and growing 10 years later in a pretty mature market.
Have you had business mentors in your career and what have you learnt most from them?
Yes, I have had a few and will gladly say that they are the people that have given me the confidence and advice to get where I am today. I love to learn from people, I am a sponge and even though certain people are not ‘official’ mentors they kind of are as you are learning from them all the time.
I have always been told surround yourself with great people. Because of all the support I have had over the years I feel the time is right for me to give back now and I mentor other rising starts in the trade now also.
If you have a problem in a business what are the steps you out in place to try and solve it - Can you give an example?
Kim Wilson says she has learnt the hard way to manage cash flow and be 100% on top of your finances
Get your leadership team together and just hatch a plan – you can’t solve anything alone you need the team. I don’t mind saying our biggest issue over the years has been cashflow. The wine trade works on long shipping lead times and with customer payment terms cash can be an issue.
You need a great bank manager and to not be frightened of invoice financing. We no longer use it and I am proud to say operate now off our own cash flow, but those days of not knowing where the next £1 was going to come from have taught us the skill to manage the books and be in a better place and never take cash for granted.
Who do you admire in business and why?
Inside drinks industry:
Kim Wilson admires what Lucy Busk has been able to achieve at NICE drinks
There are lots of people that I admire, and I am sure more will come over the years. Someone who I think is fabulous right now is Lucy Busk, founder of Nice Drinks – what she and her team have done to create and build a brand is just amazing. I love their communication and socials are brilliant and, of course, they are B Corp too.
Outside drinks industry:
My dad. I definitely get my resilience from him. He has been poorly recently which has changed his life forever but the way that he has coped with it all inspires me. Love you dad.
If you are interested in buying a business what are the key questions you need to ask to determine whether it is a possibility or not?
I am not looking but my first question would be do they make money. The second is always to think how would this add to my business and what could the distraction be.
What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning in running a business?
Other than my red fox labrador puppy, Lyla Rose, at 5am in the morning. But I just love coming to work. I am one of those people that just loves my job. I live, breath and sleep it.
What are you doing personally to improve your skills as a business leader to keep up?
Trying to take a little more time to do the bigger picture stuff, listen more and do reformer pilates twice a week as I am getting old and creaky.
If you had not worked in wine, or the drinks industry, what would have been your dream career?
Easy. Anything to do with dogs. I have a second business plan in place for when I get a second.
Favourite business book and why?
I am awful at reading, but I love a podcast and have a business crush on Stephen Bartlett.
* You can read more about North South Wines at its website here.
* You can read more in our business leaders series here.
