How does someone with an MBA and a busy corporate career balance being a leading voice on the tequila scene? Marissa Paragano, aka the brains behind Tequila Encyclopedia and Host of The TequiLadies Instagram Live show, spills the secret formula for how she turned her hobby into a thriving side business on The Spirit Guides.

MBA to Tequila Guru

Host Tequila Jay Baer sits down with Marissa to hear her unexpected journey from the corporate world to becoming a respected voice in the tequila community. Trips to Mexico and a family love for tequila ignited Marissa’s passion for the spirit, prompting her to start a separate Instagram account to find other tequila enthusiasts. While she may have started the account on a whim, Marissa’s content now reaches thousands of tequila lovers worldwide and her live show, TequiLadies, has reached almost 150 episodes and counting.

Marissa dives into the challenges of balancing a demanding corporate job with her growing tequila influencer career and what it’s like getting recognized in public. She talks about how sometimes it’s the unplanned content that goes viral, the ways she continually tops up her tequila knowledge, and how she maintains authenticity in her content. We also hear how her content has opened doors to work with other spirit guides and tequila distillers, helping her learn and grow within the community.

In This Episode:

· Marissa’s original plans for Tequila Encyclopedia and how her brand has evolved since

· What Marissa has learned through hosting almost 150 episodes of TequiLadies

· When Marissa realized her passion for tequila had become something more

· What Marissa learned about going viral and the culture of competitiveness on social media

· How she balances Tequila Encyclopedia with her day job

· Getting recognized in public and using your online persona in the wild

· How Marissa helps people pick their next bottle

Resources:

· Follow Marissa on Instagram via @tequilaencyclopedia

· Tune in to the @tequiladies Live Show Every Tuesday 9PM ET

This podcast is brought to you by LoveScotch.com and produced by our friends at Content10x.com.