The spirits business has never been one to stand still. Consumer tastes change fast, new categories pop up every year and brands are constantly trying to figure out what’s next. After more than 15 years in the industry, Erica Williams has learned that success usually comes down to one thing: understanding people.
Today, Williams serves as Director of Consumer Growth & Velocity at Blue Ridge Spirits & Wine Marketing, where she helps brands connect with consumers in one of the country’s most competitive beverage markets. Before that, she spent years with industry giants Diageo and Campari, experiences she says gave her two very different perspectives on building brands.
“Spirits found me before I found them,” Williams said. “I was already living in Jamaica when I started at Diageo, so this wasn’t an industry I stumbled into. It was simply part of life.”
That experience still shapes the way she looks at Florida.
“Florida is a market that’s always changing,” she said. “You’ve got international visitors, tourists, snowbirds and people moving here every day. The consumer isn’t the same from one season to the next, so brands have to stay flexible.”
It’s one of the reasons she believes hospitality partnerships have become much more thoughtful over the last several years.
“Dropping a bottle behind the bar just isn’t enough anymore,” Williams said. “The best partnerships are built around the venue. That could mean custom cocktails, staff training or experiences that actually make sense for that property and its guests.”
Williams has spent time inside some of the largest beverage companies in the world, but she’s also helped build a marketing organization from the ground up at Blue Ridge. She says each chapter taught her something different.
“The larger companies taught me discipline and the importance of making decisions backed by data,” she said. “Building something from scratch teaches you how to solve problems quickly and create systems that can grow with the business.”
As more women move into leadership roles across the beverage industry, Williams says the progress is impossible to ignore, even if there’s still work to be done.
“We’re seeing more women in leadership than we did even a few years ago,” she said. “The next step is seeing more women leading revenue and P&L roles, because that’s where many of the biggest strategic decisions happen.”
When asked what she thinks is next for the industry, Williams points to premium ready-to-drink cocktails, continued growth in nonalcoholic beverages and consumers becoming more selective about the brands they support.
“The brands that stick around know who they are,” she said. “People are willing to spend money on quality, but they also want authenticity. You can’t fake that.”
For young women hoping to build a career in beverage alcohol, her advice is simple.
“Learn the business. Learn the numbers. Raise your hand for the tough projects,” Williams said. “Titles come later. Credibility comes first.”
As Florida continues to attract new residents, visitors and hospitality investment, Williams believes the opportunities for beverage brands will only continue to grow. For leaders like her, staying curious and staying adaptable will always matter more than trying to predict the next trend.