THINK FRESH CONSULTING - Key Persons
Alaina's passion for connecting people and experiences is what drives her daily motivation as a marketer. She has a zest for life that comes across in everything she does, and in all of the relationships, she builds.
Alaina graduated from Michigan State University in 2004 and moved to Colorado directly after to pursue adventure and the outdoors. She worked for six years at the Aspen Club and Spa, where her love of the tourism industry, marketing, and program management bloomed.
After moving back to MI, she worked as the Brand Strategist for Oneupweb, a local marketing agency, where she gained valuable knowledge in timeline-driven projects and management and connecting people to their favorite brands, both online and off. Most recently, Alaina has helped elevate the brands of Bowers Harbor Vineyards and Miner's North Jewelers by designing creative and effective marketing campaigns that span social media, email, website content, blogs, and public relations.
Alaina is passionate about helping companies establish their brand voice and tone, communicate their value propositions, and effectively talk to their target audience. Whether your customers live across the state or country, or next door to you, they should feel as if you are communicating directly to them. The online experience that your customers have via your social media accounts and website should match the experience they have when they visit your Tasting Room and interact with you in person.
Alaina brings all of this experience to Think Fresh Consulting and feels lucky to combine three of her biggest passions, tourism, marketing, and wine!
Alaina is a new mom to a baby boy named Emmett. She and her husband, Adam, live on Old Mission Peninsula and can often be found (with baby + two dogs in tow) at Haserot Beach, hiking the trails at Pelizzari Natural Area and Mission Point Lighthouse, or sipping local wine + beer in their backyard.
Job Titles:
- Owner / Winemaker of Bos Wine, Napa Valley, CA and Traverse City, MI
Kristy grew up in Charlevoix, MI, where her love for the hospitality industry took root. She began as a bus girl for Whitney's Oyster Bar at age 14. Then, working during the summers, she paid her way through college by saving her earnings by serving at nationally acclaimed Tapawingo Restaurant in Ellsworth, where she studied under Chef Stuart Brioza, Chef Harlan. "Pete" Peterson, and Master Sommelier Ron Edwards.
Kristy graduated from the School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University. From there, she was recruited by J. Alexander's Restaurant Corporation. She interned in Troy, MI, and was promoted and transferred to Denver, CO. As the number one wine-selling restaurant in the corporation, her experience in Denver fueled a passion for Customer Service and Bar Management. Her love and appreciation for wine also deepened as she met many members of the wine community and winemakers from all over the country. Kristy decided to move back to her roots in Northern Michigan in 2008, taking a Tasting Room Manager position at Bowers Harbor Vineyards on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City. Kristy was able to successfully juggle the many tasks of a tasting room, pouring wine in the tasting room, planning unique events such as "Dining in the Vines," creating new products, selecting clothing and merchandise, coordinating the logistics of bottling all of the wines, managing distributor accounts, hiring and training team members, and connecting with local chefs and business owners. Kristy's ability to work with the limited resources of a small company and develop a cohesive and motivated team resulted in significant growth and eventually led to her promotion as Director of Operations. In an industry that can be high-stress and high-turnover, Kristy developed a hardworking, fun-loving team that could assimilate change and adapt to fluctuating demands. Her positive energy translated to an upbeat atmosphere that welcomed customers and prioritized their needs, resulting in consistent year-to-year growth over her eleven-year tenure. Kristy's desire for excellence and love for people helped make Bowers Harbor Vineyards a hospitality leader in the wine industry, created one of the most robust wine clubs in Michigan, and has made it one of the most visited tasting rooms in the Traverse City area.