Female-led Company will offer New Product Development, Marketing, Sales, Media and Digital Innovation to Lifestyle Consumer Beverage Brands
March 8, 2024, Hughson, CA – Terry Wheatley, former President of Vintage Wine Estates, has partnered with notable business leaders Jessica Kogan, Jenna Duran, and Stephanie Mayer to form Connect the Dots Collective. The company launched today with the mission to provide innovative services and expertise to consumer lifestyle brands in the alcohol, non-alcohol, functional and alternative beverage spaces.
Through innovation and expertise in branding, marketing, sales, public relations and digital and ecommerce, Connect the Dots Collective is a full-service female-led branding agency that takes brands quickly from concept to shelf. The agency also provides consultancy services to emerging and existing brands seeking to revitalize, create awareness, and add value in a competitive and evolving marketplace.
“I am thrilled to bring together some of the most talented players in the beverage industry,” explains Wheatley. “Jessica Kogan will lead digital initiatives including ecommerce strategy, execution, and web and social media development. Jenna Duran brings deep brand development, marketing and sales expertise, and Stephanie Mayer is curator of design and concept visionary. Together, we will bring new and legacy brands to next level impact and profitability.”
Ms. Wheatley began her career at E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, California. Following a 17-year tenure, she moved to Trinchero Family Estates/Sutter Home Winery in Napa, California, where she served as SVP Sales & Marketing. An entrepreneur at heart, Ms. Wheatley then founded Canopy Management, a wine sales and marketing company, which was acquired by Vintage Wine Estates in 2017. At VWE, she became the first female president to take a wine company public in 2020. That year she was also named to the Forbes Magazine 50 over 50 list and was recognized by Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s WINE STAR as Innovator of the Year.
Ms. Kogan was Chief Digital Officer at Vintage Wine Estates and co-founder of the wine industry’s most powerful digitally native brand, Cameron Hughes Wine. She was named Wine Enthusiast WINE STAR Innovator of the Year for Cameron Hughes Wine and is an omnichannel leader focused on the intersection of DTC and retailer ecommerce. Ms. Kogan is considered one of the most influential female voices and noted authorities in the digital beverage space and is a regular keynote speaker sharing her expertise on numerous panels and podcasts.
Ms. Duran was VP Marketing at Vintage Wine Estates, responsible for creating Hot Brands such as Bar Dog Wine and House of the Dragon Wines. With an MBA from Sonoma State Wine Business Institute and over a decade of experience in adult-beverage, she has led marketing initiatives across all sales channels including DTC, national 3-tier, wholesale as well as leading innovation for major national accounts and exclusive brands. Ms. Duran is an expert in all functions in the alcohol, non-alcohol, functional beverage space and beyond, from concept, production, supply chain, sales to shelf. Her creativity, enterprise, insight, and knowledge of the sales ecosystem moves brands forward to success.
Ms. Mayer is a creative director, visual communications consultant, tastemaker, and brand experience expert. She has built identities, experiences, and interior architecture for a variety of clients. Her award-winning projects include brand and retail marketing for iconic San Francisco companies GAP, Inc, Old Navy and Banana Republic, Napa Valley’s Favia Winery and Erda Tea. Her expertise is inspiring connection as an architect of brand identities, curator of ideas and innovator of products and experiences.
About Connect the Dots Collective
