Meet Lisa Maye: Wine Enthusiast & Enterpriser

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Maye and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The old adage “the older you get, the wiser you become,” certainly rang true for me as I was approaching being vested in my state pension plan. I always knew that having the ability to create and maintain multiple streams of income would produce a more secure future for myself leading up to and into my retirement years, however, how I was to accomplish it was yet to be seen, let alone manifested. 

What should our readers know about your business?
Cana Wine Tours seeks to provide unforgettable, high-quality North Georgia Wine Tour and Tasting experiences for the residents of Metro Atlanta. It is our goal to provide an extraordinary and excellent tour for all of our patrons. We strive to exceed the expectations of everyone during the entire tour experience. Our team of trained drivers arrange for safe and affordable pickups for Atlanta’s Metro residents at convenient Metro Atlanta locations. We provide the choice of a luxury tour bus or coach tour bus transportation option, allowing our guests to have a safe and worry-free wine tasting experience at many different North Georgia wineries. A challenge our business has overcome in the past has been getting our name and word recognition out to the public and servicing area. When we were published in Voyage Atl, business had truly began to pickup. What sets us apart from other wine tasting tour companies is that we will pick you up from your preferred destination. If you are purchasing a private tour, or have six or more people for a classic tour, we will pick you up at your residence, if so desired. I would have to say that what I am most proud of is our growth. 2021 will be our fourth season, and we are in need of additional vehicles! We spend a lot of money renting vehicles for our “overflow” tours, that in actuality, what we spend monthly on rentals could easily secure a vehicle payment and the required insurance. Being a Black-owned, female business is not easy – especially when your business depends on relationships with a 100% Caucasian owned industry. Taking clients up to the North Georgia Mountains and exposing them to a totally different lifestyle is my mission. I have learned that there are people in business who want to succeed just as much as I do, and are willing to put in what it takes to get out. For these business owners, I frequent. I no longer “kick against the bricks” and force a business relationship when clearly the vineyard/winery owner could care less that I am spending good money at their establishment. I have learned to patronize those who appreciate my business and the guests that I bring to them. I value those who value me. I want the world to know that we intentionally provide you with an unforgettable experience -one that I would want to have if it was indeed myself touring.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My absolute favorite restaurants over the years since I have moved to Atlanta have been Seasons 52, Murphy’s, The Atlanta Fish Market, Rays on the River, Surin’s, La Grotta, The Feed Store and Canoe. Each of these establishments have their own specialties that they have become famous for, so I would take full advantage of those dishes upon visiting. I love visiting Atlantic Station, Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, the Botanical Gardens and believe it or not, the Atlanta Motor Speedway; they all would be “must see” attractions. Being born and raised on Long Island, the water is my Zen. With Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs being “land-locked,” living here has been quite an adjustment. I would definitely take a trip to the west coast of Florida, perhaps Fort Meyers for a day or two and not only enjoy the beach, but the fresh seafood that comes with it. In my view, the beach is life. Any and every opportunity I get, I travel to a beach somewhere. I collect seashells from each of my seashore adventures, and throughout my house, you can witness remnants thereof.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Bible says that children are a “gift” of the Lord, and blessed is the one who is “full” of them. I recognize that I would not have the success that I have had without the support and wisdom of my children. However, my third born in particular, is who this Shoutout Series opportunity belongs to – Sarah Maria Maye, Cana Wine Tour’s Chief Content & Digital Officer. Sarah falls in the declining years of the millennial generation, and thus so, is the one who was marked for elevated usage of and familiarity with the Internet, mobile devices, and social media, Sarah is a true digital native. In this world, social media platforms reign. The true power of social media is influence. Social media provides an avenue for companies to not only engage with customers, but also influence them with the right content that helps them make a decision. Sarah has leveraged the power of social media for this company to the best of our capabilities. Since social media has changed the way we communicate, it has become a powerful tool and force to communicate to the outside world in a free and open forum. Our presence on Instagram, Facebook, Google, Bing, Yelp, Twitter, TripAdvisor, Viator, Groupon and Airbnb Experiences has skyrocketed not only our presence in the Wine Tour industry, but also in our sales; and yes, even despite this global pandemic. Each of my children have played an instrumental role in our business’ success, and I would be remiss not to mention the others – Timothy, Amanda, and Rachel. When the business first turned the curve, Amanda and her social supports delivered excellent customer service and provided quality assurance in the field when I was unable to be there. With her “on the ground” experience, training drivers and setting expectations was key to the retention of our independent contractors. In the height of our success, Timothy was right there identifying new opportunities for the company and developing strategies to pursue those opportunities. October 2020, to date, has been our most successful month. We held a total of 29 tours, which equates to an average of almost one tour a day. October generated 29% of our yearly sales, and with that, Timothy knew we had to capitalize on this phenomena. But he also knew that he could not accomplish that being behind a desk or computer. Tim became one of our top drivers, and doing so, was able to show our Independent Contractors owner investment on the ground, make new relationships with vineyard owners, and wean out the wineries/vineyards that truly did not value our business and patronage. This hands-on work was invaluable to Timothy, especially as a learning experience, but for me as my “eyes and ears” on the ground, as my main role is bringing in the sales, securing tours, negotiating prices with vineyards, and running the business functions day to day activities. Although I absolutely love drinking wine and being on the scene, someone has to “man” the shop! And last but not least, Rachel. Rachel has brought to the business her life and career expertise in a way that is incomparable. She has helped keep me grounded, and realistic. When something does not work out the way I planned it to, she has taught me to sit back, evaluate, and “tweak.” My personality lends to scrapping an unsuccessful idea in its entirety, and through Rachel, I have learned that that is not always necessarily the best approach – that not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater!”

Website: https://www.canawinetours.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canawinetours/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/canawinetours?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanaWineTours/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cana-wine-tours-hampton-2
Other: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34994-d14791841-Reviews-Cana_Wine_Tours-Hampton_Georgia.html https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/2128012 https://www.tripshock.com/partners/Cana-Wine-Tours/495165/ https://www.google.com/search?ved=1t:65428&authuser=1&authuser=1&_ga=2.51446828.404940911.1609436530-1596537833.1607969668&q=Cana+Wine+Tours,+LLC&ludocid=1069042035516215061&lsig=AB86z5VPfXFMm1YuNhf9KKHuwPTQ#fpstate=lie