Want to Advance in the Spirits Industry? This Sales Leader Says: “Believe in Yourself First”

Michelle O’Callaghan never envisioned that her experience in the restaurant industry would pave the way for a leadership role at Mast-Jägermeister US (MJUS).

“The industry found me before I knew I was looking for it,” she says.

Before joining the globally recognized company, O’Callaghan worked in film and TV production, which allowed her to hone her aptitude for numbers and cultivate her problem-solving skills. Her tenacity and expertise opened up many management opportunities, including a general manager role and small-stake partner in a restaurant group. While she enjoyed the fast-paced environment and daily interactions with people, she was eager to continue her professional advancement.

“I wanted to continue growing my experience and business acumen,” she says.

O’Callaghan accepted a role at a small supplier, where she deepened her business knowledge. At night, she worked toward earning her MBA at San Francisco State University. Two years later, she learned about a promising leadership role at MJUS. Ready to take on the next adventure in her professional and personal life, O’Callaghan seized the opportunity to become the Region Sales Manager in Northern California. Today, she’s the Regional Sales Director for the Northeast region at MJUS.

Here, O’Callaghan shares how she’s grown as a leader, why she values the company’s supportive culture, and advice for women aiming to advance in the spirits industry.

I’d heard great things about the teams and people. Throughout the interview process, I got to know folks and their business philosophies and knew I could bring value to the organization.

My core responsibility at MJUS is leading our commercial business in the Northeast with our wholesalers and team to deliver priorities. Each team member brings their unique approach and experience. I ensure that we’re delivering against our commercial goals while fostering an environment that’s intellectually inspiring, engaging, and challenging.

I’ve learned to stay curious about our business. It’s important to constantly review data, identify what’s working, and what’s not, and look for new ways to support, influence, and reach our customers.

The Northeast is a complex region with many wholesalers and state regulatory entities to support and navigate. I’ve learned to balance empathy with clear responsibility and accountability for each team member as we work toward shared goals. Keeping the perspective of people in our business helps us deliver better results.

MJUS has always been a very social company; there isn’t anyone here that I wouldn’t want to grab a coffee or share an ice-cold shot with. Everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand to support one another.

MJUS is a great blend of big brands and a midsize organization. Our senior leadership team is accessible, and the social nature of the company encourages connection across functions. I often say that a career trajectory here is more of a “scaffolding” rather than a “ladder.” Folks are encouraged to move between departments and gain cross-functional experience to understand our business through multiple perspectives.

When I moved to New York, I became the leader of the market in which most of the company’s leadership personally engages. As part of that, I’ve had a lot more consistent exposure to our senior and global leadership teams. I’ve been included in meetings, and events and conversations have helped me understand the context of how my team’s deliverables impact the big picture.

In the fall of 2022, we extended our maternity leave to five months of full-paid leave. I was pregnant with my daughter at the time. My direct manager, team, and senior leadership were incredibly supportive. Knowing I had everyone’s full support to spend time with my kids was so special.

I also love the wellness benefit. I’ve recently taken up running half marathons so having a $500 stipend I can use toward race registration fees and running shoes is great.

I’ve been very fortunate to have the space to develop people and business initiatives at MJUS. Nearly a dozen members of my team have been promoted or moved up in their careers. A colleague and I developed an onboarding program to help instill a solid foundation for new team members as we scaled our business units. We also created an employee recognition program called the East Meister Awards. Both programs were adapted and rolled out nationwide.

In 2019, I helped found our Women of the Vine and Spirits (WOTVS) affinity group. I’ve been fortunate to have great mentors who have nurtured a sense of pride in who I am and what I bring to the table. They support me as I strive to hold space for more diversity in our industry.

My mentors have pushed me to be comfortable with often being the only woman in the room—and to make sure I’m not the last. The WOTVS MJUS group creates space to recognize intelligent, dynamic women at our company and to make space for more to join. Being a founding member of this group and continuing to deliver quality content for our team is very important to me. We’ve hosted one of the first female Secret Service agents as a guest speaker, offered additional training opportunities, and started a cross-functional mentorship program. I also spearheaded a Sip & Smash pickleball event hosted by Mast-Jägermeister.

We’re big enough to have resources for our business and small enough to be dynamic and respond to the market. It’s a great balance of the structure and security of an established company without the red tape you can encounter at other organizations.

Don’t count yourself out. You’ll learn and grow in every role you’re in. Be open to support and feedback about opportunities or skills to improve. Trust your experience and abilities. So often I see women holding themselves to a self-imposed higher standard—believe in yourself first, and others will see your strengths.

When we’re keeping it simple—an ice-cold shot of Jägermeister or Teremana Reposado on the rocks. If it’s a “pinkies up” kind of night, I’ll order an espresso martini with Teremana Reposado or a Jäger rye old fashioned.