Leadership summit draws 160 wine industry leaders to Paso Robles
Event at Ava Hotel featured Super Bowl champion Bear Pascoe
– Over 160 industry leaders attended the fourth annual DRIVE leadership and wine business summit at the Ava Hotel in Paso Robles this week.
Founder and host Amanda Wittstrom Higgins opened the event with a high-energy entrance. The event was designed to move participants through the “Cone of Learning,” shifting from passive listening to active engagement.
Attendees shared personal challenges and professional goals throughout the day. Super Bowl Champion and National Football League tight end Bear Pascoe threw spiral passes across the room and handed out autographed footballs to participants who shared insights.
The curriculum focused on the 10,000 Hours Rule, described as the idea that success is built through deliberate practice. Bear Pascoe delivered a keynote on his “4 P’s of Living A Championship Life”: Planning, Problem Solving, Perseverance, and Process. He challenged leaders to remain relentless and commit to “Plan A.” The program guided participants through a self-assessment of the Business Life Cycle, identifying their standing across stages from Breakeven and Profitability to Scalability and Succession.
Super Bowl Champion and National Football League tight end Bear Pascoe threw spiral passes across the room and handed out autographed footballs to participants who shared insights.
“DRIVE is a gift to this region. Our community needed this, my team needed this, and I personally needed it,” said Maeve Pesquera, Chief Marketing Officer of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers. “The day was perfectly delivered—casual and conversational yet direct. I was so inspired by the actionable strategies and real-time case studies that my notebook is full. It wasn’t just a seminar; it was a catalyst for growth.”
Audrey Cooper, Vice President of Turrentine Brokerage, noted the event’s importance during a period of industry transition: “I’ve attended the last four years of DRIVE, and this is by far one of the most impactful programs. In a time where our industry needs inspiration, motivation, and a beacon of hope, DRIVE provided just that.”
DRIVE is produced by Full Cup Solutions and founded by Amanda Wittstrom Higgins. For more information, visit fullcupsolutions.com.
