Month: October 2025

• I earned my wine certification as a sommelier while I was studying for my MBA in Spain.
• Thanks to my expertise, I can now easily connect at networking events and meet new clients.
• My passion for wine led to speaking engagements and expanded my professional network.

In 2015, I was pursuing my MBA at IESE Business School in Barcelona when I started exploring an interest that would change my life forever.

It all started one weekend when I took an introductory course from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust at the Barcelona Wine School — not to fulfill a credit requirement or adhere to a counselor’s advice, but because I was genuinely curious about the world of wine.

After graduating from Level 1, where I gained basic wine knowledge of the main styles and grape varieties, I continued learning about regional terroirs and understanding wine appellations and labels by earning the Level 2 certificate over the next few months.

What I didn’t anticipate was that this hobby would become such a strong asset, transforming my approach to networking, business development, and brand building.

I found a new conversation starter at events

For me, networking events often felt forced. It used to feel unnatural and awkward to approach a stranger to talk about work without coming across as salesy or transactional.

However, after becoming a sommelier, I noticed a noticeable shift in my approach to networking and interactions with strangers in new settings. I felt a renewed sense of confidence and comfort in striking up conversations because I had a secret weapon.

Most events involve some element of food and beverages. This has made it incredibly easy for me to casually discuss the nuances of different wine varietals or share the history of a wine region they might know.

I’ve connected with entrepreneurs in Vancouver, Canada, by sharing my admiration for wines from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. I’ve also had memorable conversations with European tourists visiting New York City when I shared my favorite Italian wines or my wine-tasting experiences in Bordeaux, France, or Lisbon.

This refreshing approach to building relationships has made networking more authentic and relaxed. Instead of starting every conversation with generic work or weather talk, I create space for myself and others to share what drives us beyond our jobs.

I then form a deeper personal connection with them, which makes post-event follow-up less transactional and more intentional. Plus, my sommelier title is a fun fact they remember.

My wine expertise helped me diversify my business

As a public relations specialist, I’m often interacting with people to search for new clients.

To do this, I often host informal wine tastings and make local wine recommendations to potential clients, colleagues, and acquaintances.

With a unique skill set in this space, I have curated my brand-building services for industries I am enthusiastic about — rather than restricting my clientele to a single niche, such as finance or technology.

My passion and knowledge for wine have opened doors for me with clients in the food and beverage, lifestyle, luxury goods, and travel and hospitality industries.

I’ve now created a memorable brand

These organic conversations have led hosts to invite me to exclusive, niche-curated events I wouldn’t otherwise know about. I’ve been asked to speak on personal brand building and networking because I applied unique strategies to build my own network from scratch.

It has been close to a decade since I leaned into my curiosity about winemaking and winetasting, and I still reap unexpected benefits from pursuing this hobby.

The professional connections, speaking engagements, and event hosting opportunities have boosted my business pipeline and transformed my brand.

I have grown my social and professional networks multifold organically by embracing a passion outside my core business and comfort zone.

And, most importantly, I’ve had a lot of fun along the way.

Sneha Saigal is the founder of Geeks and Experts, a public relations firm based in New York City. Connect with Sneha Saigal on LinkedIn.

• The Trump administration finalized its rule to limit Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• The rule would block PSLF for employers that engage in what the administration defines as “illegal activity.”
• Advocacy groups said they are suing the administration over the new rule in the coming days.

Some student-loan borrowers in public service might lose access to debt relief.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump’s Department of Education announced that it had finalized its rule to limit the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which forgives student debt for government and nonprofit workers after 10 years of qualifying payments.

Following an executive order in March that called on the Department of Education to redefine “public service” to align with the administration’s political views, the department held negotiations with stakeholders to craft the final rule. It will go into effect on July 1, 2026.

“Taxpayer funds should never directly or indirectly subsidize illegal activity,” Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said in a statement, using violations of immigration law and efforts to help transgender people as examples of “illegal activity.”

“With this new rule, the Trump Administration is refocusing the PSLF program to ensure federal benefits go to our Nation’s teachers, first responders, and civil servants who tirelessly serve their communities,” Kent said.

A fact sheet from the Department of Education said that the final rule amends the definition of a qualifying employer “to exclude employers that participate in illegal activities such that they have a substantial illegal purpose.” In addition to immigration law violations and supporting transgender people, the department said other examples of illegal activity include patterns of discrimination and a “pattern” of state law violations.

The education secretary will determine if an employer no longer qualifies for PSLF, and employers will be provided notice and an opportunity to rebut the department’s findings, the fact sheet said.

The final rule text said that although the changes “may delay or prevent loan forgiveness for a subset of borrowers, the overall design of the regulations, including advance notice, transparency around determinations, and employer recertification pathways, help prevent unexpected or retroactive harm.”

Advocates for student-loan borrowers criticized the final rule and plan to take legal action. In a joint statement, advocacy groups Democracy Forward and Protect Borrowers said the rule “is a direct and unlawful attack on nurses, teachers, first responders, and public service workers across the country.”

“That’s why we will soon see the Trump-Vance Administration in court,” they said.

Aaron Ament, president of borrower protection group Student Defense, said that the administration “is punishing public servants for their employers’ perceived political views.”

“We will file a lawsuit in the next few days and challenge this illegal overreach,” Ament said.

Student-loan borrowers in PSLF previously told Business Insider that they’re concerned about losing relief if their eligibility changes.

“I’m so close to the finish line,” Jeff Hughes said. “I really hope that the program continues as is because we need some more good people out there doing good work.”