This International Women’s Day, we talk to six inspiring leaders from across the Dan Murphy’s universe about the challenges and rewards of a career in liquor retail.
International Women’s Day exists to shine a spotlight on how far women have come in their fight for equality, applauding their achievements while also recognising the many ongoing challenges. Of course, this is something we should aim to do every day, but this annual celebration gives us a great extra nudge to sing loud about some of the incredible women within our own business. You can’t be what you can’t see, right? And it feels good to look around Dan Murphy’s – and the wider Endeavour Group business – and see many incredible leaders who also happen to be women.
So, what’s involved in these top jobs and how did they get there? We got nosey and asked them all about it. Turns out, working in liquor retail is about so much more than selling good booze. Below, meet six women from across the Endeavour Group cohort who are killing it in their roles and fighting the good fight for women across the business and the wider industry.
If leadership and change start at the top, then Agi Pfeiffer is right in the driver’s seat. As the head of Dan Murphy’s, Agi has an enormous job, but since stepping into the role in October 2022, she’s maintained a clear vision of what she’s here to do. “For me, it’s about setting up the best environment for people to thrive and grow,” she says. “It’s about bringing people together and creating the right direction and vision, and empowering the team to deliver.”
None of what we do at Dan Murphy’s would be possible without the roughly 6000 people who make up the business, so looking after their welfare and shaping their experiences are a major focus of Agi’s role. “How do we create a workplace that people can feel proud of from a broader perspective? And how do we create the opportunities for team members to be themselves and grow within the business?”
With a background working in airlines, finance and retail (and a soft spot for the drinks world – the Sicilian Margarita is a current favourite), Agi is loving the job. “The bit I enjoy most is being out in store, spending time with the customers and teams. And we have such a fantastic team, all with fantastic ideas, and therefore we have so many opportunities in terms of what we can do with the business.”
For anyone interested in working with Dan’s, Agi says to keep an eye out because they’re always recruiting across the different divisions. “Be willing to start in different places,” she advises. “In a business like this, you can move around and work out the right place for you,” she says. Looking around our own Dan’s Daily team, this rings true, with many of us having started in different departments and even in stores.
And although some areas of the business and wider industry have traditionally been more of a male domain – Agi’s role included – the landscape is shifting. The MD says she’s seeing a step-up of more women leaders, but also acknowledges there’s still an under-representation of women on the production side. Initiatives such as the Endeavour Women in Drinks network are helping to bridge that gap, according to Agi. “And I think we’re also recruiting some fantastic women wine merchants at the moment who bring a fresh perspective and passion to how wine is showcased in our business, and hopefully inspire the next cohort to join our industry,” she says.
As for Agi’s best advice for women wanting to move up the ranks? “Be more confident in your abilities,” she says. “I do see that as a difference in the way men and women approach things, so trust yourself, and the knowledge and skills that you have.”
Despite studying graphic design, Marissa McKernan soon realised she didn’t want to sit at a computer all day, and so began her career in retail. “I love it! I’ve sold it all – fashion, homewares, electronics and even ice cream! As a kid, I loved playing shops with my sister, so I guess I never stopped,” she says.
Today, Marissa manages Sydney’s Double Bay Dan Murphy’s store (reportedly the biggest Champagne seller in the country), but she doesn’t just run a bottle shop. “Sometimes my job also involves being a coach, an ally and a mentor, plus business development and strategy, all while being creative,” she says. “And I get to be part of a business that cares about their team, customers and their social responsibility.”
Speaking of which, in addition to helping people find new drinks to try and move her team up the ranks, Marissa has found another passion in her time at Dan’s. A secondment with not-for-profit organisation Jawun saw Marissa live and work with the Gumatj community of the Yolngu people in North East Arnhem Land for six weeks last year.
“My brief was to mentor the manager of the local community shop, Gopu Store. It was life-changing and something I recommend anyone do if they ever get the chance!” she says. Now a core member of Endeavour Group’s Reconciliation Action Plan, it’s clear the experience had a big impact. “I only really got a glimpse of what life is like in one of the most remote places in Australia, but I’ve left a piece of my heart with that community.”
Is there anything Vida Asrina can’t do? She is a former architect, radio host and journalist, teaches at Sydney’s UTS, has her own social enterprise to aid her Indonesian hometown of Banda Aceh, has given her own TEDx talk and, through her partner’s family, even has a vineyard in Champagne. “It’s not for us to sell the wine – it’s just for our own consumption,” she says.
Today, Vida is the Design Practice Lead at EndeavourX, part of Dan Murphy’s parent company Endeavour Group. Here, she leads “a team of explorers” to create the best designs and user experiences for the Endeavour Group’s digital products (including this very site you’re on right now). “It’s human-centered design,” she says.
While her previous jobs may seem worlds apart, Vida says her current role brings all of her experience together. “When you’re at a radio station, you try to understand your audience to create a program they like, but now it’s applying that to people and their user experiences,” she says. “At the end of the day, it’s about understanding people and creating better experiences for them.”
As someone who’s always been naturally curious about what makes people tick, one of Vida’s favourite parts of her role is recruitment. “It might sound mundane, but it’s not, especially when you find the right team members and see how they affect the dynamic of the team to create that culture of everyone supporting and uplifting each other,” she says.
When considering the challenges, Vida says she’ll sometimes notice men will defer to the other men in meetings rather than to her, despite her seniority, so she acknowledges that unconscious bias is out there. And while she often feels that’s more to do with her heritage and accent rather than her gender, she offers the same advice. “Don’t let others’ subconscious bias block you – be consistent,” she says. “If someone treats you differently, it’s not on you, it’s on them – it’s their growth they need to do. Prove them wrong with kindness.”
Ciara Madill literally jumped ship from her previous career in the navy after discovering a love for wine. She studied through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), before landing a job in wine retail in Sydney, and she was soon running a top wine store. So, why the shift? It’s a tale as old as time: Ciara simply wanted to impress her wine-loving girlfriend, who is now her wife. “I always say that I fell in love with wine at the same time as falling in love with my wife!”
Having since made the move to WA, Ciara is now the Wine Merchant for Perth’s Bicton store, where she loves being able to talk about wine all day. “That can be through helping customers discover their new favourite, teaching my team something new, or engaging the wider wine community to ensure our range reflects what our customers are looking for,” she says.
Ciara knows that wine can sometimes be daunting or feel exclusive, so she’s all about removing that intimidation factor. One of the challenges of the role, however, can be dealing with misguided preconceptions. “Certain demographics will assume I know nothing about wine and that I’m unable to assist them based on my gender or age. Sometimes I feel like I have to work twice as hard to gain their trust than my older male counterparts do.”
In addition to her job, Ciara is a core member of Proud at Endeavour – a network of LGBTQ+ and ally team members. “We’ve had some huge wins,” she says, pointing to the Loud & Proud range, which launched last year and led to more than $300,000 donated to Pride Foundation Australia. They also organise social events nationwide, among other initiatives, including getting heavily involved in the recent Melbourne LQBTQ+ festival, Midsumma.
So, what’s the secret to carving out a life in wine? “Say yes to every opportunity and experience that is offered to you, then share those experiences with everyone you can,” Ciara says.
When people learn that Harriet Wischer gets paid to eat, sleep and breathe beer and cider, they tend to get very excited. “I often get told I have the best job in the world!” she says – and she can’t help but agree.
Harriet may not have expected her career path to wind up here – she actually has a law degree behind her – but after landing a spot in one of the nation’s most recognised graduate programs in the retail space, Harriet pursued a career in the industry, later joining Dan’s in 2020.
Now, Harriet’s work life revolves around beer, including its many styles, breweries and brewers, how the industry works and what customers are looking for next. “No two days are ever the same,” she says of her varied role. “In retail, we’re always challenged to find a balance between the ‘here and now’ urgency of today with the long-term priorities such as building a solid strategy for the future.” This means there’s always a competing mix of tasks and decisions to be made, whether it’s hitting sales budgets or ensuring she’s always got the best new beers (and prices) in the range. “While it’s certainly a challenge to multitask and prioritise at times, I love how this means we work at pace, and it definitely keeps things interesting.”
Harriet believes the industry is a great place for anyone who’s interested in liquor, as well as human behaviour and trends. “For the most part, alcohol is involved in social, happy and celebratory occasions with our customers, and it’s really fulfilling to see and know that the decisions we make in head office contribute a small part to these occasions,” she says. “I love seeing our products in the hands of people I don’t even know!”
And even though the beer world has traditionally been seen as blokey, Harriet says representation and a genuine focus on improving the workplace is key. “What we should expect from all businesses, at an absolute minimum and regardless of industry or size, is an open and genuine conversation about representation, followed by transparent and tangible steps towards improvement,” she says, adding this doesn’t just apply to gender diversity, but also disability, race, culture and LGBTQI+ people. “The more diverse the workplace, the more diverse the ideas and ways of working, and better the internal culture, which is something all businesses strive for,” she says.
Tamara Grischy intended to study human movement after school, but a gap year of hospitality work and European travel derailed that plan – the wine bug well and truly took over. Instead, Tamara returned home to study wine at Adelaide University’s famed Roseworthy campus, followed by a business degree in Sydney, some work in the vines, roles in wine retail and a later MBA she completed while juggling work as well as young kids.
These days, Tamara heads up prestigious fine wine retail and auction house Langton’s, which sits within the Endeavour Group business. “I’ve got the best job in the world!” she says. “We help people enjoy the pleasure of collecting or finding a special wine to share with their favourite humans, or just make sure they always have good wine to drink.”
Even after almost 25 years at Langton’s, it’s clear Tamara is still in her happy place. “I’m never bored and always feel energised. I’m often out of my comfort zone, but that’s where all the best learning is done,” she says. “Hospitality and wine are the best industries to be involved in. It’s fun, social and brings infinite learning and, most importantly, smiles and pleasure to our teams and customers.”
That’s only set to continue, according to Tamara, who describes the industry’s future as exciting. She’s seeing younger team members with a greater knowledge and care for global issues and technology, as well as being particularly business savvy and having a real confidence in their opinions. And even though Tamara says many women are in leadership roles across the Endeavour Group business, the wider industry still has some way to go in terms of offering the right benefits, flexibility and also building confidence. “But I do think we are moving forward and have certainly improved compared to 25 years ago,” she says.
