The UK’s smallest bee. The females mainly collect pollen from bellflowers and nest inside woodworm holes in dead wood. The males sleep inside flowers.
Leadership
April
2025-04-25🍏🤰🏻Pregnant in the Drinks Industry: A 2025 Reflection from Avallen Spirits’ Co-Founder
As I prepare to enter my third trimester, I find myself pausing amidst the buzz of events like the Gulf Bar Show to reflect on what it really means to be pregnant in an industry that’s still figuring out how to support mothers — and mothers-to-be.
Being a founder and CEO in the drinks industry means I have the ultimate freedom of choice. I can write my own rules, define my own boundaries, and shape a business reality that supports both my purpose and my personal life. But let’s be real: that choice is almost always in service of the business I’ve built. And that’s where it gets complex.
I’m not on my feet behind the bar pulling pints at 2am — and I have huge admiration for the incredible women who are. Emily Saladino’s piece in Imbibe “What’s it like to be a pregnant bartender?” gave me a renewed appreciation for the physical demands and emotional grit required to work front-of-house while pregnant. As a brand owner, the pressures are different — less visible perhaps, but just as intense.
Because when you’re building something from scratch — something you believe in with every fibre of your being — stepping away (even to grow a human) is not a simple decision. It’s a deeply emotional one.
But what makes all the difference — and I really mean this — is the support around you.
💛 To the people lifting me up…
✨ To our distributors, board, and the global B Corp community — your kindness and flexibility has meant the world.
✨ To the platforms lifting women’s voices — like Celebrate Her by Anna Sebastian and OurWhisky Foundation by Becky Paskin — thank you for spotlighting the unspoken challenges and triumphs of women in our sector.
✨ To the no/low and wellness innovators — Camille Vidal’s La Maison Wellness, Ellie Webb’s Caleño, Lowlander’s botanicals, and the bold new De Kuyper range — thank you for showing the world that joy doesn’t require ABV.
✨ To my collaborators, from Tales of the Cocktail Foundation to The Worshipful Company of Distillers — thank you for keeping my creative fire burning.
✨ And to the fathers and mothers already paving the way — thank you for your honest guidance, practical advice, and late-night DMs when I needed reassurance most.
👫 And to my husband, my rock…
We’re lucky to live in Amsterdam — a city I adore — but where standard partner leave is just two weeks. So I can’t express how grateful I am that my husband, who works for Diageo, one of the largest drinks companies in the world, will receive six months of fully paid parental leave.
That’s not just incredible for him — it’s transformational for us as a family. It means that from day one, he’ll be fully present, involved, and supportive. It gives me the space to navigate this new world of baby + business with confidence, knowing we’re doing this together. This is what real D&I in action looks like — and it matters.
đź“š And finally, a proud moment
I’m over the moon to have been featured — alongside Avallen — in the beautiful new book Spirited Women by Sammi Katz and artist Olivia McGiff. It celebrates the women shaking up the drinks industry, and it couldn’t have come at a more meaningful moment. Because more than ever, I feel part of a global sisterhood that’s not just showing up — but showing the way. A movement powered by women, with men as allies, reminding us that we are all one in the work of building something better.
Staying True to Our Values
As I enter month seven, the big question looming is: what does maternity leave look like for an entrepreneur and postpartum baby & biz dynamic? I don’t have the full answer yet, but I’m confident we’ll create a plan that respects both my family and my business.
Ultimately, this experience has reminded me of why we built Avallen in the first place: to be a force for good. A brand with people and planet at its heart. That includes the people building the brand — especially those preparing for the most transformational job of all: parenthood.
🍸 To future parents in the drinks industry:
đź’› Advocate for what you need.
đź’› Rest when you can.
💛 Know that it is possible to grow life and grow a business — and that we are building a better industry not just for us, but for those who’ll join it tomorrow.
With love (and a belly full of apple juice),
Steph
