Areli de Pablos, sommelier, entrepreneur and CETT alumna: “Adaptation is essential, otherwise you become extinct”

1. We'd like you to introduce yourself (your name, where you're from, what you studied, etc.).

My name is Areli de Pablos Vélez Buendía—yes, that long. My roots are Mexican, specifically from Zapopan, a town near Tequila. But my current project, my growth, has been a result of my constant movement. I've lived in several places, and each time I arrive somewhere new, I try to absorb and understand its beauty so I can continue to transform myself. I studied International Business Administration in Guadalajara and Tourism in Madrid. Later, I lived in California, where I caught the wine bug (that's what they say when curiosity takes hold and stays until it's replaced by knowledge). From there, I came to Catalonia to begin a new chapter and study for a Sommelier Diploma in Barcelona.

2. What motivated you to choose CETT for your training?

I researched several courses and training programs, but I knew I wanted something in-person, something from Catalonia, something with international recognition, but affiliated with a university focused on tourism that would allow me to continue working. The phrase "Transform through experience" captivated me.

3. What was your experience like at CETT?

My experience was very positive, but also very challenging. A week after I paid for the entire year of the course, I found out I was pregnant. My first tastings tasted entirely of metal, and my memory of the Master Class on Portuguese wines was mostly from the bathroom. But that's how I learned to spit everything out, and thanks to the pregnancy, my senses developed, and I was able to smell things I never would have imagined.

4. Could you tell us about your career path since graduating from CETT, including your internships, up to the present day?

Every day I learned something, I applied it at work, and that's how I rose from Head Waitress to Sommelier, and then to Manager at La Vinoteca de Torres on Paseo de Gracia. At the Torres Visitor Center, I became the Restaurant Manager, handling international visits and group experiences with a fantastic team of people. We started the Petit Celler Garraf project, and later I worked at Bodega Castelo de Pedregosa as Head of Experiences, Tastings, and Pairings. Now I'm starting a new project with Vincelona, ​​a company passionate about wine that's going to transform the way distributors interact with their wineries and customers. I want to be part of that change.

5. When you were studying at university, did you imagine yourself holding roles like General Manager in Mexico and later becoming CEO? What motivated you at that time?

I didn't imagine any of this. I simply wanted to learn more and more. I was motivated by the stories behind things, the bottles, the projects, the people.
 

6. What motivated you to have that international experience of more than two years?

Curiosity. The need to understand the world, how it works, and consequently, to better understand myself, helps me manage situations different from what I'm used to and allows me to enjoy that exploration.

7. Your career began in the hospitality and sales sector. How did this initial experience influence your professional development and leadership vision?

I've always believed that the way to convey something has to come from passion. I think that need to share has always led me to seek a fair way to negotiate the exchange of knowledge and experiences, looking for the practical, professional, flexible, experiential, and highly personalized approach. My vision of transactions always seeks a mathematical and emotional way for everyone to gain something. My focus is always on balance.

8. Why did you decide to switch from hospitality to the world of sommelierie?

I simply followed my own evolution. I became the bridge for the stories not only behind the kitchen but also behind the wine cellars. I made these two worlds that attracted me into a universe, and now I'm searching for the cosmos.

9. You are currently the CEO of Sown and also work at Vincelona as a Wine Sales Representative/Sommelier. How do you manage to balance both roles, and what does each one bring to your life?

They are complementary; both contribute a great deal, but they also require energy, time, experimentation, dedication, and learning. The good thing is that my project has always progressed at my own pace. My priorities are clear, and that requires a lot of organization and enjoyment.

10. As CEO of Sown, you mention that your goal is to create a network of people who want to learn and share experiences. Why do you consider collaboration and networking key to professional success? How do you think your venture can work, and how do you manage it?

I travel a lot. Every time I arrive somewhere, the first thing I have to do is find a network of people who share my vision. Thanks to that network, I've always had support and resources when needed. I believe trust is based on the confidence you place in others. SOWN means to sow. I sow trust. And thanks to that, I can share, create, grow, and understand. Every cycle is incomplete without various elements interacting and contributing.

I think we all have this entrepreneurial side, since to undertake, literally, is to start from the bottom. I believe the good thing about starting from the bottom is that you can only climb; the goal is to never stop DOING. The success of a business exists only when you understand someone's need and that person understands your product or project, likes it, and buys it. Therefore, if you don't surround yourself with people who continually support and challenge you, you'll never find those people who find meaning in what you offer. In the end, a business, at all its stages, depends on people. By surrounding yourself with people who understand your vision, you can truly ground your ideas and turn them into projects.
 

11. Your career highlights skills like leadership, negotiation, and adaptability. Which of these skills do you consider most important for those starting their careers today, and why?

Adaptability is essential; otherwise, you'll become obsolete. Every time we move, we have to assess the environment and choose how to approach it. It's not always easy, and the adaptation period is complicated. As you get to know your surroundings, you can lay foundations and negotiate to find your place. Discovering Catalonia has been magical for me; we increasingly start in Barcelona.

12. If you could give just one piece of advice to current CETT students who are building their future, what would it be and why?

MAKE MISTAKES; it's the best way to learn. Never lose your essence. Update, change, but understand your roots and nuances. That's my guide for trying to find balance every day. And find your key people. For me, my husband is a pillar, and my family and friends are another. I rely on them to push me to do the things necessary to keep moving forward.

13. What has been the most important lesson you've learned in your professional career so far?

There have been millions of lessons; I continue to learn every day. For me, the most difficult thing was realizing that you'll always have to make decisions without information. Many decisions when you start a business are made knowing that everything can go well or badly. Resilience, knowing that setbacks are necessary, knowing how to ask for help, that not everything depends on me, and that you need a team, has helped me. Something that left a mark on me was when we were opening a restaurant in Mexico and I hired a "friend." It went very badly, and I learned to differentiate between comfort and talent.

Surrounding yourself with people wiser than you is scary, but in the end, they end up pushing you to develop and find a way to keep up. And now I'm finding it difficult; this whole digital thing isn't my strong suit. My dad was a gardener, and my connection to the earth has always been stronger than my connection to screens. Even so, I'm trying, and I'm surrounding myself with people who understand it so I can integrate it. We're building the website (before, it was all word of mouth), so if you have any feedback, I'd love to hear it. We're launching the website on March 1st, and we're excited to see what adventures that entails! Cheers!