Most influential business people under 40

April 4, 2024

North Bay Business Journal names Forty Under 40 winners for 2024

by Gary Quackenbush, for North Bay Business Journal

Colette Simpson joined the Three Sticks Wines team in 2015 and over the past nine years has grown from director of direct-to-consumer sales and hospitality to vice president of sales operations. She is currently assistant general manager at Three Sticks.

In July 2022 she became the general manager of Head High Wines, another venture of Bill Price and a winery under the Price Family Vineyard umbrella.

She has a strong background in operations and savvy management knowledge gleaned from time spent at Envolve Wines and Hamel Family Wines in Sonoma. Simpson specializes in sales while growing brand exposure through creative campaigns and innovation.

Bringing new waves of thinking to the wine industry is her passion. She loves thinking outside the box and coming up with creative ways to accelerate growth.

Born in the UK, her family settled in the Sonoma Valley in the early 1990s. Although her hospitality career started with high-end restaurants, it did not take long for Simpson to develop a vital connection to the region’s rich viticulture heritage.

However, it wasn’t until she left Sonoma for an opportunity in Australia that she pivoted from food to wine.

Today Simpson resides in Sonoma with her husband, Matt, and daughter, Sloane. Besides spending time with her family and two dogs, she soaks up every moment she can in the outdoors. Her favorite weekend activities include long leisurely dinners with bottles of delicious wine, amazing conversations and belly laughs.

“Being under 40 gives me the ability to understand the fast-evolving world of technology and learning new developments in AI daily. The worst thing about being under 40 is I’m not under 30,” she said.

”I consider developing a well-led and fulfilled team to be a great accomplishment.”

She says the human element in management is the hardest and the most rewarding. Ensuring that her team feels supported and gets the professional development they need and deserve is a priority.

Simpson’s goal this year is to continue creating momentum in strong headwinds, keeping her team motivated and focused, staying relevant, innovating and having fun.

“Growing up in Sonoma, this community is super important to me. I love helping pave the way for youth and have had the pleasure of working with the Sonoma Mentoring Alliance,” she said.