Leisa: Hello, I’m Leisa Holland-Nelson and welcome to another edition of Women Mean Business, where we’re going to take you up close and personal with extraordinary women doing extraordinary things. My guest today is Constance McDerby, the Founder and Co-Producer of Food & Vine Time Productions. Food and Vine Time produces The Woodlands Wine and Food Week, correct?

Constance: That’s it.

Leisa: And many other festivals, and I know you’ve just been very successful, Constance, producing these food and wine affairs and I’m curious what you tell someone who is young and wants to be in this business and be as successful as you are. How did you do it and what advice would you give them?

Constance: Well, we had a lot of guidance along the way, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Absolutely go to the people who know a whole lot more than you do and ask them to point you in the right direction, and be willing to listen, and be willing to be wrong. (Leisa: ok.) And just step through those fears and journey on, and then the other thing is; a lot of attention to detail and the passion around it. You really have to follow your passion and be able to be, like have a barrier there, when things get tough, you know? You just have to put on your big boy shoes and go out and trudge through the trenches when things go wrong; which, it happens, you know, things do go wrong. And so, just work through it with an honest heart and good intentions and keep on plowing through.

Leisa: Thank you very much. There you have it: extraordinary advice from an extraordinary woman. I’m Leisa Holland-Nelson, President and Co-Founder of ContentActive, Houston’s leading web and mobile design and development company. You can find me at contentactive.com or follow me on Twitter @lhnelson. We’ll be back again next week with another edition of Women Mean Business.