“Stephanie’s keynote - There is nothing else like it on stage!” Holly Kostrzewski
Powerful Perspectives on Leadership and Life
The Unexpected Wisdom of Wine
What if the best life and leadership lessons weren’t in a book, but in a bottle?
This isn’t a talk about wine. It’s about what wine reveals.
Perspective → Insight → Revelation
Stephanie reveals wine inspired perspectives on leadership and life - uncorked with depth, clarity, and relevance
"I've seen a kind of step-at-a-time clarity move through an audience as people get lit up. It's really quite amazing."
Bill Callejas, CEO Dauntless Creative
“Life looks different through a wine glass. Not because wine is glamorous, but because it is born out of struggle, nurtured through complexity, and continues to live and breathe. In that lies an uncanny resemblance to our own existence.”
Stephanie Morton-Small
I’m Stephanie Morton-Small, a wine business leader, investor, speaker, and award-winning lyricist. I view life through unconventional perspectives. In a world of uncertainty and noise, perspective is often the difference between hesitation and action.
UK-born, I’ve lived around the world, and now California is home. I’ve made bold life decisions, taken a start-up wine estate to Top 100 status, and pioneered wine concepts. Today, I’m Principal, Strategy at Activequity, advise wineries on business strategy, and actively invest in wine, precious metals, energy, and AI.
Wine, investing, and leadership all reward the same thing: the ability to see what others miss and have the courage and conviction to act on it and see it through.
As a speaker, I use the lens of wine to shift how audiences think, helping them navigate complexity, uncertainty, and high-stakes decisions, and drive innovative thinking through strategic intuition, non-linear intelligence, discernment, and courage under ambiguity.
Stephanie catalyzes authentic, impactful leadership in complex environments
Navigate Complexity & Uncertainty
Strengthen Discernment
Master Risk, Courage & Conviction
Lead with Authenticity & Build Trust
The greatest opportunities often belong to those who can see differently before the rest of the world does.
"Completely Riveting”
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"The World Needs More of This!"
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"Stephanie's Wine Parallels are Phenomenal”
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"Wow! Powerful, Relatable, Inspiring!"
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"Extraordinary."
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"Powerful metaphorical storytelling, truly mind-blowing."
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"There is nothing else like it on stage!"
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"Completely Riveting” ~ "The World Needs More of This!" ~ "Stephanie's Wine Parallels are Phenomenal” ~ "Wow! Powerful, Relatable, Inspiring!" ~ "Extraordinary." ~ "Powerful metaphorical storytelling, truly mind-blowing." ~ "There is nothing else like it on stage!" ~
Wine Inspired Perspectives
A leadership framework revealed through the lens of wine
Explore four curated Wine’s Unfiltered Genius keynotes
Each theme is a 15-minute segment. Use individually, or combine three into a 45–50 minute keynote.
Or build your bespoke keynote from eight individual themes
FERMENTATION
Navigating Uncertainty
(Uncertainty is the messy middle of change)
Disorientation isn’t a problem.
It’s the process of becoming.
BLIND TASTING
Intuition and Courage in Action
(Intuition is self-trust: the courage to hear your own voice and act on it.)
Instinct isn’t risky.
Ignoring it is.
TERROIR
The Power of Authenticity
(The foundation of trust, engagement, and culture)
Without authenticity,
nothing aligns.
BOTTLE SHOCK
Regaining Momentum
(When momentum drops after a major decision or transition)
Progress pauses before it pays off.
You're not lost. You’re recalibrating.
DECANTING
Creating Clarity
(Creating the conditions for clear, high-quality decisions)
The best decisions aren’t rushed.
They’re revealed.
ÉLEVAGE
The Power of Perspective
(Experience builds range, perspective, and judgment)
A résumé shows what you’ve done.
Your choices reveal how you lead.
CO-FERMENTATION
Collaboration
(Beyond skills, how experience and timing drive performance)
The mix matters.
The moment multiplies.
NOBLE ROT
The Power of Endurance
(How resilience and judgment define outcomes)
Ideal conditions offer predictability.
Imperfect ones offer rare value.
Signature Keynote
WINE’S UNFILTERED GENIUS
Lessons in Life, Leadership & the Long Game
“Wine’s Unfiltered Genius” flexes to your audience and format.
It can be delivered in one of four curated keynote versions or as a bespoke keynote built from Stephanie’s wine-inspired themes.
Each theme can stand alone, be combined into a 45–50 minute keynote, or delivered as a series.
Wine’s Unfiltered Genius is also offered with a curated wine tasting (one wine to match each theme), an exceptional experience for leadership retreats and alumni wine clubs.
For business leaders, investors, founders, entrepreneurs, executive teams, women in business, business schools, and alumni wine clubs.
What if the best life and leadership lessons weren’t in a book, but in a bottle?
This isn’t a talk about wine. It’s about what wine reveals.
Stephanie brings strategic intuition, non-linear intelligence, discernment, authenticity, courage under ambiguity, and pattern recognition into focus in a world overwhelmed by noise, speed, and over-analysis.
Perspective → Insight → Revelation
Drawing on her richly varied life and global wine career, Stephanie delivers compelling, wine-inspired perspectives infused with humor and hard-won insight. From boardrooms to vineyards, from financial markets to entrepreneurship, from creative breakthroughs to soul-deep clarity, she draws unexpected connections and brings a viewpoint few can offer.
Check Out Audience Testimonials
Book Stephanie for Keynotes, Leadership Retreats & Alumni Wine Clubs
Choose from four Wine’s Unfiltered Genius keynotes
Select individual themes or combine two or three to create your bespoke keynote
Wine’s Unfiltered Genius keynote with curated wine tasting for leadership retreats and business school wine clubs
A keynote for your company audience, and a keynote with a curated wine tasting for senior leadership
FAQ
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Stephanie’s inspirational keynotes resonate with business leaders and entrepreneurs because she is herself a global C-suite business leader, entrepreneur, and creative force. She has made bold life choices and global career leaps, building a richly varied life that informs the powerful perspectives she now shares on leadership, change, courage, intuition, and authenticity.
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As a successful, highly respected, and well-profiled businesswoman in the wine industry, Stephanie speaks from three decades of global experience, engaging audiences on navigating business, leadership, and life.
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Stephanie offers highly engaging, speaker-led wine tasting experiences that reveal the deeper wisdom of wine, where each glass becomes a metaphor for life.
In her captivating talk, Wine’s Unfiltered Genius, curated wine pairings are uncorked alongside stories from her life. Each wine echoes and amplifies the theme through its own unique story. These experiences weave storytelling, insight, and sensory discovery into a thought-provoking journey that goes far beyond the traditional tasting.
Tailored to your group, it’s ideal for business networks and private or alumni wine clubs seeking something elevated, meaningful, and memorable - an experience that lingers long after the last glass is poured.
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Stephanie is available as a panelist and speaks from her diverse life experience spanning both the business and creative worlds.
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Stephanie is a multi-award-winning lyricist and soon-to-be published author. Having established herself as a successful business leader before embarking on her creative journey, she understands how to get into the creative flow, while keeping a roof over your head.