We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Carruthers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Throughout my years as a wine professional, I noted how many people yearned for access to a unique and tasteful selection of wines. Friends, colleagues and strangers loved when I would share my favorite wines and their inspiring stories. They lacked, however, one place to learn about and also purchase all these special gems. This prompted me to launch my dream company, JC Select Wines – a high-end exclusive wine shop and wine concierge service built to serve the modern-day wine enthusiast. JC Select Wines allows me to elevate my clients’ experience with wine by both sharing a wine’s story and then providing direct access to the wines that I’m passionate about.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I think that all life experiences are part of honing in on what someone is really meant to be doing. I believe that, for me, JC Select Wines is the epitome of what I’m truly meant to do. Living in France, being an engineer, working in Australia and even teaching scuba diving, all contributed to who I am now and what this company is. JCS is Jenn Carruthers in a nutshell. What I love is that JC Select Wines uses all means to provide wine enthusiasts access to the wines and wineries that I’m passionate about. It allows me to host corporate, private and virtual events. It allows me to tailor shipments/cellars to client’s tastes. It’s also a web platform for clients to learn about my favorite wines, browse selections and purchase wines on their own time if that’s their preference. Starting and owning a business isn’t easy, it’s a tonne of work and, when it’s your dream, it’s worth all of it… ❤️

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Mandatory breakfast stops would be: Queenstown Public House for their fried chicken ‘n waffles Morning Glory for their soufflé pancakes Pipes in Solana Beach for their scramble (after surfing, of course) Post-breakfasts: Walk around Little Italy with coffee in hand Torrey Pines Reserve (to work off the breakfast) Lunches: The Taco Stand – An absolute must. The Encinitas location is the best… Followed by a walk through Encinitas to check out classic cars and Hansen’s surf shop. Gravity Heights – One of the City’s BEST breweries thanks to Brewmaster Skip (from AleSmith originally), with amazing food and great outdoor seating. Sbicca – Del Mar with a great view and a staple in North County. And Dan Sbicca is a gem! Afternoon Happy Hour/Cocktails: Catania La Jolla – My fave spot in La Jolla with a lovely view, amazing food and epic cocktails. Born & Raised – If you want to have a drink with a view and feel like you’re on the titanic, this spot’s for you. Ironside – If you like oysters, this place is necessary in your life. Dinners: Catania – It really is one of my fave spots in the city… Nice sunset and think “shared plates” Mister A’s – for classic fine dining and a ridiculous view of the city and all the planes landing at the airport Born ‘n Raised – Again, kind of like being on the Titanic, with epic steaks and some fun table side musts. Cowboy Star – I would argue that this is the best steakhouse in town. To go lunch: Try Promiscuous Fork in La Jolla Activities: Kayaking at La Jolla Shores Stand Up PaddleBoarding on Mission Bay Surfing Lessons in Pacific Beach Del Mar races if they’re running

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The Level Community (@level.community) Not only is this group of female entrepreneurs inspirational and supportive, it’s also been an incredible resource for all the elements required to make a new business successful, from accountants to brand photographers to my incredible business coach. It provided everything that I needed while creating my dream business and I couldn’t be more grateful. Cheers 🥂 to an essential part of my tribe.

Website: www.jcselectwines.com
Instagram: @jcselectwines
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-carruthers-b2159a2a/
Twitter: JC Select Wines – @Jc4Wine
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcselectwines/
Other: My passion project, and second company, is called Great Pour Decisions. www.greatpourdecisions.com @great.pour.decisions Fun times!

Image Credits
Meg Marie Photo