Ep. 049 Jimmy Smith, Wine Educator, Bar Proprietor and YouTube Creator

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🎙️ Communicating Wine, Building Businesses and Legacy with Jimmy Smith

In this episode, I talk with Jimmy Smith, founder of West London Wine School, co-founder of Streatham Wine House, co-owner of South London Wine School & the YouTube channel Wine with Jimmy, and more recently, a winemaker. What began as a teenage rebellion turned into a life-long commitment to breaking down barriers in wine education — and building a business (and life) grounded in curiosity, accessibility, and care. An entrepreneur at heart!

Jimmy shares the story of how a single compliment (“you communicate wine well”) set him on a path that now reaches across the globe. From launching his first wine school during a recession, to navigating a fire and a pandemic, to redefining what it means to be a leader and mentor — this conversation is filled with honesty, heart, and hard-earned wisdom.

This episode explores:

  • 🧠 Why accessibility and respect are foundational to Jimmy’s wine education philosophy

  • 🗣️ How communication became his guiding force — and core value

  • 🚀 The early pivot from wine retail to education

  • 🧃 From cellar work to classroom — how science caught up to curiosity

  • 🔥 Starting over after recession, fire, and COVID — and growing from each one

  • 🌍 Building a global brand (Wine with Jimmy) rooted in clarity and generosity

  • 🧭 The values that drive Jimmy’s team: progression, ownership, and belonging

  • 🧑‍🎓 Why students aren’t just “students” — they’re friends in the journey

  • 🧤 Why mentorship, family, and trust are woven through his whole story

At its heart, this is a story about believing in people, staying curious, and knowing when it’s time to shift — again and again. Next time we’ll talk about Jeff!

📍 Learn more: https://winewithjimmy.com
📲 Follow Jimmy: YouTube