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She Built It® Podcast
Welcome to the She Built It® podcast. Join me as I talk to women who have successfully built it - a life and business that they love. We dive into the topic of “how” they built it and talk about everything from having the courage to make career leaps to the details of how to lead effectively, build teams, implement growth strategies, and infuse tech innovation. Magic happens when we focus on the part of ourselves and our business that brings us joy so let’s dive in.
She Built It® Podcast
Building Access and Community: The Story Behind Cookout at the Vineyard
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On She Built It®, Courtney Summers shares the story behind Cookout at the Vineyard, a three-day fundraising event in Northern California's Sonoma County she co-founded alongside Talia Suggs to support and elevate women of color in the hospitality, food, and beverage industries.
What started as a small gathering of under 60 people has grown into a 200-plus-person, three-day event now in its fourth year, 100% grant and donor funded, with all proceeds supporting The Veraison Project.
Courtney talks about how an apprenticeship program gave her access to an industry she once felt was invite-only, what it really takes to build an event from the ground up in the hospitality world, and why scaling with intention (not speed) has been the secret to Cookout at the Vineyard's growth. This conversation is about building something that gives back what was once given to you, and making sure the next generation doesn't have to figure it out alone.
Episode resources:
Tish Wiggins - Tish Around Town
Connect with us:
Cookout at the Vineyard Website
Cookout at the Vineyard Instagram
Cookout at the Vineyard Facebook
Evolution of the Cookout Weekend Experience - June 11th-13th, 2026 - Sonoma County
The Veraison Project Instagram
She Built It® CEO, Melanie Barr Instagram
Welcome to the Shivl to podcast. Today I'm joined by Courtney Summers, co-founder of Cook Out at the Vineyard, a three-day fundraiser in Northern California created to support and elevate women of color in the hospitality, food, and beverage industries. Alongside her co-founder, Talia Suggs, they are building something that not only brings people together, but creates access and opportunity for the next generation of leaders. You've taken something that was once an opportunity for you and turned it into something you're now building for others. Tell us about the moment you decided to step into that role.
SPEAKER_01We can definitely start off with the apprenticeship program. The beginning of the apprenticeship program with the Varation Project and partnership with Silver Oak Sellers was the catalyst moment of coming out here to Sonoma County and understanding where I was. Coming from Fort Worth, Texas, I had no idea what I would be stepping into. And being able to do this alongside Talia has been absolutely beautiful. What we realized during that apprenticeship program was something that we desired to see more of when we came up with the cookout at the vineyard. Initially, it was just, hey, let's see if we can have a party, an event. And of course, we wanted to give back to the Barasian project. You know, that's the idea that came about was what do we see here and how can we bring in our own culture, community, what we grew up surrounded by? How can we combine those two worlds together? And that's how Cook It at the Vineyard got started.
SPEAKER_00And who doesn't love Silver Oak? And tell us more about what brought you, what brought you to the program and what the program is.
SPEAKER_01The Varasian Project created an apprenticeship program. And the apprenticeship program allowed you a one-year opportunity to rotate through the wine industry. And it allowed you to see everything. So we started out in the vineyards, then we were able to do harvest, then we did uh customer care, marketing, sales, ended in the tasting room, and it was an all-around beautiful experience for us to see more about the wine industry and really understand where we wanted to go, where we saw ourselves. I have a culinary background in Forworth, so I was a private chef. With that hospitality background, I saw a need as I was going through the private chef services and providing that experience to guests. I realized what was missing from me was why. So that's when I went down the rabbit hole, which I feel like I'm still down the rabbit hole. But the apprenticeship program offered me the opportunity to have passion to learn. And they didn't care about what background I had. They cared about me wanting to learn. And the Verasman Project gave us that opportunity. It's been a beautiful journey. And I I'm still on that journey now with the cookout at the vineyard. It's it's beautiful to see it grow within its fourth year now.
SPEAKER_00And you're at a pivotal moment where we're all craving connection now more than ever before, especially entering all the AI and all the new platforms and all that we can do without being in person.
SPEAKER_01That's very important. We don't want to lose connection and community and being able to bring those two together. It's not just a networking event, it's not an industry event. It collides those two worlds together without feeling as though if you're somebody who's a consumer who's curious and you may have a hard time asking those questions to industry leaders because you may feel that you should already know those answers. This event allows you to explore and it allows you to connect with others that you may not have connected with at any other point in time. And that's what's beautiful about the cookout. It's we are raising money for the Vrasian project. So all proceeds go back to the Vrasian Project and its programs.
SPEAKER_00When I'm in Northern California, I immediately relax. It's something about all of the vineyards and it's just a slow, amazing pace of life.
SPEAKER_01Yes, it is. My family thoroughly enjoys that I live out here. They love visiting. My mom tries to get out here as much as she possibly can.
SPEAKER_00For someone meeting you for the first time, share with us more about who you are and what you're building.
SPEAKER_01The cookout at the vineyard, that's something that we've championed. And but what I'm building here is more than just community and connection. And I'm still learning myself. That's what the interesting part is. I started out doing culinary in the first two years. I was more involved with the culinary as the event grew. It became time for us to release those reins a little bit. And with that, we're branched out and we started seeing more of the community around us. So with our caterers this year, they're local. We have a Bay Area chef, Minnie Bells, that's going to be our Friday caterer. We have Jamaican Jurt that's going to be our caterer for Thursday. And then we have Anne and Barbecue that's going to be our caterer for Saturday. With these connections, it has allowed us to continue building our partnerships. That's something that I didn't realize coming out here that I would be moving into that direction, but I thoroughly enjoy it. It's it's networking and building those relationships with the community is something I didn't see coming. But I'm thoroughly enjoying the process of where I'm at now and to see how far that really can go.
SPEAKER_00I have so many conversations with entrepreneurs where it's hard to let certain things go. Yeah. But you have to do that in order in order to grow and scale, especially the things that you like too.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. As the years have gone, we've realized what questions to ask. When that's really helped us. When we do talk to chefs that we're bringing on, we're talking to them, we're getting their story, we're understanding where their path has been, where they've been led. And that's what's allowing us to say, you know what, the synergy right now, that's what's allowing this to continue to move forward. I always say you're doing something right when it continues to grow.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And bringing the local community together is amazing.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. That's the beautiful part about it. And it it feels familiar to you. It's different wineries that we're bringing, spirit brands that allows you to say, I didn't know that wine was here. And that's the fun part about it is we're allowing everybody, all guests, to explore.
SPEAKER_00Cook Out at the Vineyard is about more than just an event. What's your long-term vision behind what you're creating?
SPEAKER_01What we see now is something that's continuing to grow with authenticity. We really care each year about who we bring in, our team has grown. And what it's allowed us to do is to scale with intention. And that's the goal. Next year, we're we're having our five-year anniversary. To even think about that is crazy.
SPEAKER_00Congratulations.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. But with that, it's allowing us to take our time. When you're building something, if you think about it, the first year we had a little under 60 people. In the first two years, it was a one-day event. By year three, we went to three days and we were hosting over 200 people. That was insane. But our our mission and our goal is to do what we're doing right now very well before we continue to scale. Because if we can do what we're doing right now beautifully, then as we continue to grow, we're learning through that process.
SPEAKER_00I love the intention and the patience that you're putting behind that. Because that's really how you build something over time. And you're hitting on so many of my of the conversations I'm having with entrepreneurs, the authenticity. And we're going into an era where so much is not authentic.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And things want to move so fast. And if you try to move too fast, you get lost in why this began in the first place. And we don't want to do that. And our team has that same vision with us. And that's what's beautiful, is we're all on the same page with that.
SPEAKER_00You are building within the hospitality food and beverage industries that are not always easy to navigate. What realities do people not talk about within the hospitality industry? You're laughing before I get to the end of the question.
SPEAKER_01I don't think people understand how much things cost. The hospitality industry is very interesting. Even further than what things cost is every little thing has a different place and comes from a different place. And to bring all of those together within even one day takes so many moving parts. And that's something that brings back our intention of who we work with and ourselves with. And if we want to add this element this year, and we didn't add this last year, so let's see what it looks like. It's all the different aspects. It's so many moving parts. It takes a while. The first year we planned the event in two to three months, which is crazy. Right after that, it's taking a whole year. When then some planning for next year starts now, technically.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I love the intentionality. And if you think about how grapes are grown, yes, and how farming is done, it's all very slowly. And I and there are so many wineries in Northern California that I love how you're probably introducing wineries to people that didn't even know they existed.
SPEAKER_01That's the beautiful part. It's varietals as well, too. In certain areas, people may think that Sonoma is Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot or Chardonnay and Pinot, and they think Napa's cab, and it's it's so much more. There's so much evolvement in all of these different areas, and to bring them all together is beautiful. We even have wines that are coming from Philadelphia, Maryland City cellars, and absolutely beautiful wines. And that is something that we're very intentional about, is that even though you're here, we're also going to expose you to if you're flying from across the country and you live on the East Coast, hey, there's a winery on the East Coast as well, too, that you can go to. That's that's what's beautiful about the event. And that's the intention behind it is to not just show you what's right here. It's beautiful what's in our community. But when you go back home, we don't want you to feel like, oh, you have to come out here to only have this experience. You can also experience it where you're from. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I see growth in your future. When you think about access and opportunity, what are the biggest gaps that you're working to close?
SPEAKER_01When I think about this question, I think about my own start. It was a journey for me to get into the wine industry. I felt as though it was something that was a little bit more of an invite only.
SPEAKER_00Yes, it's not easy. It's not easy.
SPEAKER_01I felt as though I had to have multiple avenues already figured out. And the apprenticeship program showed me that passion was enough. Are you willing to learn? Is that enough? And it it was difficult. You're coming out and you're doing things you've never done before. But how hard are you willing to push yourself? How how much are you willing to give to your passions? And with the industry and what's happening in the educational system as well, too. And everybody's path is different. What I would love to continue to keep assisting with is that your path is unique and it's not wrong. You can still get to where you need to get to and where you want to get to. And I had mentors that said, Hey, here's a link to this. Just try. And if I didn't have those mentors that showed me that, Tish Wiggins, Tish Roundtown, shout out to her. If I didn't have that, I would have never known. That's what I would love to continue to give to those who may have a hard time figuring their way in to provide them access at hand. That's something that's still important.
SPEAKER_00And to your credit, you did the next steps. So that's also important too.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00What has been harder than you expected in building your business and what has required you to grow the most as a leader?
SPEAKER_01Courage, confidence in myself as well. And I do believe coming here is my first time in Northern California. It was my first time taking a leap in this capacity. And what I had to learn was to take it a day at a time, to be observant, to understand that there is going to also be a lot of no's within the journey. I may have gotten a yes. Yes, you were chosen to be one half of the apprenticeship program, the inaugural apprentice. But there was also a lot of no's that came after that as well. Jobs that I applied for that I didn't get. And sometimes when you still get those no's, even though you're you're saying to yourself, hey, I did it. I took the lead. Sometimes those no's can still feel like, am I supposed to be here? And I had to take those no's and realize that I still belong. I still have a path. It doesn't mean that this industry is not for me, but there may be somewhere else that I can still be impactful. And once I continue to put my mind towards that, doors continue to open that where I was supposed to go, where I was meant to be, versus what I initially thought I wanted to go. You have to get patient.
SPEAKER_00Such good advice because that is leadership too. You know, you're showing others that because you receive a no doesn't mean it's always no. And maybe something better will come along for you.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. I like to say a no over here is a yes over there.
SPEAKER_00So yes, it's a great way of looking at it. You're working with a majority women-led team. How have you been intentional about building and leading that environment?
SPEAKER_01We all have the same intention, the same mission. And each of us came together organically. That's what's beautiful. Started out with Talia and I. And as we continue to grow, it was something that was inviting at this point. Hey, this is this is an event. This is what we do. I do this, I do that. And it and it literally came from that. I what people really should understand is we're volunteers. We do this because we love it. The cookout at the Vineyard is a hundred percent fundraised. So, with that, it continues to show case to us because it starts with us. What you see within those three days is our passion project. It's our baby, it's the energy that we put in for over a year. And what's presented is how we feel about it. And that's what's beautiful is our team really, really cares about what we're presenting to our community and to the culture.
SPEAKER_00What do you see for the future for a cookout in the vineyard?
SPEAKER_01Oh, I see it being so beautiful and continuing to grow. As I like to coin, where there's a vineyard, there's a way. So cookout at the vineyard. There's there's vineyards all over. You never know. You may see us on the east coast at a vineyard, you may see us in the south.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you mentioned that. I was wondering.
SPEAKER_01So, what's beautiful about cookout at the vineyard is that it's able to grow in the way that we push it. It's able to grow in in the continued love that we give it. And I I that's what I see for it. I continue to see after great food, amazing music, hugs, love, tears, of joy. And that's what we want to continue to provide to this beautiful event and to the Varation Project. They've given so much to us, and that's why this event will continue to grow because it's giving back to them as well.
SPEAKER_00Speaking of joy and beyond the work that you're doing, how do you make sure that you're finding and living your joy every day?
SPEAKER_01Being in a beautiful place definitely helps. I love to get outside. I I love to meditate. I love my sound healing as well. I I love to ground myself. I love to move. I love to breathe within nature. That's something that is really helpful because the world is doing what the world is doing right now. And on a day-to-day basis, it's it is difficult to take yourself out of that. But I've really been working a lot more now, especially on making sure that I take a moment to check out, take a moment to ground myself, take a moment to calm and regulate my nervous system. Yes. That allows me to make sure that I lock in and make sure that when I do come back and I step back into these roles that I'm coming back as 100%. And that allows me to be a better person, be a better partner, be a better coworker.
SPEAKER_00It's amazing how much that helps us, right?
SPEAKER_01Yes, it is. Yes, it's very important. I know it's hard to do. I know it is. But if we can do more of taking five to ten minutes a day, breathing.
SPEAKER_00I love that you say five to ten minutes because I've been doing five minute meditations and in the morning when I don't do it, I feel it. And you think it's just five minutes. Think about all the things we do in five minutes.
SPEAKER_01Oh man. Think about all the time we waste in five minutes. So if we get that back.
SPEAKER_00All right. So true. Maybe take ten. Ten to your point.
SPEAKER_01If we could give that back to ourselves, we deserve that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01With everything that's going on, we still deserve that. It's the only way we're able to show up.
SPEAKER_00Love what you're building and creating. Thank you for joining us today. Please share with us how and where we can find you.
SPEAKER_01So cookout at the vineyard on Instagram, cookouthevineyard.com, the verasianproject.com, the Verasian Project on Instagram as well. The event is June 11th through the 13th, a three-day event. Thursday is going to be at Obershine Wine Co in Hiltsburg. Friday is going to be at Kendall Jackson in Santa Rosa. And Saturday is going to be at Balletto Vineyards in Santa Rosa. So we're really, really beautifully excited. And then if you are taking a trip, if you're traveling, all our events are in the evening. So there's so much to do. We actually have an itinerary on our website as well. Since it's in Sonoma County, I bet you didn't know that the beach was just an hour away. So during the day, you're able to do some wine tasting. You're able to go to the beach. You can take a hike. And then you can come on over and enjoy the rest of your evening with us. And tickets are still on sale. So co go outhevenyard.com for you to purchase your tickets.