Breaking Barriers in the Bourbon Industry: Celebrating Kari Coughlin, COO of On Tap Tours, on International Women's Day

In honor of International Women's Day, we want to take a moment to recognize Kari Coughlin, Chief Operating Officer for On Tap Tours. Like many women in male dominated industries, Kari has overcome numerous obstacles to get to where she is today. Emily Donohue from Lexington Living Magazine recently had a conversation with Kari, and she shared some of her experiences.

A Southern Illinois native, Kari and husband, Sean, made the move to the Bluegrass from Denver, Colorado nearly 10 years ago. "I didn't really like it here at first and I've only really fallen in love with Kentucky over the last couple of years", says Coughlin. After spending most of her professional life working in event planning and hotel/restaurant operations, Kari fell into a role working for On Tap Tours, a Kentucky tourism company that specializes in all things bourbon and horse farm tours. Though she was initially tasked with content creation for On Tap's social media, veteran and owner Staus Sienicki quickly realized Kari's potential and offered her a full time position. "He basically handed me the keys to the kingdom and told me to blow this thing up, and that's what I've been trying to do ever since." Staus had a unique vision for what he wanted On Tap Tours to be and with Kari's extensive background in event operations and hospitality, he knew she was the key to creating a tour company that different from the others.

On Tap Tours isn't your cookie cutter tour company. Every itinerary is custom built from scratch specific to each client based on any special requests, wants, or needs they may have. Kari has spent the last two years creating and maintaining relationships with different distilleries and other tour partners in order to be able to offer exclusive experiences. From corporate outings to weekend getaways, On Tap is truly a one stop shop for VIP experiences and concierge services. In addition to her role as COO, Kari also writes the Kentucky Kari blog, is a founding member of the Kentucky Bourbon Influencers, does content creation for several social media outlets, and is a Certified Bourbon Steward. "I like to stay busy", she jokes. 

Emily with LLM: "How would you define a successful woman?"

Kari: "This answer has changed so much as I've grown and I came to the realization a few years ago that my success isn't defined by my paycheck or the title on my business card. I wake up every day to a life that I love and I'm so incredibly proud of the achievements in both my professional and personal life, none of which came easy.  At the end of the day, I just need to feel that sense of accomplishment and pride. I spend my days doing things that bring my life meaning and joy. I think that's the greatest success anyone can have."

Emily with LLM: "Who is a female role model you admire?"

Kari: "Call me cliche, but my mom is a real life superhero. I watched her go through college and then a Phd program while working a full time job and raising a bunch of kids. She never missed one of my piano recitals and was at every basketball game I cheered at. She instilled serious work ethic and determination in me and my two sisters."

Emily with LLM: "Have you encountered any obstacles in your professional life due to your gender? If so, how have you overcome them?"

Kari: "Oh my gosh, of course. For me it was always about being confident, assertive, and advocating for myself. I learned to not allow others to speak over me and to ensure my voice was being heard. In turn, I was labeled the "b-word", or aggressive and emotional which was frustrating because had I been a man, I would have been labeled as being good at my job or a great leader. It just comes down to knowing your value and not taking anything less than that. Coming into the bourbon industry was extremely intimidating, but I've been so lucky to encounter so many male allies that truly celebrate and support the females in bourbon and it's so amazing seeing so many more women come into leadership roles within the industry."

On International Women's Day, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of women who have overcome obstacles to achieve success and inspire others to do the same. Kari Coughlin is an excellent example of such a woman. Through her hard work, determination, and self-advocacy, Kari is working towards breaking barriers in the bourbon industry and achieving her dreams in the hospitality and tourism industry. With more female role models like Kari, we can empower future generations of women to know that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.