Episode 10: From Library Stacks to Wine Racks: Sande Friedman on Building a Unique and Profitable Wine Program

• Guest: Sande Friedman, Founder of Friends in Wine

• Episode: 86 Reason Ep. 10: Building a Profitable Wine Program: Sande Friedman - Hospitality Innovation

• Episode Duration: 1hr 08m 55s

• Published: Dec 01, 2025

• Topics: Wine Retail, Staff Training, Operational Excellence, Inventory Management, Entrepreneurship

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Episode Summary

Welcome to an engaging episode of the 86 Reason podcast featuring Sande Friedman, whose unconventional path from library science studies to becoming a pioneer in Philadelphia's wine industry is a masterclass in adaptability and strategic management.

Sande shares how a "failure" at a Certified Cheese Professional exam serendipitously launched her into a pivotal role at Di Bruno Bros., where she successfully built a highly profitable wine retail program from scratch, navigating Pennsylvania's archaic liquor laws. Her success is rooted in applying her unique background in information organization to merchandising, relentlessly investing in staff training, and using storytelling over jargon to make wine accessible. This episode culminates in her latest venture, Friends in Wine, a bold entrepreneurial leap focused on empowering others in the industry. Her story underscores the power of the "human element" and the importance of operational structure for lasting financial success.

Key Takeaways

The Unexpected Foundation: Library Science Meets the Cellar 🍷

Sande's career path is anything but linear. After early hospitality gigs and a journalism degree, she pursued a Master's in Library & Information Sciences at Drexel University. This foundation, which seemed unconventional for the wine world, became her superpower.

Library science taught her:

• Indexing and Classification: Skills directly translatable to structuring inventory and merchandising, organizing complex wine selections logically for staff and customers.

• Verifiable Research: Rigorously researching wine producers, regions, and legal requirements.

• Information Organization: Presenting complex data in a way that is appealing and easy to consume.

As Sande explains, "It's niche, but it's something you can apply to any topic." This unique approach became the bedrock for her groundbreaking retail work.

Pioneering a Program: The Di Bruno Bros. Blueprint

Sande's career pivotal moment came after what she calls a "failure"—not passing a Certified Cheese Professional exam. This setback, however, serendipitously led to her nine impactful years at Di Bruno Bros.

There, she faced the formidable task of building a profitable wine program from scratch within the state's highly regulated market. Her success was built on two core pillars that directly align with Over Easy Office's focus:

• Strategic Relationship Building: Cultivating personal connections with wine producers, allowing her to champion private label projects, including 14 unique wines and ciders.

• Operational Structure: Applying her organizational background to manage inventory and merchandising within restrictive state policies, ensuring the wine program was structured and profitable.

Her work here demonstrates true Financial Strategy & Management in a highly regulated environment.

The Secret Ingredient: Investing in People and Stories

For Sande, the ultimate differentiator in hospitality is the human element. Her belief—forged from her time at Tria to Di Bruno Bros.—is unwavering:

"The biggest mistake that any type of business can make is not investing in the staff."

She advocates for profound staff investment, providing employees with the tools, knowledge, and tasting experiences necessary to confidently sell products. This reduces turnover and directly boosts the bottom line.

This passion for empowerment is rooted in storytelling:

"I would always be framing everything as a story because the story is how people can take in at least the top level of information, and then you can go get more if you desire that."

By humanizing winemakers and sharing their narratives, Sande makes wine approachable, memorable, and easier to sell, turning complex data into delightful narratives—a key lesson in operational communication.

A New Chapter: Friends in Wine

After a period of stability, Sande made the bold leap into entrepreneurship, founding her own LLC, "Friends in Wine." This venture embodies her philosophy: consulting for clients like Pizzeria Badilla, she continues her mission of connecting people through genuine relationships and the captivating stories behind the products.

Sande Friedman's journey underscores a critical truth for all hospitality leaders: even in a world governed by archaic regulations and financial numbers, Operational Excellence is achieved through adaptability, technology, and a fierce commitment to investing in your people.

About Sande Friedman

Sande Friedman is the Founder of Friends in Wine, a hospitality consultant, and a passionate advocate for accessible wine education. With over a decade and a half of experience in the Philadelphia scene, she has held key leadership roles at Tria and built a groundbreaking, profitable wine retail program at Di Bruno Bros. Her expertise spans operations, marketing, staff education, and product development.

Instagram: @befriendsinwine

Substack: @friendsinwine

The Power of Structure and Story

Sande Friedman's journey—from library stacks to leading innovative wine programs—is a powerful testament to the fact that operational excellence and financial profitability in the hospitality industry are achieved through intentional structure and unwavering investment in the human element.

By applying academic rigor to retail organization, relentlessly advocating for staff training, and translating complex product knowledge into accessible stories, Sande didn't just sell wine; she built a highly profitable, scalable, and resilient program. Her experience aligns perfectly with Over Easy Office’s core mission: empowering restaurant leaders to gain control over their back office so they can focus on the passion and creativity that drives their business.

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