Today we’d like to introduce you to Pati Coelho.
Hi Pati, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Three hours north of Los Angeles lies the small, rural town of Paso Robles. I suppose this story began when driving through the area from the San Fernando Valley with my family on our way to San Francisco to visit relatives. Since then, there was nowhere else I could imagine living, so it wasn’t a complete surprise when my husband and I decided we’d raise our family here. We moved to Templeton from So. California in 1984.
At that time, there were only a handful of wineries and a few old, established vineyards. Now a sprawling yet still charming community, we have become home to upwards of 200 wineries and tasting rooms. After a lifetime in the hospitality industry in one form or another, I found myself drawn to the wine industry and eventually fully immersed in that world. Most of my hospitality experience comes from spending much of my life helping out in my mom’s various theatre ventures, both in Los Angeles and finally Paso Robles. Both parents were professional actors and the theatre life was a way of life. When we had Classic American Theatre in Paso Robles, I was the house manager. In this role, I became familiar with many winery owners as they would donate wine for our non-profit concessions program. I made some great connections.
Eventually, I made the wine industry my career. After nine years as a tasting room manager at a large, local winery, I realized the challenge of adequate staffing. While I always had my core team in place, there were often times we were short-handed due to illness, vacations, or other life interruptions. There were also winemaker’s dinners, weddings, festival weekends, and holidays when we needed extra people which were often hard to find. This lead to burn out and overtime for an already overutilized and exhausted staff. With this knowledge and years of experience under my belt, I decided to create Criú Hospitality Professionals. Originally, my goal was to assist tasting rooms with basic weekend staffing. Now, as we wind down our 3rd year in business, we find ourselves assisting not only wineries but event venues of all sizes, restaurants, wedding professionals, private and corporate parties. We vow not to spread ourselves too thin and to always keep the focus on the hospitality industry and its partners. Our staff is made up of college students, largely from the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture Department and Cuesta College’s Hospitality Department, retirees who love wine and the Paso Robles vibe, or just about anyone in between who wants a flexible, part-time job in an upbeat, happy atmosphere.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Thanks to the help and support of my family and friends, it has been fairly smooth so far. I had the good fortune of starting out in a partnership with an incredible mentor, Cari Curtis, who stuck with me through the first year and until we were off and running. Cari was kind of like my training wheels – I was a little nervous when she left the company, but because of her input and great effort that first year, I have managed to flourish on my own. Even 2020 has been surprisingly successful despite the struggles so many businesses have faced. I’m proud to have been able to work with my community to support local businesses that have lost staff or had to shut their doors temporarily. Beginning on Father’s Day this year, we partnered with Travel Paso, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, the Paso Chamber of Commerce and the City of Paso Robles to launch Dining in the Park, an outdoor, safely distanced dining program to support local businesses. It was a huge success! While many downtown restaurants were on lockdown, they were able to provide take out meals and cocktails for patrons of the Downtown City Park. The program continued through Halloween. It was a great privilege to be involved. Of course, we had many cancelations of weddings and large events this year, but we are certain that they will rebook as soon as it is again possible for large groups to gather in San Luis Obispo County.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
While raising our family and before I started my career in the hospitality industry, I had a small stained glass business. I have always loved working with glass and still do when I have the time. Currently, my daughter and I are working on some custom pieces for another daughter’s yoga studio in Sacramento, the Summer Moon. I find it so rewarding to create one of a kind pieces of art that I hope will bring joy to whomever they end up with. As for what sets me apart, not much from any other entrepreneur that I know. We are all looking for the next great idea with the hope of making life for our families a little easier and more joyful while providing an awesome service or product. And I think what I am most proud of besides my incredible family is being a woman over 60 and finding success in a new business that I was destined for, in a niche not yet saturated here on the Central Coast.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love LA!! I am a California native, born in Pasadena and grew up in and around the L.A. area. The fact that I can be there in under 3 1/2 hours has always been a bonus to living in SLO County. Alternately, our friends and family are close enough to come to visit us and we’re able to share our wonderful community with them. What I like least is probably not a surprise – the traffic! Small price to pay when your destination is a visit with life-long friends or one of the great restaurants or attractions that Los Angeles has to offer.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.criuhospitality.com
- Instagram: @criuhospitality
- Facebook: Criu Hospitality Professionals
Image Credits
Christy Lounder Photography Jonathan Roberts – Bluephoto Wedding Photography
