How Kate Zaman Is Helping Build The Future Of Luxury E-Commerce At ReserveBar

This week on Above the Fold, I linked up with Kate Zaman, Senior VP of Partnerships and Marketing at ReserveBar. I was in New York (hi from the land of overpriced bagels) and we got into it: her career journey, what’s actually moving the needle in wine and spirits, and why brand building today is a whole different ball game.

If you're in the game of brand strategy, CX, marketing, partnerships — honestly, if you're just trying to get people to care about your brand — this episode is gonna feed you. Kate is the real deal and dropped nothing but gems.

Falling Into The Industry And Making It A Slay

Kate didn’t wake up as a kid thinking, I wanna run luxury e-comm for alcohol one day. Like most of us, she fell into it — started as a brand ambassador in college, got the keys to Manhattan nightlife at 22, and built her whole career off saying "yes" and figuring it out as she went.

Major lesson here: the best career glow-ups aren’t linear. You pick up skills everywhere — customer service, sales, shot girl vibes — and stack them until you’re that girl in your industry.

Why Real-World Experience Will Always Beat Textbooks

Kate is basically anti-just-being-cute-on-paper. If you wanna work in marketing (or tbh anything), you have to actually work — internships, side hustles, brand repping, whatever gets you in the room.

The degree is cute, but the experience is cuter. People hire people who already know how to move through real life, not just talk about it in theory.

Building ReserveBar: Big Tech Energy, But Make It Boozy

ReserveBar isn’t just a fancy website selling overpriced champagne — it’s a full-on tech company moving like a luxury plug. They’re behind the scenes, powering sales for major brands and helping them stay legally in bounds (because alcohol laws are messy).

Kate broke it down: ReserveBar makes it feel like brands are selling direct-to-consumer, but keeps everything legit through the traditional distribution system — lowkey genius.

Personalization Is the New It-Girl Move

If your brand isn’t letting people personalize, you’re already losing. Kate made it crystal: the brands that win are the ones that make customers feel like it’s their product, not just another mass thing.

Engraved bottles? Big flex. Personalized gifting? Core memory unlocked. Consumers want to feel special, not like just another number in your email list.

Big Brand Lessons You Can’t Sleep On

First, clout doesn’t guarantee sales. A celebrity name won’t save a mid-product; consumers will clock it instantly.

Second, focus groups are cute, but your actual customers are louder. Stop trying to manifest a fake audience and listen to the people who are already showing up.

Third, loyalty programs and collectibles aren’t just for hypebeasts. Whether it's limited barrels or exclusive drops, giving your real ones something extra is the move.

And finally, brands that chill and stay real will outlive the ones chasing every microtrend. It’s not about doing the most — it’s about doing it right and staying locked into your people.

If you're out here building a brand, launching a product, or just trying to make your audience care, Kate’s approach is pure gold. And if you ever need a top-shelf bottle for a gift (or a treat-yourself moment because you’re iconic), hit up ReserveBar.

Catch you next week on Above the Fold — same time, same energy✌️