Somewhere Between 'And the Winner Is…' and 'Just Kidding'
What happens when you accept an award that isn’t yours—on stage, in front of legends?
I was already halfway to the stage when it hit me—something was terribly wrong.
The room was packed—whiskey legends, industry peers, my (new-to-me) colleagues at Heaven Hill—all watching as I strode forward, beaming. For a few glorious seconds, I was the winner. Until, in what felt like slow motion, my eyes flicked to the massive projector screens flanking the stage.
**My name wasn’t under “Winner.” Someone else’s was.**
Let me zoom out for a second.
In my early 20s, I dreamed up and then created Brenne Whisky, a single malt whisky made entirely in the Cognac region of France—despite being American and living in NYC. I launched in New York in 2012, delivering my whisky for that first year via bicycle, having bootstrapped the whole thing years earlier from money I had made cleaning apartments, working in restaurants, and from my first career as a professional ballerina. Ten years after launching my brand to the public (remember, whisky takes years to make! That 10-year-old whisky in the bottle actually takes 10+ years to create!), and just a few months shy of my 40th birthday, I sold Brenne for the second time—this time to the incredible, multi-generationally owned Heaven Hill Distilleries, the second-largest bourbon producer in the world. Along the way, both Brenne and I have had extraordinary experiences: traveling the world, meeting kind and fascinating people, winning many awards, and—one of my highest honors—becoming the first person in the world to win the Icons of Whisky for global brand advocacy three times.
Since transitioning out of running Brenne full-time and into a consulting role, I’ve used the last two years for a much-needed sabbatical to rest, feed my soul with different experiences, learn new skills, and travel without the pressure of trying to sell anything.
So you can imagine my surprise when I was invited to this year’s Icons of Whisky awards in Louisville, KY. I had no idea what award I might be nominated for—or who might have nominated me (though, whoever you are, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!). As I’m still getting to know the vast universe of Heaven Hill’s team, I jumped at the chance to attend—not just for the awards, but for the opportunity to meet more of my colleagues and deepen my connection within this incredible organization. Even if I had only been shortlisted for something, the trip was well worth it for the experience alone.
There I was, enjoying the evening at my assigned seat at Table #10—objectively the best seat in the house, front and center with a perfect view of the stage—when suddenly, I heard my name called as the winner!!!
I jumped up and started excitedly walking to the stage when my brain checked in with my body and whispered, “Um, Allison? You don’t own an agency. How could you have won an Icon for this category?”
My eyes flicked to the massive projector screens flanking both sides of the stage, and sure enough—it did not say my name under “Winner.” Instead, it said Lewis.
Three things immediately popped into my head:
Uh-oh, the entire room is becoming aware at the same time that we're all characters in an incredibly embarrassing moment—starring me in the spotlight.
I have the unique power to break the tension rippling through the room and replace it with a love bomb!
I must have won something, because my name was clearly read from somewhere!
What happened next unfolded in cinematic slow-motion:
My legs refused to take another step toward the stage. Instead, they rooted me in place as reality caught up with me.
One of the announcers caught the error and came over the mic: “Um, we’re so sorry, there’s been a mistake.”
I smiled broadly, threw my arms up, and made two big circles in the air while shouting, “Let’s try it again!!!” And proceed to clap enthusiastically as I confidently returned to my chair.
I noticed faces in the crowd—some in sheer horror—as if they were mentally placing themselves in my shoes and experiencing the embarrassment firsthand. Instead of absorbing that energy, I consciously decided in real time not to meet their imagined panic with my own. I focused on shifting my own energy away from discomfort and into something lighter and more celebratory.
The real winners, Lewis Communications, were announced.
As their team walked past me, I jumped up, clapping and cheering loudly, laughing, “It was you the whole time! Yay!!!”
Two categories later, the announcers began describing the winner of World Whisky Ambassador of the Year. They spoke about an American who started a French whisky, and I felt a shift—this time, they were actually talking about me.
The moment before my name was announced, I locked eyes with Steve Beal, who started waving me up before even saying my name. The whole room erupted in cheers. I think many were relieved that I didn’t have to go home only as the person who almost accepted someone else’s award, lol!
But what truly moved me happened after the video stopped recording.
The photographer needed to retake a shot with me, Anita Ujszaszi, and Steve Beal. As I stood on stage, the Lewis Agency team, fresh from their moment on the step-and-repeat, came back into the ballroom—and instead of quietly slipping back to their seats, they lined up behind the photographer and gave me a standing ovation in return.
The warmth in the room doubled.
Yes, it’s an extraordinary honor to now update my LinkedIn bio to say “4x Icons of Whisky Winner.” But the bigger gift? The goodness in those in-between moments—where connections deepen, grace is exchanged, and we get to be fully seen not just for our wins, but for how we handle the unexpected twists.
So, here’s a reminder: even in the midst of an awkward, confusing, or downright cringeworthy moment, we always have a choice. We can shrink, or we can radiate. We can spiral, or we can laugh, clap, and send out love bombs.
And honestly? The world could use a few more love bombs.
PS: If you ever find yourself mistakenly walking to a stage for an award that is NOT yours—may you walk backward with confidence, throw your arms in the air, and yell “Let’s try it again!!!”
