Today on the show we welcome Skyler Mapes, a native of Oakland, California. Skyler is the co-founder of EXAU Olive Oil, which she founded in 2017 alongside her husband, Giuseppe. Prior to starting out in the olive oil business, Skyler worked in both the design and wine industries. She became interested in olive oil after meeting Giuseppe and learning about olive trees. In 2017 she made the move to Calabria in Italy to learn all she could about the olive oil industry where she harvested, pressed, and bottled EXAU olive oil, designed the packaging, and exported it to the US to sell directly to their customers. EXAU has been recognized for producing one of the world’s best olive oils, and recently started an olive oil membership. Skyler is dedicated to educating the public about high quality olive oil and the fair representation for women of color in the industry. To this day, she’s never met another black female olive oil producer. During our conversation we also discuss our connection to our food, being a woman in the olive oil industry in the US versus in Italy, and what it’s really like to work with a significant other. For all this and some advice from Skyler for women looking to get into a difficult industry, don’t miss out on this episode!
Sn. 1, #7 Turning Challenges into Successes with Skyler Mapes
Emily Soloby
Emily received her BA in Women’s Studies and JD from Temple University. Early on, she worked as a legal advocate for women in domestic violence cases. After practicing law, Emily began working on the business side of things. She is the co-owner of AAA School of Trucking, a truck and heavy equipment safety training firm, which she has spent the last 10 years growing into a thriving national business through government and military contracting and corporate partnerships.
As an executive in the transportation industry, darting from client meeting to trucking range required safety boots that met her style standards, and when she couldn’t find them anywhere, she created Juno Jones Shoes. Emily trained in shoemaking in Cuernavaca, Mexico and at the Brooklyn Shoe Space, and assembled a powerhouse team of designers, consultants, and industry experts to bring Juno Jones to life. Through Juno Jones Shoes, Emily is fulfilling her dream of not only providing women with safe, stylish footwear options for their jobs but of helping to normalize and empower women in traditionally male-dominated fields.
For more information go to junojonesshoes.com.
