Whenever you are depending on contractors, government organizations, or outside services, things can go wrong. When they do there is a great tendency to point a finger and find fault with the other guy. Here are some tips that will help your company improve and be more likely to get what you want in the future. […]

Title: Academy of Friends 32nd Annual Gala Location:San Francisco Design Center Galleria Description: Academy of Friends annually produces the world’s premier Academy Awards Night Charity Gala as the centerpiece of its efforts to raise funds, award donations, and encourage volunteerism that benefit a diverse set of HIV/AIDS direct care and prevention education agencies in the […]

Title: Strategy for Good Summit Location: Your phone – it’s a Telesummit Description: Hear from 30 Thought Leaders on Business in Society, including Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey – All in One Place Via Telesummit – Sharing Their Unique Perspectives, Tips, and Strategies on Social Good, Corporate Philanthropy and Community Involvement. This Telesummit is from […]

With all the challenges your small start-up faces, you still hold some impressive cards. If you play them right, you can have the winning hand! You face all the challenges of cash flow management, distribution management and personnel management, not to mention the competition, push back and resistance you get when you are new in the marketplace. […]

Title: Exit Strategy, Brand Building, and Value Location: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA Description: Brand equity trumps real estate in most acquisitions. Understanding how value is created in the affordable luxury wine industry is the first step in developing a growth platform or exit strategy. Since value is measured by the investor or buyer, […]

By focusing on your customer, and not your big time competitors, your small start-up has the opportunity to address the market with creative and relevant products. In this series we have examined some of the powerful advantages of being small, undercapitalized and able to turn on a dime. These days, with lawyers running the big corporations […]

Title: Wildwood Foundation Fundraiser Location: Wildwood Conservation Foundation & Retreat Center, Guerneville, CA Description: Friday, February 3 — Sunday, February 5 Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey joined fellow donors during this weekend at the Wildwood Retreat Center in Sonoma County to celebrate the birthday of Barefoot Wine Ambassador, Randy Arnold.  To learn more about Wildwood, […]

Title: Winning Distribution Strategies Location: Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA Successful brand building hinges on diligent management of the 3-tiered distribution channel and appealing to customers at all levels. Houlihan and Jones bring extensive street smarts and proven techniques to attract trade partners and cement their loyalty. This course is designed for owners, national […]

This is the second installment in a four-part series designed to encourage small start-ups by recognizing some of their inherent advantages. Small start-ups face a myriad of challenges. They are undercapitalized, unproven and have no market traction. They are up against the status quo that will use its established power and influence in the marketplace […]

Today we need new products, new services, and new ideas to invent our way back to prosperity. Small start-up producers have always been the backbone of the economy, not just because they provide the most new jobs, but because they improve the very quality of our lives by bringing more good ideas to the market. […]