Guy Raz’s recent newsletter offers some truly insightful reflections on persistence and iteration. He shares the story of James Dyson, who spent nearly eight years in his shed, relentlessly working on his invention while many around him doubted his sanity. After 5000 attempts, Dyson finally succeeded in creating the bagless vacuum cleaner that would eventually […]

One of the biggest lessons we learned in brand building is that relying on distributors alone to execute your marketing strategy often leads to wasted resources. We discovered that tons of expensive, well-designed materials were ending up in dumpsters rather than on store shelves. To combat this, we hired dedicated representatives in each territory to […]

1. Sensitivity: Leaders recognize opportunities, see beyond the present, and embrace input from others with more expertise. 2. Innovation: Leaders create solutions to problems and continuously innovate to keep products market-ready. 3. Tenacity: Leaders persevere through challenges, providing encouragement and setting standards for improvement. 4. Empathy: Leaders understand and meet the diverse needs of employees, […]

Sheryl Sandberg, chairperson of Lean In, has pointed out that there has been virtually no progress in the past decade regarding women’s representation in top management positions. She highlights the persistent perception that women are less competent than men for these roles. Her movement, Lean In, aims to revive this crucial conversation, benefiting not just […]

In early April, Michael Houlihan and I had the pleasure of traveling to Mississippi State University to speak at their Entrepreneurship Summit brought on by the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach. It was a fantastic experience! We also were able to sit down with Jeffrey Rupp to record an episode of the Mississippi State […]

Where am I going and WHY? Entrepreneurs are brand builders aiming for capitalization events like mergers, IPOs, or acquisitions. To maximize your brand’s value, plan for acquisition from the start. Growth demands significant investment, and brand equity attracts acquirers. Understand the key metrics: geography, market share, growth rate, annual sales, key accounts, revenue, and profitability. […]

“There are 5.5 million family-owned businesses in the US. They generate 57% of our nation’s GDP, employ 63% of the workforce, and create 75% of all new jobs,” says Sheila Neisler of Catalyst Marketing Company. Here are our top secrets to maintaining a healthy relationship as life and business partners: 1. Different Skill Sets: Avoid […]

Over time, brands can risk becoming mere labels. When a brand loses its spirit, it becomes just a symbol (logo). A label simply identifies the product’s basic elements like contents, compliance, logo, name, trade dress, and copy. A product is a commodity designed to serve a market purpose, which can be branded or generic. Branded […]

Do you organize entrepreneurship summits or pitch events in need of a compelling keynote address? Your search ends here! For Speaking Engagements and Appearances please contact, sales@thebarefootspirit.com or call 707-484-1600 for more information. “Bonnie and Michael provided very useful advice to our students. Their suggestions and lessons learned complemented our curriculum in a variety of areas, […]

Michael and Bonnie’s story tells the audience the all-too-brutal truth about what one really has to do to succeed.” –Adam Hartung, Contributing Author, Forbes We share entertaining and memorable stories from our real-life experiences in building the world-famous Barefoot Wine brand. Discover how we overcame overwhelming obstacles by empathizing with others, thinking creatively to help […]