First published on Entrepreneur.com on 11/12/2017

From your creditors to your employees, good business relationships are built on trust. Can the people who depend on you, confidently rely on you to treat them fairly? Once you have proven your dependability, they will make allowances for you and extend their level cooperation. This is essential to your business success.

How much will you save on loan interest with extended credit, easier terms and complementary warehousing? How much will you save on hiring and training by reducing turnover, engaging your people and having them go the extra mile for you? How much will you save on advertising with cooperative distributers, loyal consumers and customers who become advocates? The sooner you demonstrate your trustworthiness, the sooner you’ll receive these benefits and more!

To read the complete article, please visit Entrepreneur.com 

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post 5 Ways to Grow and Build Trust appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

When she was a little girl, she would visit her immigrant grandfather, a successful bootstrap businessman, who would win every argument with what he called, “the actual facts.”  She recounts, “After each visit, on the drive home, my sister and I would snicker about my grandfather’s Actual Facts – a ridiculous, redundant phrase. We knew that facts were facts. Period.”

She is “astounded” that today we are talking about “alternative facts,” “fake news,” and “post-truth.” She goes on to say, “it’s frightening” when elected leaders around the world distort the facts. She says, “Clearly, it’s the ideal time to publish this month’s cover, a scientific exploration of why we lie.”

All our lives, we have trusted National Geographic to tell us the truth about our world, our society, and our environment. We still do. There’s lots of pictures. Hence the name, geographic. It’s hard to argue with pictures. And the stories that accompany the pictures are written by scientists and certified experts who give us the stories behind the pictures in non-political terms – just the facts.

Yet we’ve gone so far in doubting the truth and choosing to believe in alternatives that we have allowed a level of confusion to undermine our ability to act. As long as politicians and interest groups can confuse us, they will be able to forward their own selfish, short-sighted agendas at the price of our future.

The June issue of National Geographic examines lying in detail. What we find most disturbing is the tendency so many folks have to choose to believe what they want, what works for them, and what does not require any action. This allows them to be pandered to by interest groups who now, thanks to the advent of digital era, can proliferate the kind of news these folks want to read. Now that we can choose our news sources, it’s easier for us to be manipulated.

From a business stand point it has become more important to cater to your followers with what they want to read than it is to educate them – especially if it is an uncomfortable education that requires action. This is why we love the National Geographic. It’s educational and the implications of its scientific reports are actionable. It’s one of the solid rocks of integrity remaining in our society. We wish we could give everyone a free subscription!

Meanwhile, their report says that when we lie, it is most often to coverup a mistake or misdeed. The number two reason is to gain financial advantage. With that said, politicians and interest groups are the ones that should be scrutinized, and not the scientists. The overwhelming majority of scientists clearly have no motive beyond professionalism, service, and the long-term betterment of mankind.

Integrity in business translates to dependability, delivering value, consistent messaging over time, and claims that are verifiable and supported by certified experts. Businesses that subscribe to these principles tend to withstand the test of time. Such is the case with National Geographic. They are documenting our world in a way that is hard to argue with. In these days of alternative facts, National Geographic has earned its reputation of an institution of great integrity and is a bastion of “Actual Facts.”

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Integrity Is the Basis for Trust appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

“I need to pay my bills,” you say, or “I need some security,” but by changing the paradigm slightly to “I need to find a customer, or client, for my services,” you can stay in control of your career and approach the job search more effectively.

If you think of yourself as a self-employed entrepreneur you will focus more on what you do best, what your skill sets are, where your experience is, and how you can alleviate your client’s concerns. You will have to bone up on the “prospect” and distinguish yourself from the competition to land the deal.

In addition to seeing your employer as a customer for your services, you also have to consider your own reputation. All your “customers” have to benefit from, and advocate for, your services in order for you to improve your personal brand image and justify higher fees in your future. So be careful not to take on a “client” whom you cannot really help, or who cannot give you the extended experience and responsibility you need to build your reputation.

By putting yourself in your customer’s shoes you can better understand what they are really looking for in terms of (your) features and benefits. Your features and benefits should address your employer’s major concerns when hiring any new person:

False Starts. The cost of turnover is the #1 hidden cost of any business. But after a while every business becomes painfully aware of the cost of searching, vetting, and interviewing. What if it doesn’t work out? Start all over again! Have some empathy for their investment in the search itself. Selling yourself to them before there’s an opening can give you a big advantage when the time comes to hire.

Orienting and Training. If it doesn’t work out, they lose the cost of reduced production by both the trainer and the trainee. You can reduce their anxiety by becoming thoroughly familiar with how they make their money, what their biggest challenges are, and how your potential job fits into the big picture. Learn as much as you can about the company and the job before you apply. The faster they think you can get up to speed and contribute, the more likely they will be to hire you.

Production. They are naturally concerned with your ability to produce. You are pretty much an unknown for which they will take a big risk. Demonstrate your past experience at successfully overcoming steep learning curves. Get testimonials from previous employers or professors that address this specific issue.

Longevity. They worry that after they invest in training you, you will quit! If you can demonstrate that you have stayed at your previous jobs for at least two years, even if it was internships, you will relieve some of their fear.

Dependability and Responsibility. They want to believe that they can depend on you to show up, produce, meet deadlines, and take responsibility for your own actions. Show them that in the past when mistakes were made you have improved processes to prevent their reoccurrence.  They want a process improver, not someone who passes on the blame.

These should be among the features you offer that will benefit your employer by reducing costs and anxiety while improving production. Take another look at the “services” you offer as if you were an entrepreneur selling them. You will be much better prepared to get the “customer” you want!

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Be an Entrepreneurial Job Applicant – A Message to Grads appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

Brands that stand for more than just their products have a huge advantage in this era of increasing transparency. It’s not enough to have the best product at the most popular price any more, and excellent customer service is only the beginning.

Now, more than ever, people realize that they can vote with their money. They know the world they live in is a direct result of the purchases they have made so far, and that they can help change it or protect it by buying the brands they believe in. So what are they voting for when they purchase your brand? Your customers are now considering these hot issues:

Integrity and Dependability. Customers want to know you are committed to providing quality products that will last. Your third-party endorsements will validate your claims. When your customers know they can depend on your product’s quality, it becomes an essential part of their lives. If you want their loyalty, your product must be high quality and reasonably priced.

The Environment. Since you are selling to citizens of the Earth, you should be committed to the planet’s health and restoration. You can demonstrate this with sustainable production practices, by making your packaging recyclable, and by investing in low-carbon footprint energy resources. You can also demonstrate your commitment to the planet by the environmental causes you support.

Human Rights. When you support equal rights, you show that you are all-inclusive. You’ll win the loyalty of important groups, including many minority groups who have yet to win equal rights, and who are looking for people and brands that treat them fairly. The sources of your supplies, the composition of your products, the causes you support, and your treatment of the people you employ all reflect heavily on how your product is perceived by your customers today.

The Next Generation. Address the needs today of those who will buy your product in 10-20 years. If your company promotes health, education, and safety for young people today, you will help create customers of tomorrow. Your buyers with children will also appreciate your effort to help their children and they will pay you back with loyalty and support.

Labor Practices. As a good employer, you should view your staff not merely as a commodity, but as a valuable asset. When you improve their working conditions, health, and welfare, your customers will see that and it will affect their buying decisions.

Enthusiasm and Commitment. When your staff understands that your goal is to make the world a better place, they will be excited to be associated with your brand. They will proudly communicate this to other people, too, and continually do their best for your company.

Socially conscious marketing is not a just an option on the fringe anymore. It has become mainstream. Besides, it’s just good business. Find the causes that resonate with you and your brand. Help those causes get their message out to your customers. Support their events. In return, they and their followers will support you.

We will discuss what we named “worthy cause marketing” in more detail in a later post. That is not only an efficient form of advertising, it is also an essential part of improving our planet through business. This and the steps above are how you give your brand a soul.

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post What Does Your Brand Stand For? appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.