FORESTVILLE, Calif.

The audiobook was nominated based on its content as well as its original audio theatre approach to storytelling. Bonnie Harvey, Barefoot Wine cofounder and coauthor said, “We wanted our message to reach more people, so we presented it in a radio theatre audio play complete with a full cast of actors, scenes, sound effects, and music.”

Michael Houlihan, Barefoot Wine cofounder and coauthor added, “We are thrilled to be recognized by the Audiobook Publishers Association. It gives credibility to this new genre which we call Business Audio Theatre. The best way to communicate business concepts is through story and the best way to communicate story is through theatrical performance.”

Houlihan & Harvey’s company, Business Audio Theatre is looking to attract other founders who want to preserve their legacy and keep their entrepreneurial spirit alive through creative storytelling performed as audio cinema, using their experienced team of professionals.

The audiobook launched on all audiobook retail platforms on September 3^rd, 2019 and has been garnering positive reviews from throughout the business community.

“The Business Audio Theater format has a neat balance between modern technology and the charisma of the old-fashioned radio plays.” – Laura Sicola, PhD, CEO Vocal Impact Productions

“An enjoyable experience filled with the exuberance of the founders themselves.” – Audiofile Magazine

“A Transformative Idea: Business Audio Theatre from the Founders of Barefoot Wine not Just Narrated … Performed!” – Forbes

At 90 years of age, the venerable Hollywood actor Ed Asner, voices the part of the grumpy supermarket buyer who initially rejects Barefoot Wine but ultimately paves the path for its success. Asner said, “I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to be a part of this new genre of Business Audio Theatre!”

Director Matt Weinglass, and founder of Sherwood Players Productions, whose company produced the audiobook said, “I’m excited to see this innovative type of storytelling [Business Audio Theatre] catch on as we continue to bring more business stories to life using all the cinematic resources available to us in our Industry.”

Ryan Foland, Executive Producer & Communications Specialist said, “This is a whole new way to entertain, engage, and educate employees and customers by preserving the founder’s history and principles.”

The 2020 Audie Awards Ceremony will take place at New York City’s Guastavino’s on Monday, March 2^nd, 2020.

“The Barefoot Spirit” Audiobook is narrated by Alamada Karatihy and features Ed Asner and Gigi Perreau with Matt Weinglass, Hazel Paraoan, Ruffy Landayan and Tom Malloy, with original music by Tyler David Gilbert, executive produced by Michael Houlihan, Bonnie Harvey and Ryan Foland and is directed by Matt Weinglass.

For interviews please contact: info@thebarefootspirit.com or (707) 484-1600.

For more information or audiobook samples visit: www.barefootaudiobook.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 The Barefoot Spirit is an Audie Award Finalist! appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

Tomorrow, we have the honor of being interviewed by our friend Matt DiGeronimo, Host of The Smith Floyd Water Cooler. Matt wrote a fantastic book review about our book, The Barefoot Spirit and we will post some snippets and link you to the full article on his website.

Let’s start with that which is obvious about the book, “The Barefoot Spirit” : 

• A New York Times Bestseller in the “we did it, so you can too” genre.

• A Cinderalla story with “hardship, hustle, and heart” pitted against an ”exclusive, stuffy, and boring” business environment, America’s wine industry.

• The book is written in the English language, read left to write, and the content of the book divided into chapters.

– The authenticity of the book’s powerful messages drips from each page. Michael and Bonnie never risk losing their effectiveness by stroking their own egos.  In fact, the tone is light, self-deprecating, and fun from start to finish.  It is much easier to accept our knowledge of “retail category management” as deficient while reading about Michael and Bonnie’s surprise to learn it existed.

– Although Michael and Bonnie’s journey definitely emphasizes action and active learning above analysis, this is not the same story as we imagine Sir Richard Branson telling.  Often, Michael and Bonnie’s decisions were made of necessity and not a propensity, or even an inclination, to throw care to the wind.  It is their challenge with this struggle that makes their story so compelling.  Michael and Bonnie enjoyed the benefits of formal education, exacting minds, and previous business success in more structured environments.  Even with these benefits, they readily admit – with the benefit of hindsight, that if they had realized the full-extent of the challenges that lay ahead of them when they decided in 1985 to “unload” 18,000 cases of stock wine, they may have very well decided to pass.

– Michael and Bonnie’s journey was one marked by its emphasis and impact on personal relationships.  From their assembling the core group of “Barefooters,” to their network of strategic alliances, or their relentless commitment to “Worthy Causes” in the community . . . they ALWAYS put people and what was “right” above bottom lines and profit margins.  There were several instances in the book that truly amazed me.  The beauty of this person-centric approach lies in its effectiveness more than its existence.  Their story proves that the free-enterprise remains one of most powerful tools for affecting social change in micro- and macroscopic environments.

To read the complete review, please click here

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 Floyd Smith Water Cooler appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.