graduate | The Barefoot Spirit

Is Your CPG Company on the Right Side of History?

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 22:09:21 +0000

Because we successfully built a popular consumer packaged goods brand, now known the world over, we are often asked about packaging. Our audiences want to know, “What’s the latest in packaging?” and, “What are the new trends?” After all, the “P” in CPG is “package.”

In the 1967 movie, “The Graduate,” a young man, recently graduated from college, is given advice from his dad’s best friend, “I’ve got one word for you, Benjamin: Plastics.” If we were giving advice to college grads today, we would add one more word, “alternatives,” making the best advice we have to give, “plastic alternatives.”

To read the complete article, please visit Entrepreneur

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.

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Stanford Commencement Message for New Techies

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 17:00:06 +0000

We were honored to be invited to the Stanford University 126^th Commencement. Our friend Zach Steward has done it again! Two years ago, we saw him get his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. This year he was awarded a Masters. Quite a feat! Just trying to imagine all the technical information he had to master is head spinning. Engineering is exacting, numerical, and disciplined. No room for error.

That’s why we were so surprised with what the commencement speaker, Professor Ken Goodson, Engineering Chair, had to say. It was far from what we expected for such a defined science, but very appropriate for this occasion.

He began with the congratulations and acknowledgements these new grads deserved for all the long hours and sacrifice that brought them to this incredible milestone. He then went on to describe a world where every day you hear and read about the demand for the very skills they studied. He recounted the threats of global warming, food, water and power shortages, as well as shelter and transportation challenges that are becoming acute. He said the grads were well armed with technical information and the knowledge of how to use it. He hoped, with the education they had gained at Stanford, they would take the lead in solving these problems.

Then, he said there’s nothing holding you back …except possibly your own personalities. He said strict focus on the technical skills can hurt you in the social skills department. And it is social skills that inevitably make the difference in your success.

He recommended three important social traits that he hoped the grads would develop that would propel them in their careers:

Empathy (and its cousin, Humility). Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Find out what they want first. Look at it from their standpoint. Don’t think because you have the technical answers that you have the hubris to dismiss their concerns. On the contrary, embrace others and you will be more respected, have more credibility, and be more successful at helping them.
Expect a solution. Look for the answer. When you do, you will be more likely to find it. Don’t be discouraged by cynical news or discouraging media chatter. Focus on the job at hand and follow through. When you work with others, look for the best in them and know they will improve. Your attitude can make the difference.
Passion for Impact. Allow yourself to be driven by a burning desire to change the world for the better. Know you have the state-of-the-art tools available to handle the world’s challenges, and use your relentless passion to make a positive impact. Apply your education combined with your enthusiasm to overcome all obstacles. Your passion will keep you going and your vision will guide you.

Wow! We couldn’t agree more with these thoughtful sentiments. It’s the best advice we’ve ever heard for young technical grads.

There was a time, not too long ago, when technical folks were in such demand and on such pedestals that the rest of us wondered if social skills were taking a back seat to algorithms. But as long as people are working with others to accomplish their dreams, social skills will be required in every direction of life, even in engineering. Getting the approval and cooperation of others will always require Empathy, Optimism, and Passion.

All of us can benefit by making these skills a part of our lives. Congratulations to every 2017 graduate, no matter their school or course of study!

Who We Are

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

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How to Get a Job in Today’s Market – Part 3: The Interview

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Sat, 10 May 2014 18:30:38 +0000

Congratulations! You have made it through the vetting process. They’ve checked your résumé, called your references, and scheduled an appointment for that all important in-person interview. This will be their first opportunity to see you in person, hear how you answer questions, and see how you present yourself.

Basically, they want to know if they will get a return on their investment in time, money, training, and the diminished production during your training period. Remember, they also have to take a seasoned employee away from their job to focus on your training. So they are under a great deal of pressure to hire the best candidate.

They know that résumés can be professionally written and tailored to specific jobs, but when you interview in person, they are seeing the “real deal.” Here are some tips that might help you land that job:

Research. Find out all you can about the company you are applying with – who they are, what they do, who is their competition, how long they’ve been around, and what their goals are. Research their reputation and how they earned it. Understand how they make profits. Talk to former and current employees. The more you know the better prepared you will be.

Getting There. Make sure you know exactly where the interview is taking place. Understand the best way to get there and, if you are driving, where to park. Showing up three to five minutes early will make a good impression.

Appearance. Be sure you are clean and well-groomed. Dress professionally according to the standards of the company and the position for which you are interviewing. Colognes, perfumes, and excessive make-up will distract from what you have to say.

Posture. Smile and walk with a sense of earnestness. Stand and sit up straight. Make eye contact. Keep your head up. By leaning slightly forward you convey an interest in your interviewer. Don’t cross your arms or legs, as this looks defensive. Project an image of confidence and openness. Your body language speaks louder than your words.

Show respect. Don’t just take their card American style and jam it in your pocket. Take a tip from the Japanese and read every word, and then make eye contact with an acknowledging nod and a smile. If you have multiple interviewers, leave the cards out on the table in front of you and arrange them according to where the interviewers are sitting so you will know their names – and do use their names when you address them. Remember to shut off you phone before you walk in.

Their Questions. Expect questions about your résumé, especially if you left a job in less than one year or had six months or more without work. Also expect questions about your professional long-term goals, what you liked and didn’t like about you past employers, and what your greatest accomplishments and challenges were. Give them examples of how you accepted responsibility and didn’t blame others, made improvements in your last company, met deadlines with a sense of urgency, and were a team player.

Your Questions. That’s right, you should have questions for them too. Some suggestions are: What are the opportunities for advancement? Where will the company be in five years? What kind of orientation and training are offered? This shows you are anticipating long-term employment with them.

Volunteered Information. They are naturally concerned about your stability. Although there are certain questions they may not ask, anything you volunteer that indicates stability would be to your advantage, such as you just purchased a house or have family in the area.

These are some of the things we looked for in an interview. We hope this inside information will help you land the right job!

Who We Are

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

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