Labor | The Barefoot Spirit

Time to Vote with Your Money – Again!

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 18:00:54 +0000

Many of today’s consumers feel worried by the outcome of the election and recent attempts to marginalize their various communities. Or should we say the majority of consumers!

They include: the majority who voted against the current administration and its policies; the majority of religious and ethnic communities that make up the market place; and the undocumented aliens who pay taxes and spend their money here. They all are concerned that the American ideals of inclusiveness, personal freedom, and civil rights are being eroded. They are anxious about selective bans on entry and threats of deportation that can affect their families and friends. They are fearful of racism emboldened by the remarks of our highest officials. What’s worse is that they feel disempowered and vulnerable. They feel like there’s nothing they can do about it. But there is!

We often say, “Consumers vote with their purchases.” Throughout history, marginalized groups have survived by deliberately spending their money on goods and services produced and offered by other members of their community. They have gone out of their way to not patronize businesses that support their marginalization in any way, manner, or form. This has forced big companies to “come out” in support of their rights, privileges, and security. It’s kind of like a big boycott. It certainly makes companies aware of who is working for them, who is buying their products, and who is ultimately putting money in their pockets. It’s that marble cake of ethnic and religious communities we call the American consumer.

By boycotting the products and services of companies who either support marginalization or who are silent about it, you can force every business from your corner store to corporate America to take sides on these issues. And the side they are going to take is the side their bread is buttered on, their consumers’ side!

As Harvey Milk once said about the LGBT community, the only way to make change happen was to “Come out, come out where ever you are!” He wanted LGBT folks to make themselves known, as if to say, “Look how many we are. We’re part of your society, we’re part of your market, and we’re part of your income. Do you want our business or not?”

As consumers, todays marginalized communities can learn a lot from Harvey. Simply put, if you don’t like what’s going on, don’t pay for it! Don’t patronize companies that agree with turning back the clock.

It’s interesting that companies that rely on seasonal workers to harvest their crops and do other types of heavy physical labor have already come out against policies that would rob them of their labor force. Other companies that realize how dependent they are on ethnic consumers have also come out. They want to reassure their customers that they support them so those consumers will continue to buy from them.

If one minority can be marginalized, any minority can be marginalized. They all know it, and have good reason to boycott any business that supports the unraveling of all the hard-earned social progress we have made over the past 50 years.

So, if you don’t like the outcome of the last election, and if you don’t like the way top officials have emboldened racism and religious prejudice, you still have a strong card to play. It’s in your wallet! The next time you pull it out, ask yourself this question, “What am I really supporting with my purchases?” Get to know how your vendors stand on the important issues that affect your lives and those you love. Vote with your dollars!

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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A College Degree Can Give You an Entrepreneurial Edge

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Mon, 28 May 2012 03:08:20 +0000

This year’s grads face serious employment challenges, but there’s probably never been a greater opportunity to create your own job. According to Robert Reich, former US Secretary of Labor, the job prospects look rather dim due to the economic down turn. He cites some trends that may throw into question the very value of a college degree itself: heavy competition for jobs, a significant decrease in earnings, outsourcing, and student loan debt.

While traditional employment prospects are certainly less accessible and less rewarding, college grads faced with these challenges might consider a different strategy altogether – starting their own business.

Here are some reasons why today’s college grads have an advantage as entrepreneurs:

1. Less to lose. If it’s going to take a year or two to find a job, if it’s going to pay peanuts anyway, and if the chances are it can be outsourced and leave you unemployed, then the prospects of self-employment suddenly don’t look risky by comparison.

2. Information Explosion. There has never been more information available on how to start and run a business. In addition, with your college education, you have learned how to learn, how to research and how to access that information. Your college experience has taught you to seek out the advice of experienced experts, a key to business success.

3. Essentials. If you had any liberal arts classes, you learned how to communicate with people, and respect history, culture and psychology, all essential for entrepreneurial success. If you had any business classes, you will be able to at least understand the basic principles of commerce and provide value to your customers.

4. Youth. Most of you grads are relatively young and can handle the long haul it takes to develop a successful business. Get started soon and have a greater advantage over folks who wait or who are forced to become entrepreneurs. You have more time to learn from your mistakes, perfect your processes, and build your brand.

5. Cheaper Costs. Ironically, labor is relatively inexpensive. Rent is down. Interest rates are down. Suppliers and service companies need strategic allies and are more likely to offer beneficial terms. Unemployed and retired experts are available to give you advice.

6. Increased Demand. More than ever, the country is looking for new ideas to help invent our way back to prosperity. “Find a need and fill it” has never been more necessary. We need to save our environment, find clean energy, feed more people, improve education, and solve our clean water problems – just to name a few.

7. Opportunities Abound. Technological advances are begging for applications. We have only scratched the surface of what we can do with what we already have discovered. From digital to genomes, from materials to biotech, and from optics to communication, the world is your oyster. Check out “Abundance” by Peter Diamandis http://www.abundancethebook.com/.

Yes, times are tough, but remember that the last downturn spawned many of the top companies of today. Many of them were started in a garage. As you approach today’s challenges, your college education will give you a big advantage.

A degree is not a vaccination, anyway. Can’t find a job? Maybe its time to say hello to your garage.

Who We Are

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

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Grow Your Business Faster by Sharing the Wealth

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:19:46 +0000

Henry Ford used to say he’d rather have 1% of what a hundred others made working for him, than 100% of what he made by himself. Some business owners want to have it all, but in the process, cut off the very folks they need to get what they want.

Our business colleagues have chastised us for “overpaying” our sales people. They’d say, “Aren’t you afraid they will make more than you?” Actually, we had several sales people who made more than we did.

When we looked at the efficiencies of scale, the value of stability, and the increase in sales, we knew we were doing the right thing. So, why should you apply this winning philosophy to your business?

1. Reduce Your Turnover. Turnover is the largest hidden cost in business. It can take up to six months to find and train a new person. There is no guarantee that this new person will work out, either. You may have to start all over again with someone new. This can go on for quite a while until you get the right person.

Now you have someone who will be under-producing until he or she is fully trained. You also lose the time of the new hire’s trainer, who now has two jobs to do. Both jobs suffer. And the relationships built by the person who left could either be dropped or taken away by the departing employee. These must be re-built.

Remember, top performers who get a “piece of the action” are generally loyal and truly concerned about the welfare of your business.

2. Attract the Go-Getters. People who know they are excellent at their jobs want to work for a company that compensates them based on their performance. People who are less productive can’t afford to work for a company that has performance-based compensation plans.

When your job candidates ask where your profit centers are and how that flows into their paychecks, you should realize you are talking to a go-getter. Keep your performance metrics well thought out and achievable.

Rewarding for growth over same month last year is a good start. Averaging last year’s prior and subsequent months with the same month will smooth out most anomalies. Renegotiate profit-sharing bonuses annually.

3. It’s Free! If you know the profit of your business now, and you know your rate of growth for the past few years, any increase in that rate of growth attributable to your people’s performance is “found money.” When you cut an employee in for a piece of your increased profit, he is motivated to produce even more. It really costs you nothing. Just make sure the payment is tied into profitability, and not based solely on “growth.”

You are paying too much for labor when you pay for “attendance” alone. It’s their production you really want, because that is where your profits come from.

Why settle for 100% of a smaller pie when you can have more pie by taking a smaller piece of the larger pie others helped you get. When it comes to growing your business fast, it pays to share the wealth.

Who We Are

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

The post Grow Your Business Faster by Sharing the Wealth appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.