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.

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They usually fix the problem, but, in the process, can inadvertently create havoc. When you get your computer back, you may find things missing, moved around, or not working the same. It’s just not familiar any more. This can create a somewhat testy relationship with the tech and can wear nerves to a frazzle.

We were blessed with a very charming tech in our business who was so upbeat, we almost forgot how incensed we were. He defined his job as, “If it blinks, buzzes, whirs, or clicks, its mine!” For years, he fixed everything electronic in our office. He also fixed our ability to communicate with him, or, for that matter, any tech.

Think of your tech as a high performance mechanic. He knows how to fix your car but doesn’t know (or care) how you set the radio, heater, wipers, seats, etc. Those are your personal preferences.

In the computer world, personal preferences are much less obvious than in your car. There are hundreds of options. Many of these are so complicated, average people can’t do them themselves.

When we get a new computer, we ask our tech to tweak this or change that. He goes into our settings and makes it happen. Then, after a couple of days or weeks, it’s something else we want our computer to do and the tech makes that happen as well. This may go on and on until we’ve got it just the way we want it. After a while we forget that these are all personal preference settings. That is, until you lose them!

When your computer breaks down, don’t expect your tech to remember all your settings. Don’t even expect to get the same tech. Chances are good you won’t get your computer back the way you gave it to him.

It really pays to keep a log of every setting and its position, tricked out just the way you like it. Give this to your tech as a guide for how you want your computer returned. Take a picture of your settings and how your desktop looks before you hand over your computer for “surgery.” Show it to him and say, “I want it back just like this.”

Websites are very similar. Don’t think that if you asked your tech to fix a problem and the problem exists on other pages or sites they administer, they will fix them all. Generally they will fix only what you specify. They don’t necessarily think about where else the problem may occur. So make a very specific list of everywhere the problem exists and give it to them (even if it seems remedial).

Consider the fact that your tech is probably over-worked and usually has to please frustrated or even demanding clients whose work has been abruptly interrupted. Make it easier on yourself and him. Take a picture, keep a log, get specific, and identify all the places the problems or changes may occur.

So when you get your computer back, make sure it blinks, buzzes, whirs, and clicks the same way it did when you gave it to him!

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 How to Talk to Your Computer Tech appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

Sometimes opportunity lands in your lap, but opportunity can be time sensitive, so sometimes you’ll have to act fast, even if it’s in an unfamiliar industry. Today the web is filled with information on every industry, but the learning curve can feel like hitting a brick wall at 60 m.p.h. But there are folks who can help you overcome the education barrier. Here are some ways to get their help:

1. Hire the Industry Veterans: They know how things work. They want to demonstrate their value and prove they can still make a difference. Show respect for their experience, and they’ll give you the head start you need. Their industry contacts and know-how will be hugely valuable.
2. Ask Your Buyers: Most of your buyers will appreciate your interest in their opinions, especially when you’re in the product planning stages. They know what will sell and what price will work best. Getting them involved in the planning process will give them a reason to buy your product when it becomes available.
3. Ask Your Vendors: They want to sell you their products. They see you as a potential customer. Anything they can do to help you become a success helps them, and gives you a reason to buy from them. Their knowledge about how to buy and other efficiencies are invaluable.
4. Ask Your Distributors: Compliance issues may change the way your product is marketed in other states and countries. It’s your distributors’ business to know the rules. They can let you in on the nuances that may seem counterintuitive at times, and they can save you time and money. They can share with you the sales programming that has been effective.
5. Ask the People on the Ground: Retailers, clerks, truckers, warehouse workers, technicians, salespeople, and all the other hands-on people almost never get asked their opinions. They will be thrilled to give it. Since they see exactly where the rubber meets the road, they will have practical, and sometimes surprising, takes on what works and what doesn’t, and they can give you unexpected market advantages.

It’s easy to visualize your end-user customer enjoying the benefits of your product. If your idea is coming from outside its industry, all the better. Many of the best innovations come from outside their industries – but be sure to get your insight from the insiders so you won’t be flying blind.

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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