The Virus has profoundly changed the way we work, socialize, shop, and communicate. Now everything is on screen! Plus, most of us are spending less time in our cars and have more time for, you guessed it, the screen! It’s a wonder we are not all suffering from tech neck, nearsightedness, and rectangular pupils! Ouch!

Screen Free Edutainment

But there is one form of technology that untethers us from the screen and the printed page, too, for that matter. It’s audio. Don’t watch, just listen. And listen while you do something physical, like exercising, housecleaning, gardening, or cooking.

With SIP, we have all certainly seen an uptick in domestic chores screaming to be done! And then there’s our personal health. You can’t just sit around all day and expect your body to function properly. No, you’ve got to get out there and exercise. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a hike up the ridge, a jog, or a bike ride, you need some kind of a workout. All these activities force you to get away from the screen.

And don’t forget some quality time in the hammock, the chaise lounge, or the beach towel. These are all great opportunities to give our eyes a rest and change our focus from a myopic screen stare to a wider angle and multi-focal length view of nature.

Listen, Don’t Watch

About 4 years ago we started noticing especially young people arriving to hear us speak wearing ear buds. “What are you listen to?” we asked. “Is it Hip-Hop? Is it Rock?” One lady unplugged and said, “Why no, it’s War and Peace!” Another young man said “I’m listening to a podcast to improve my business.” That was our initial inspiration to produce our own audio book. We loved the freedom that it afforded, the attention young folks where paying to it, and the wider audience we could reach with our message.

So we grabbed several business audio books and gave them a listen. Most were prescriptive lists of dos and don’ts. Plus they were basically read aloud by a single narrator. Sometimes the narrator was a celebrity, but it was still just read. We found that approach to audiobooks was single dimensional. There needed to be a better way to communicate in this medium.

3-D Audio

We have always thought the best way to convey a business principle was not through a lecture, but through a story, and the best way to convey a story was through theatrical performance, with characters acting out roles in scenes with action and outcomes, sound effects and music. But how could we do that? And do it well? We weren’t theatrical producers or directors. This was a whole new field for us.

It wasn’t long before our friend and colleague Ryan Foland introduced us to his college buddy Matt Weinglass of Sherwood Players and we hit on a relatively novel concept. Why not perform a business audiobook instead of just reading it! One year later, we launched our own theatrically performed audiobook, The Barefoot Spirit and guess what?  It was selected as one of the top five business audiobooks of 2020 by the Audiobook Producers Association, and was written up in Forbes as “Transformational!” We couldn’t have more proud.

A New Format

That’s when we realized that we could tell other founders’ business stories in this same fashion and Business Audio Theatre was born. We are so excited to be able to tell the stories of other founders in this new and exciting format!

So, the next time you want to give your eyes a rest, workout, get something done, or just plain relax, why not give a listen to Business Audio Theatre’s first production, The Barefoot Spirit? We are so sure you are going to like this approach that we are giving you the first 25-minute installment free. Give your eyes a rest and your imagination some inspiration. Here’s your FREE CHAPTER! ENJOY!

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.