Welcome.

America’s economic strength has always been reliant on start-up businesses and small entrepreneurs for new products, job creation, and the development of new brands. This site is dedicated to those Americans who, by choice or necessity, become self-employed and start their own business.

Here you will find the business philosophies and guiding principles we learned over several decades of success with new ventures. They are presented in summary fashion in our Business Blog. More detail can be found in our Speaking Topics, Group Seminars, and Consulting Services.

We are also writing a book, “The Barefoot Spirit,” which chronicles the experiences and business lessons learned building the Barefoot Wine brand.

Since one of our business philosophies is to have fun, we will include a personal blog and some photos. We will add videos and interviews with like-minded business leaders going forward.

Grow Your Business Faster by Sharing the Wealth

3 GOOD REASONS TO TAKE A SMALLER SLICE OF A LARGER PIE

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 [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Book Expo America

Join us at Book Expo America in New York, along with other celebrity authors, at: The Book Expo Authoring Area on Tuesday, June 5 from 2 – 3 p.m. Booth 2035:  June 6 from 3 – 4 p.m., and June 7 from 2 – 3 p.m. Go here for more info: http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/home/ Hope to see you [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Discover Your Strengths and Weaknesses Before You Start Your Business

YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT, BUT IF YOU TRY SOMETIME, YOU JUST MIGHT FIND, YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED – MICK JAGGER

The right business for you is a combination of opportunity, preparation and resources. It’s more of a discovery than a choice. You will not have the world of all possibilities to choose from, but if you analyze your strengths and weaknesses, you can identify the opportunities that are plausible. The key to success is to [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →
Hand-written Note

Business Manners that Pay

OFFICE COURTESIES ARE APPRECIATED AND ADVANTAGEOUS

The simple accommodations you make for your coworkers, boss, customers, and vendors cost you nothing, but give you a subtle yet strong advantage. These are common, time-tested courtesies that are unfortunately not so common anymore. Although not taught in business school, they can positively affect how others relate to you. Showing consideration for others with [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

B2B or Not to Be? That is the Question!

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS ARE BASED ON YOUR CLIENT’S SUCCESS

We often hear, “Oh, we’re B2B (business-to-business), so we don’t have to worry about customers at the general public level.” The fact is, you do. It is an erroneous assumption that B2B is somehow insulated from the source of most income, the general public. If your client goes out of business, your B2B loses that [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Why We Write

STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT COMPLICATED BUSINESS PRINCIPLES

We’ve been asked who we write for and why. The answer can be found in how we write. We learned most of our business knowledge the hard way. We write for you so you can avoid the painful lessons we have experienced first hand. We write to give you news you can use. Even though [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Job Descriptions – A Portrait or Snapshot

EVERY JOB CAN TAKE ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN – KEEP IT CURRENT

Job descriptions seem to have a certain amount of authority built into them. They can describe the job for the new hire and be a reference for the last word in duties. The problem is that nothing remains the same for very long. Constant operational changes and market pressures can make even new job descriptions [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Vacations Increase Creativity and Productivity

11 STEPS TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR VACATION

Some people have to be forced to take vacation. Some even feel guilty or “irresponsible.”  Others rack up unused vacation time for its monetary value. Still others see honor in putting their job ahead of a timely break. Whatever your reason for not taking regular vacations, it can’t measure up to the benefits you and [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Kindred Spirits, Fellow Travelers, and Strategic Partners

GOING MY WAY - NEED A LIFT?

One of the most effective and often over-looked resources to build and grow your business  is strategic alliances. “Partnerships” with other businesses and organizations who benefit by your success can help you meet your bills, get the word out about your company, and improve your image. Who succeeds if you succeed? As your business begins [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

How to Talk to Your Computer Tech

PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE SETTINGS!

Probably the most frustrating part of business today is our total dependence on our computers. It’s a true love-hate relationship. When computers go haywire, we’re stymied. We call our system’s administrator, tech support, or programmer for help. They usually fix the problem, but, in the process, can inadvertently create havoc. When you get your computer [...]

Leave a comment Continue Reading →