The Barefoot Wine Founders, Michael C. Houlihan and Bonnie M. Harvey, started in their laundry room with little wine industry knowledge and even less funds. They built an unknown label into one of the fastest-growing brands in America. They have demonstrated success in sales-oriented team building, product distribution, and building a national brand on a shoestring. Now they are sharing their experience and business principles to help startups and established businesses build winning brands.
Ideal audiences are small business owners, entrepreneurs, and business and marketing college students, with an emphasis on producers of products that go through wholesale and retail distribution.
Starters for Startups
Essential recommendations to build on a solid foundation, especially for young companies and new entrepreneurs.
- “The History of Barefoot Wines” (Unlikely events, innovations and determination)
- “Exit Stage Left’ (Know the value you will add to you acquirer before you start)
- “The Fastest Way Out of the Box is Straight Up” (Take the 10,000-foot view)
- “Make Friends in “Low” Places” (Folks on the ground know what’s really going on)
- “Hire the Old Guy” (Why learn the hard way what he already knows?)
- “Cash Flow Management (Partnering with vendors & buyers; outsource all you can)
- “Undercapitalization, the Father of Invention” (The advantages of being small and broke)
- “Know the Needs vs. Need to Know” (Give all staff the big picture and how they fit in)
Growing your Business
Proven effective attitudes and principles to grow a business, reduce turnover, and be effective.
- “Culture Beyond Yogurt” (Give permission, acknowledgement & a fun time)
- “Put a Buck on It” (Performance-based compensation & the 2-division company)
- “Worthy Cause Marketing” (Give customers social reasons to buy)
- “Don’t Waste a Perfectly Good Mistake” (Make mistakes right)
- “Get Smart about Stupid” (Develop idiot-resistant strategies; do the other guy’s job)
- “The No Game” (Ask the question different ways on different days; there are only 2 answers)
- “Advice Management” (Ask advisors how to do it, not what to do)
- “Staying on Course” (Set goals from 5 years to the next 5 minutes)
Brand Development
Essential tools to efficiently grow your brand by developing strategies that develop traction and attract an acquirer.
- “Brand Integrity” (Consistent, dependable, value in products and message)
- “Short Grunts” (Why the least number of syllables are more memorable)
- “The 7 Sales” (Provide comprehensive customer service at every level)
- “Retail Entertainment” (Give the retailer added value)
- “Get your Feet Back” (Use every form of communication to improve your product)
- “Replacements are Better than Placements” (Start small and stay in stock at retail)
- “Attack Where the Enemy is Not” (Be appreciated in neglected markets)
- “The Soul of a Brand” (Brands stand for more than the products they represent)
Please contact Shannon Dunn at (469) 471-1544 or speakeragent@yahoo.com to learn more about how Michael can educate and entertain your audiences, while providing real world recommendations and critical tools based on his experiences of learning the hard way.
