Tribute to an Inspiring Mentor

We can probably all relate to trouble with a current or former boss  -- lamenting one's superior is common practice; it's the sound of the chorus during Friday happy hours around the globe.

Over the course of one's career, it's not unusual to experience an array of bosses with quite a spectrum of management styles.  On the really tough end of the spectrum there's the mean-spirited low confidence type, the slave-driving workaholic, or one of the characters portrayed in the recent flick, Horrible Bosses.  One of my all time favorite jerk bosses is Lumbergh from the cult classic, Office Space.  (I will admit now that I used the movie as therapy when working for a boss who shall remain nameless.)

There are also the in-between bosses: the low confidence assurance needy but nice guy; the ineffective product of nepotism who wants to succeed but is in way over his head; the gal with one promotion too many; and the woman who is fine -- even likable in her personal life, but so caught up in making the right impression that she forgets that being genuine is a key part of doing so.

Then there are the good, solid managers who motivate, manage with dignity, believe respect must be earned, and work diligently for the team and the organization.  These are the people, like the teachers along the way, who shape us.  While we may not remember all of the details of the relationship, we appreciate the influence on our professional development and have fond memories.

Finally, there is the natural born leader whose spark is so magnetic that we never forget the details.  I'm lucky enough to have worked for someone like this, and his teachings inspire me to this day.


Chris could have been a jerk.  He was a former brand executive from Coca Cola in Atlanta with a really impressive resume including international work experience based in Paris, a MBA from a top school and knowledge of all of the finer things -- wine, art, history, culture. 

Instead, he was a gem.

I was an eager, driven, somewhat cocky 22 year-old woman feeling wonderful about a new dream job at an international wine company and a new Duke degree in psychology (big help for the wine industry) and French (big help in bonding with Chris).

From day one, Chris was a joy to work with.  He knew when to challenge me (frequently), and he knew when to back off.  For example, back then I was used to "pulling all nighters" and finishing semesters -- I hadn't yet learned that work never really finishes, so in my desire to please and perfect, I had a tendency to work very long hours which would render me less effective.  (I'm not sure that I've truly changed this, but as an entrepreneur I at least have a better excuse.)  Chris always encouraged me to find balance and better yet, demonstrated this with the way he lived (and continues to live) his life.

Chris took it upon himself to mentor me -- showing me the foundation of marketing principles and inviting me to understand the creative side of marketing.  (I remember a huge let down when I started studying marketing in business school; it was dry and nothing like the experience Chris created.)  I don't remember him ever talking down to me -- he treated me as an important member of his team.  I also felt supported by him; there was never a hint of inappropriateness and always the right amount of warmth blended with professionalism.

I'm quite sure there were times when he refrained from rolling his eyes at the naivete of my suggestions; instead, he gently explored my rationale and provided insight.  Chris actually made constructive criticism a compliment!  After seeking feedback, I would leave his office  feeling energized, happy and productive.  I still have a treasured book he gave me, Orbiting the Giant Hairball, which is essentially about fostering creativity in organizations, something at which Chris excels.


I loved how he would insist that we leave the office to conduct brainstorms, taste the wine while thinking of ways to sell it (surprisingly uncommon, especially in corporate wine), and always come back to the notion that wine marketing should be both challenging and fun.

I've recently been thinking about why Chris was so influential, probably because I just had the pleasure of seeing him in Napa a month ago, and these points stand out in no particular order:
* collaborative style; warmth -- more like a favorite coach than a boss
* ability to guide in a positive, constructive manner
* excellent listening skills
* respect for the contributions of all team members
* creativity
* enthusiasm
* intelligence; talent
* worldly, informed
* genuine nature
* true passion for his work
* consideration for well being of others

Chris's influence is probably deeper than I know.  If I'd had Lumbergh back then, I would have probably applied to law school as an escape route and abandoned my dreams of running a winery or a wine marketing firm. (Instead, I waited until working in corporate wine to do that, and it was Chris who recommended me to assume the position he was leaving, which was both an honor and a wonderful move for me.)

I only lasted 18 months at that first wine marketing job, not because of any problem with the company -- I was presented with an offer which allowed me to expand and departing was painful.  Chris's influence followed me to the next position and today lives in my company's office and mindset.  I treasure our friendship -- sometimes we get busy and go longer periods than we should without talking, but every time we come together it's an exciting adventure.

If you've haven't worked for "a Chris", may you do so soon.

Grapevine Harvest Issue Articles

Grapevine Magazine featured two articles of mine in its recent Harvest Issue.  "A Winery Leader's Primary Role" examines three common elements as identified by Silicon Valley Bank's Raymond Nasr -- Tradition, Struggle and Absolute Trust.  I tend to find that wineries are sufficient to strong in the first two elements, but may be lacking in the third, Absolute Trust, which is built by having a leadership plan and vision...

"Making Your Winery's Strategy A Reality" is about aligning the two strategies in your business -- implicit and explicit.  Closing gaps between stated vision and reality can solve many a winery issue ranging from low profitability and morale to customer service and retention.

Power of Leadership Style

What is your leadership style and how does it inspire (or deflate) your team?  A winery's culture is influenced by its team members, but begins with the owner or operator's vision for leadership.  As many proprietors enter the industry with a vision to make (rather than sell) wine, leadership style may be a secondary consideration or ignored all together.  Those who do thoughtfully construct a vision and corresponding plan to achieve it tend to enjoy better results according to my experience in the industry.

A recent HBS article by Mitch Maidique examines the six styles of leadership as determined by his Purpose-Driven model.  For wineries with complex teams including vineyard, production, sales, finance and marketing, the Level 5 Builder is my recommendation.  This style looks beyond the Achiever at level 4, who is driven by goal setting and winning, adding a broader approach to "build an institution".  A Builder never reaches the end point-- successful and motivating leadership is a process that requires research, planning, motivation for execution, and reflection. Builders "...have a grand vision for the future of their organizations, and they infect others with their energy, enthusiasm, and integrity."

Maidique notes that people are a blend of the six styles, so there is an element of nature versus nurture at work -- personality and choice affect leadership style.  Since leadership is both a process and mindset, it is important to be aware of your leadership tendencies, and develop a proactive plan to become or enhance the style that will best suit your business.  

Some of my favorite books on leadership include John Wooden's Wooden on Leadership and Good to Great by Jim Collins.   Gaining knowledge about leadership best practices is an excellent start.  The next step is to use independent research to evaluate your company's leadership strengths and challenges, cooperation between team members, and cultural dynamic.  I thoroughly enjoy offering these services and learn immensely each time I'm involved in a visionary project.

Characteristics of Good Design

Recently, while speaking at SOWine2, I had the opportunity to enjoy a design presentation given by Richard Roberts, Creative Director at Palazzo Creative in Seattle.  I was pleased to connect a name and firm with some work I'd already admired -- Palazzo did the re-branding for L'Ecole 41, a known Walla Walla based winery, which I saw during the Taste Washington event held in Portland two months ago. 

Richard noted that good design has three key characteristics: consistency, transferability and ability to project extrinsic cues about the brand promise.  For a new brand, design consistency is about keeping look and feel similar throughout all marketing materials.  (In a broader marketing sense this also means consistent messaging, placement and promotion.)  With an established brand like l'Ecole 41, consistency can be more challenging -- with a redesign, there is a question of what design elements should remain the same and what should stay in the past.  I love how Palazzo maintained the brand's iconic school house image, but elevated its positioning by transforming it into a more serious package with less classic color and polished design.

Transferability means that the design works in different mediums.  For wineries, this typically means that it works for logo, packaging, and marketing materials.  A very important area for wineries to consider is how the design will appear on the shelf.  I've seen beautiful work that just doesn't work given the rather small amount of label "real estate" on wine bottles.  Additionally, fonts and nuances need to be easily translated to other marketing arenas.  L'Ecole 41's new website features its revised logo with the new color palette and tone.  An example of poor transferability would be a wine label that doesn't translate to a website, ad or other collateral.

The ability to project extrinsic cues is perhaps the most challenging since it's multi-dimensional.  The l'Ecole 41 label sends a message of an upscale experience that has an element of the old world but is not stuffy.  It speaks to the very good and consistent quality in the bottle.  When designing for a wine brand, you must always consider what message the design is sending, and make sure that it appeals to the audience of buyers you've targeted.

This of course means that you should start with the buyer in mind... in my next post, I'll discuss how to get the most out of your experience working with designers and creatives.

My WA State Fair Favorites

This month I had the pleasure of judging the Washington State Fair wine competition held annually in Yakima.  Wade Wolfe, noted winemaker who with his wife owns Thurnston Wolf, was my panel's head judge.  Together, the six of us on the panel tasted about 150 wines including white blends, Bordeaux blends, Cabernet Sauvignon and dessert style.

Some of my top scoring wines are listed below. (Note that these are not necessarily the medals awarded by the competition.) 

GOLD
Coyote Canyon Horse Heaven Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - smoky raspberry with slight toffee note; nicely oaked with a herbal character.  Good length.

Kiona Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - raspberry, mocha, peat moss and graphite aromas with cedar, sweet curing tobacco notes;  great structure and length.

Kiona Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - blackberry, cedar, leather -- a deep, inviting notes with tea leaf notes; rich and ripe on the palate; nice structure and finish -- well integrated.

SILVER PLUS
Maryhill Tudor/Gunkel Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - inviting notes with cigar box, blackberry, tea leaf; cool herbal note at palate; good structure.

Windy Point Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - mint, black cherry, boysenberry with a solid structure and pretty finish.

Cougar Crest Cougar Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - cedar, black fruit, graphite -- very pretty!  A hint of a peppery note with a solid finish.

Vin du Lac Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - cedar plank, blackberry, tea leaf with a hint of almond; good length.

Success at SoWine2 - "Secrets" to Creating a Great Industry Event

Yesterday I had the honor and pleasure of presenting "Building a Winning Marketing and Sales Plan" to an enthusiastic audience at SOWine 2.  I was impressed by the enthusiasm, energy and attendance at this second annual event held in Central Point targeting Southern Oregon producers.  In fact, my mind is still racing with thoughts about the knowledge gained from thoughtful audience questions and my colleagues' presentations.

A terrific industry event starts with a strong vision and commitment to planning, organization and service.  It follows through with strong presenters and like a good marketing plan, collects feedback and seeks continuous improvement. If its truly impressive, an event like this leaves attendees and presenters alike feeling energized, connected, educated and ready to take action.

Marilyn Hawkins of Hawkins & Company PR, a b2b PR firm based in Ashland, is the visionary behind SOWine and she gets it!  Marilyn created this event to gather and educate Southern Oregon wine producers (she also owns a small winery there) and her abilities as an event organizer are downright impressive.  This year, to enhance her inaugural program, she partnered with the fast-growing Southern Oregon Wine Institute of Umpqua Community College, directed by the equally energetic Chris Lake.

Below are some of the highlights of my notes:

1. Good design is consistent, transferable, and projects extrinsic cues about the brand promise (the marketing value proposition) - Richard Roberts, Palazzo Creative

2. Don't just "build and blast".  Best practice email marketing starts with a goal, list segmentation, and compelling contest. It includes testing and analysis, focuses on deliverability, and is compliant with CAN-SPAM laws. Terry Miller, CRM Group

3. Consider rotating your email signature to include great press quotes about your winery - Sheila Nicholas, Nicholas Communications

4.  Your social media campaign needs to consider that over 80% of millenials sleep with their smart phones (myself included, although depending on what definition you use, I'm more likely a Gen Xer) - Jeffrey Kingman, Chalkboarder

5.  Before you can build a successful marketing plan, you need to know who you are, to whom you're selling, what differentiates you, when and where you will sell and why anyone should care - moi, Trellis Wine Consulting

Unfortunately, I was unable to stay until the very end of the day, so I missed the late afternoon presentations.  Given my experience at the beginning of the day, I'm confident that they were equally as interesting.  This was a couple of days out of the office well worth taking.

Portland Business Journal's Take on OR Competition

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by writer, Jon Bell, for his Portland Business Journal piece.  I spoke with him about the importance of recognizing the extremely competitive nature of the industry and subsequent need for a strong business plan and marketing effort in addition to great wine that over delivers on value.

Read the full article by visiting my website's News page in the Published articles section.