Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/100792
laundry room of our rented Sonoma County farmhouse, and with no money. Yes, we got our butts kicked, but we learned, and the Barefoot spirit kept us going. You learn how to dance real fast when someone is shooting at your feet! We want readers of the book to know that we are just like they are ��� average people ��� and that they can do it, too. [ V&WM ] Are conditions different for ���average people��� today than they were when you built Barefoot? [ MH] The conditions are much the same. Distribution and sales still trump price, quality and even packaging. For most wineries, growth requires vigilant distribution management, which is something we recognized right away. [ V&WM ] So there is room for other negociant-type businesses such as Barefoot? Are there enough grapes and/or bulk wine to support similar brands? [ MH ] There has never really been a shortage of wine. Somewhere in the world, there is a surplus. Whenever we have a shortage in this country, we���re immediately flooded with imports. Purchase orders will always be more important and in shorter supply than wine. Therefore, first establish the buyers, then build 130 V I N EYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | Houlihan and business/life partner Bonnie Harvey became vintners by chance. the infrastructure. The advantage of outsourcing production ��� with excellent oversight, of course ��� is that you do not have to pay for and sell wines that are not up to your customers��� expectations. If you write your contracts properly and provide adequate winemaking and Jan - Feb 2013 production management, you only have to pay for and sell products that live up to your contract specifications. The cost of sales and marketing is so great that you may not have the luxury to build infrastructure until you are well-established. [ V&WM ] From the beginning, w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m