Here’s a quick puzzle for you. Read carefully but don’t look ahead to the answer at the bottom. See if you can figure it out. David meets Jenny. Jenny introduces David to Mike and Tom, and Tom in turn introduces David to Samantha. Samantha also knows Mike, and through Mike and Samantha, David learns that Read More…
Category: Nothing to do with wine in particular
A work fast (not a vacation): The goal of a fresh perspective
I recently had surgery and it was awesome. Not the surgery itself, mind you. That wasn’t fun, and the recovery has taken a couple of weeks. (It was gastro-intestinal, so everything from what I consumed to the simple art of sitting up had to be addressed.) The recovery forced bed rest. But I had things Read More…
What happens if …
… you present ten Pinot Noirs to an account, they don’t find joy in any of them, then a competitor presents just one and that makes it on the list? … you own 95% of a wine list at a local restaurant, but the company that has the other 5% suddenly starts spending a lot Read More…
Your internal narrative
We tell ourselves stories. Stories of failure. Stories of hesitancy. Stories of contrast and scorekeeping. The tough part about our internal narrative is that it’s the driver of our actions. Our hesitation to make another call to an unopened account because of the look you got the last time you were there. Or the phone Read More…
Say thanks, now
We are on the cusp of the holiday seasons. Within the next ten weeks the stores will be packed with Halloween displays, followed closely by Christmas chaos. Our homes transform from bats and ghouls, to turkeys and leaves, to trees and lights. As we enter the holiday season, cards arrive in the mail and we Read More…
You don’t need to have the answer
… you just need to know how to help your customers find the answer. Those are two very different things.
A simple question to ask
“Is what I’m doing today improving my life?” Be it personal (physical health, mental health, personal finances, relationships), or work (solving problems, having control over your day, saying yes when you need to and saying no when necessary), this is the simple question to ask. Have you written down what you plan to do today? Read More…
Problems
Every organization, wholesaler, winery, and sales rep has problems. They may be small, they may be hidden, but there is a 100% chance they exist. How are the problems recognized? By you? By others? Through analysis of data? By a gut instinct? And if problems abound, how does the company approach them, identify them, and Read More…
“What can I do to help?”
When delivered with honesty and empathy, is there a more powerful statement a person could possibly make? There are situations in life when simply offering help is not only the right thing to do but the only thing you can do. When you see someone who is injured. When you happen upon a person in Read More…
Long term goals without plans are called dreams
I’m in the starting period of a new big project, one that we’ve been mapping out for the last six months. I hoped to be fully up and running by now, but I actually find myself still on the starting blocks. Six months ago I went into the work without clear plans. Rather than goals, Read More…
Tug of War
Watching a tug of war match is great fun. Two individuals or teams, if evenly matched, give it their all. Sweat, power, energy, and eventually a winner. But think about this: tug of war only works if both sides are trying hard. If one side didn’t pull, then what’s the point? If the other didn’t Read More…
A challenge for today
I have a challenge for you. It has to be done by the end of the day. You’re responsible for it yourself, and only yourself. No bosses or managers to report to. No spouse or significant other to check in with when complete. Ready? Here you go: today’s challenge is to develop a challenge for Read More…
Nothing is impossible
This was the great lesson of Apollo 11. Yes it may take 400,000 people. Yes it may take over $25 billion dollars. But the great lesson of late July 1969 is that we are allowed to think bigger than we ever thought possible. And this great lesson can pare down to each of us and Read More…
The extra hour
This morning, many of us woke up earlier than we normally do. We woke up with energy at a time that we normally slog. We went to bed a bit earlier last night than we normally would. Daylight savings time is one of the best magic tricks out there. And like any good magic trick, Read More…
Milestone Dates
Happy October 1st. To most people, maybe all, it’s just another day. But for me, it’s October First, The Milestone Day. A milestone date is a marker. It’s a particular date when something eventful, positive, negative, traumatic, celebratory, life-shaping, or just plain big happened to you or because of you. It’s a date that as Read More…