Brotemarkle, Davis and Company proudly fielded two co-ed teams of 5 people each to participate in the Wine Industry Network 2010 Gutterball Classic fundraiser last Saturday. 

First of all, you have to wonder who decided to associate all of those unfavorable words with this game.  You play the entire game in an “alley” for goodness sakes. That doesn’t sound like the kind of place you want to be after dark.

And then there’s the “gutter”, which for some of us seemed more like a strong magnetic field, attracting what I can only assume was a bowling ball filled with 100% iron.

And maybe it’s my southern upbringing or my left handedness, but who had the brilliant idea of making you switch sides from left to right and back again after every series of (what do you call them, anyway? throws? pitches? rolls? drops? wobbles?)  Just when I had gotten a clear idea of how far over I needed to stand to get the darn ball to stay in my lane, I would discover that the scoreboard had flipped over to the other lane.  That meant I had to re-orient my entire stance for the new spot.

And then there’s the whole shoe thing. How are you supposed to look like a professional when you’re out there sporting the same shoes your dad made you wear in third grade? My originals had that same series of multi-colored patches only in suede hushpuppy form.

Mid-way into the first of three games, it became obvious that some of us were far better at competitive eating and raffle playing than the actual bowling part of the game.

Others on the team were power players, hard-driving competitors who would play neck in neck with their equals on the other lane. Men and women, new-comers and jaded professionals, all seemed to have equal chance at success.  There were any number of power strategies, winning tosses, and measured steps. I was in the presence of greatness on so many levels.

And the cool thing is that you couldn’t spot the good bowlers just by looking at them (although the ones who arrived with their own balls, gloves, and special shoe accessories were a tad scary to the rest of us.) Great players come in all shapes and sizes. (But the duds appear to be limited to left handed southerners.)

Everyone managed to get an occasional strike or a spare (well  almost everyone) but in some cases, it appeared that athletic success was directly proportional to the octane of the beer consumed. One excellent bowler discovered that local beer lowered his  score. Apparently the international variety was better for his throwing (pitching?) arm.

At the end of the day, I think we were all in agreement that the outing was a wonderful success, that sharing the victories and disappointments with supportive co-workers builds lasting bonds, and that putting people in rented bowling shoes does something to level the playing field and to remind us not to take ourselves too seriously.

Growing up in the Sacramento Valley I had plenty of opportunity to experience  fog so thick you couldn’t see the house across the street.  In the Napa Valley, we only experience ribbons of  fog that lace a vineyard together or tuck into a hillside.  I captured the picture above on my way to work this week.  It struck me how quickly the fog formed and meandered amongst the vines and trees.  Unlike the tule fog that sticks low to the ground and makes it impossible to see, these floating banks of moisture provided another scenic moment, like those that appear before me each and every day in the Napa Valley.

As I look at the picture closely, beyond the mustard and vines and before mountains, there are  two very distinct images.  The timeless beauty and strength of the oak and the zealous eucalyptus pushing itself above the fog layer.  That sounds familiar.  The optimistic Aussie (i.e. native eucalyptus) always looking for a new way to push through the challenges of the day, to find the bright light beyond the fog.  Here in wine country this has been especially true over the years as I have watched the flood of Australian wines land on the store shelves and wine lists.  Sure they’re a clever bunch when it comes to marketing their wines.  But what happened when the economy slowed? Those cute labels didn’t  fool the US wine  consumer.  Instead our pocketbooks closed and only opened for the long-time, well known, and strong  brands. 

Just like the sturdy oak, our local brands that have proven themselves over decades have not faltered.  Why? Because the consumer knows they can count on these wineries to deliver consistently high quality wines every year.  Now the packaging may not have a cute animal but wine buyers have  learned that you can’t judge a book by its cover. 

What we can learn from our Aussie friends is that their creativity allowed them to gain market share rather quickly in the U.S. 

So what does this have to do with U.S. wineries struggling through this recession?  Well, it might just be time to set aside your ego.  Some serious out-of-the-box thinking needs to take place so that you can capture the opportunities that are just beyond the horizon.  You are not only competing with domestic brands but those from the likes of Chile and Spain that have their sights on the U.S. consumer.  These imports could take serious market share when our  economy improves.

It is never too late to plan.  Get your team together and unleash those creative juices before someone else beats you to the marketplace.

Until next time…when the fog clears will you be headed in the right direction?

There is an old saying that when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade.  Last year, a new job opportunity resulted in my having to make a fairly significant daily commute. For someone whose previous “commute” was less than four miles and took about ten minutes, this could be considered a “lemon”.

My new commute from the north end of Santa Rosa to St. Helena takes around forty-five minutes. It is a route with minimal traffic but one that requires a driver’s attention and focus. Fortunately, I have always enjoyed driving the two-lane back roads with their spectacular vistas and overall serenity.

One morning, I had forgotten to recharge my MP3 player and as a result was faced with a music-free drive. Like most folks, my first (printable) thought was “what a drag not having music to listen to”. Strangely enough, I discovered an interesting thing about being focused on driving while in a “noise free zone”.

My innovative side began to occupy available mind space as all sorts of ideas began popping into my head. Mind you (no pun intended), none of these ideas was “huge”, but I enjoyed the feeling of free-floating spontaneous creativity so much that I no longer listen to music during my commute time. Most of the ideas for my blogs have been developed during this drive time (no, I will not put the music back on).

Now when I arrive at the office, I quickly put my thoughts into writing before they vanish like the mists that hang  over the landscape in the morning. At that point I can fashion them into a blog as time and energy permits. What this experience has taught me is that, like most people, I get so busy dealing with life (work, chores, pets, family, friendships, e-mail, to tweet or not to tweet, etc.) that the noise and drama tends to drown out that joyous little creative voice.

Thanks to my  two forty-five minute “quiet times” each day, that voice has started to sing and I find that I am really enjoying my own music. The “lemon” of having to spend time commuting has been converted into “lemonade” and it is truly delicious.

Imagine the new ideas that you might generate for your company or business in a noise-free zone…

Unlike most commuters, I enjoy my drive to the office each day.  It’s no surprise since rather than being stuck in traffic watching motorcyclists zip by my mirror, I get to drive by vineyards, between hills, and some days under hot air balloons.  One of the benefits of life in the Napa Valley is the ever-changing scenery. 

Earlier this week, I was traveling the back roads to work when I saw the clouds tucking into the hills.  I tried stopping in the middle of the road to get a picture but wouldn’t you know, just then someone decided to join me on my usually private drive.  But I was determined to get this shot.  Just around the next bend I found a  road leading into a vineyard.  I pulled off and made my way down the side of a ditch to find an opening between the trees.  It was sprinkling, so I moved quickly, since digital cameras seem to have a thing against water. After a few shots, I was satisfied with the image so I jumped back into my SUV and was off.

So this was my story of  how I captured the picture above,  but here’s the thing. The result of my effort was satisfaction. I was only satisfied with this image. And satisfied is just not good enough when it comes to my photos. 

So often I hear businesses sharing their latest survey results which show that their customers are satisfied. 

Big deal!  Being satisfied is just a polite way of saying “I haven’t found anything better yet”.  The bar for customer service is so low that we have accepted the rude clerk talking with a co-worker about her plans, – it’s just the way it is.  Well I say enough!  It’s time business owners pay attention and focus on real customer service. 

 Many are struggling to succeed in this recession – it’s a perfect opportunity for each retailer and service provider to go out of their way to show their appreciation.  This means training their employees in the art of putting the customer first.  I don’t mean that corporate requirement that they greet everyone in the store.  I mean something more. Caring about people.  This means some employees may have to switch seats on the bus or get off.  Not everyone’s behavioral style is conducive to dealing with people all day long.  Believe me, I have met plenty of  front line people who would be happier stocking shelves than interacting with customers. That’s okay, but let’s recognize where they belong and make the changes necessary to improve service for all.

Customer service is so bad in most places that even modest improvements will be noticed.  But just think, if you could change the culture in your business so that your customers go from being  just “satisfied” to being raving fans, how much loyalty you would create.  Not to  mention the new customers you would gain.  This is the time to invest in your employees. 

Until next time…satisfied customers will come and go but raving fans are yours forever.

The most significant discovery I made during that long-ago film class was the genre of the silent movie. Prior to that time, my limited awareness of silent movies was due to a television show which featured silent films run at the wrong speed (with silly captions inserted) strictly for comic value.

In this film class, the silent films were played at the correct speed and frequently had an added orchestral soundtrack to simulate the original live piano accompaniment. The lighting and photography in these films was frequently superb, but the truly amazing thing was the ability of the actors to communicate action and emotion without words (beyond the occasional – and largely redundant — title card). Facial expressions and body language were the primary means of telling the story.

Perhaps in the days before the media barrage that is so prevalent today, people were able to read or “hear” the body language of others more readily than they do today. So much of any situation is in what is NOT said – the raised eyebrow, a clenched jaw, or the failure to make eye contact. These actions can frequently impart an entirely different message than a stream of words pouring from somebody’s mouth. Frequently, the body language tells a truth that the words may not.

In the business world, it is critically important to listen to what others are saying. But while you are listening to the words, also make the effort to “hear” what their body language is saying. This additional information could aid in your decision making process or at least make you aware that all might not be as it is presented.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were some contrivance we could draw on to shore up our businesses in the face of an impending disaster? Who wouldn’t like some extra insulation to separate us from the murky waters of doubt that lap against our doors? We know to cover our windows with tape in the event of a hurricane – but what action do we take in the event of a reverse hockey stick on our revenue graph?

The answer can be found on your financial statements. The evidence of your financial preparedness is right there in plain sight.

It’s in the equity section of your balance sheet. Look at your retained earnings account. Smart businesses focus on growing their retained earnings over time. These accumulated (and undistributed) earnings represent emergency provisions that can sustain a business over the long haul. Bankers look at retained earnings for evidence that owners are willing to reinvest in their  business before they will extend credit.

Of course, your retained earnings may not be entirely liquid (and by “liquid” I mean accessible as cash, not drinkable).  Your earnings might be “retained” in the form of inventory, receivables from customers, or fixed assets, rather than cash, but they can eventually be converted to cash in the event of an emergency. So when you’re looking for comfort, look at your retained earnings. And if your balance is zero or below, you know where to focus once the storm has passed. A financial statement is a lot lighter than a sandbag.

I arrived at the airport parking lot to see the dark clouds moving closer. Before I could exit the car the lightening began to strike all around.  Not being a big fan of flying, I felt my anxiety level rise.   I scurried off to the terminal to get out of the downpour.

I quickly forgot about the threatening weather as I moved through the security line, then fumbled to get my shoes on, and looked up to read the monitor one more time in search of the correct gate number. Off I hustled, even though I was early; it just seemed the thing to do (stressed out).

Ah, I arrived at gate 16 at last,  it had to be the last one in the terminal.   I watched the planes come and go while the rain continued to increase in intensity. Well, I thought, that must be a good sign.  The planes are still flying in this weather. Then a voice over the intercom said, “flights to Southern California could be diverted because of extreme weather”.  “Extreme” sounds like “scream”.  Calm down Craig, you’re going to Vegas, it’s in the desert and the only extreme thing there is the heat and its January so this will be fine.

Wow, more rain out my window to the left but what’s that in front of me? The sun is beginning to sneak through the black clouds and then a full arching rainbow appears. Now that is the sign I was looking for. Just like that, the rain stopped and the voice on the PA system said its time for us to board.

It got me thinking that with all the doom and gloom surrounding this past year there must be a positive somewhere. And then it hit me smack in the face.  While businesses are making all kinds of decisions to help survive the recession how many have planned for the upside when the dark clouds have passed?

This is the perfect time to develop strategies to move your company ahead of the competition. Capitalize on the mistakes they are bound to make, so that you can gain market share.

This is the time to move forward and put into play the ideas that will serve your customer well and in turn deliver big dividends with the rainbow’s return.

Until next time…remember that it is always darkest before the dawning of a new day so be ready to shine bright.

After the conference we spent two days in Old San Juan.  This is quite a city with real Caribbean history.  Here we took a two hour Segway Tour.  For those that don’t keep up with interesting gadgets, these are the two wheel scooters that you stand on and gyroscopes keep it upright.  You simply lean forward and it goes forward.  Lean back and it stops or goes backward.  Push the handle left or right and it turns.  Great fun and a great way to get around a city causing zero pollution.  It’s also a hoot to ride around on! 

The owner of the Segway Tour Company, Jose, was our guide to the city and he was great.  It was a slow day for him so it was just Kathi and I which made it very special for us.  Jose had the most fantastic knowledge of the city and its history and was very personable and fun as well.  If you ever find yourself in old San Juan be sure to take this tour with Jose.  You will have a great time and because of Jose, will learn the true history of a fascinating place, and of course get to ride a Segway.

I asked Jose how business was lately and he said it was still doing pretty well even though the cruise ships that start and stop in San Juan are off about 25%.  Not much different than here but Jose had a great observation about it.  His business was still doing  well and he knew why. 

His tour was the best it could be and he made sure that it would always be seen as the best by delivering a unique and quality experience.   He then went on to say that times like this weed out the businesses that aren’t that well run and that the best run businesses would survive and be stronger.  He gave us an example as we talked about the restaurants we visited in old San Juan.  We made our choices by consulting a web site, Tripadvisor.com.  This was also how we found Jose’s tour.  We had some truly great meals and the restaurants were pretty full.  This was not true of other restaurants. They were really struggling.  They probably just assumed it was because of the poor economy when in fact it was because they just weren’t good enough. 

 In times like these, quality and attention to your customer’s needs will surely mean the difference between survival and failure.  Just ask Jose, he knows!

The “puppy”, Blue the Standard Schnauzer, is now twenty months old and a solid 45 pounds.  It has been an interesting journey and has caused me to reflect on the similar issues between training a puppy and dealing with other people.

The very first thing that should be noted is that all puppies, like people, are different.  They are all individuals, although puppies of the same breed (Scotties, of which I have had four, for instance) tend to be more the same than puppies of a different breed (Standard Schnauzer for instance).

The training process with Ace, as with my other Scotties, was virtually painless.  In spite of the reputation that terriers have for being difficult to train, my Scotties were virtually push-button.  I would ask them to do something and they gladly did it in short order (in case you wonder, I am an alpha female, so that probably helped).   Dandy eventually got to the point that he would frequently know what I wanted before I could vocalize it.

Some people are like my Scotties – intelligent, eager to please, and cheerful.  They can be independent but are willing to acknowledge and accept the leadership of the pack leader.  They are not wimps, they are simply good companions.

Blue, however, has been another experience altogether.  Although he, too, is a very intelligent dog, Blue has presented more difficulties than the Scotties. When I ask him to do something he does not immediately do it in spite of having Ace to observe as an example of the desired behavior.  His first response is to look at me as if to ask “Are you really sure about that?”  When I repeat the command he moves ever so slowly to comply, just in case I change my mind. I never knew that the “sit” command could take so long to execute.  Now, granted, Blue’s legs are nearly three times as long as Ace’s, but still there is a big difference in attitude at work here.

Blue’s reactions are similar to interacting with some people who either question or resist everything that they are asked to do.  Working with this type of personality, be it person or dog, takes more time, effort, and patience and is more wearing than dealing with a more compliant personality type.

Like people, dogs respond differently to both rewards and punishment — what motivates one may not necessarily motivate another.

So what is my conclusion from all of this?  Well I love and treasure both of my dogs.  I accept them as any parent would with all of their special gifts and flaws.  I will continue to work with Blue (and, hopefully, find his “fast-forward” button re executing commands) as patiently as I can. I will try to do the same with other people, but I don’t have the option of putting them in the dog run or withholding their cookies if they refuse to behave!

 I recently packed  up the SUV and headed to southern California with my family to spend Christmas with my oldest son.  On the morning of Christmas Eve the kids and I headed up the road to the local ski resort.  It was a beautiful day and we couldn’t wait to get onto the snow.  After a few warm-up runs at the lower part of the resort we took a chairlift, to the top of the mountain.

At 8,000  feet I skied off the lift  to the trail head.  It then hit me….as I looked up I couldn’t believe what was before my eyes.  Here I was in the middle of the forest covered in a thin blanket of snow but what was that in the distance.   I asked my son what’s out there?  He replied, “the Mojave”.  What did he say?  Yes, the hearing may be fading with each passing year, but the desert?  I looked on in awe.

What a contrast from the fresh snow and green pines, to the dry almost barren land.  How could two places be so different but yet be so close?

Here we are just getting 2010 underway and I wonder will this year look like last or will it bring forth new life and excitement as the economy begins to recover and gain momentum.  I could play it safe and tell  you we will see very little growth, but I think we need to move beyond the critics view.   We need to gain a better vantage point if we are going to see a different perspective.  

When you sat down and planned out your Company’s budget for 2010, did you start with 2009 actual numbers and project that the next year would  be slightly better?  If so, don’t feel alone as that is how most budgeting is done.  But what are you going to do different in 2010 to stimulate sales and increase efficiencies?  You need to see your Company being in a different place a year from now.  If you can’t, then you most likely will arrive at the same place as you did in 2009. 

Creating stretch goals are one thing but the real success comes when new strategies are developed to help your team move to a different place.  If I were to stay at the ski lodge I would have never seen the vast desert.  In turn my appreciation for the abundant beauty and potential for growth around me would not have come into focus.

Take time now to step away from your Company and imagine what it could become.  Then take that vision and involve your team in creating the plans to move you this new place. 

Until next time….at this crossroad will you choose the desert or the forest?