Category: Strategic Planning
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Building Resiliency into Your Winery
If you’ve followed any recent news about the wine industry, you know it’s going through a rough stretch. Wineries are closing, vineyards are coming out, and visitor traffic is down. On top of that, the weather keeps getting harder to predict. The wine industry will come out the other side of this period, but it…
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The Early 2026 Harvest Isn’t Just Climate Change. It’s Climate Volatility.
Climate change is causing significant volatility in wine regions, affecting grape harvests worldwide. Weather patterns fluctuate drastically, leading to unexpected cold events and early heat waves, disrupting growing seasons. Adaptation strategies include planting resilient grape varieties and implementing innovative farming practices, emphasizing the need for wineries to build long-term resilience amid changing climates.
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10 Costly Winery Startup Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Avoid the ten most costly winery startup mistakes. Expert winery consultant with decades of experience shares the decisions that separate profitable wineries from those that struggle
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Positioning Your Winery for Sale in a Challenging Market
Selling a winery in today’s market requires strategic positioning. This article outlines how to strengthen cash flow, prioritize the assets that drive value, and set realistic expectations so you can maximize your sale outcome.
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Wine Clubs Are Not Optional: How Wine Club Conversions Drive Profitability
Wine club conversions drive winery profitability. Learn why tasting room wine club signups are essential to stable DTC revenue in a contracting market.
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How Wineries Create Value
January 2023 discussion with Ed Mysolgland of How to Sell a Business podcast. How wineries create value, what to look for in purchasing a winery and how to make a winery sales ready.
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Guide for Preparing the Winery for Fire Season
Last year was the worst fire season on record for the west coast of the US. Fires in California, Oregon and Washington led to lost vintages, burned vineyards and smoke tainted wine. One estimate puts the loss at $3.7 billion for last year alone. But the real loss may not be seen for years as…
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A Case for By-Appointment Tasting Rooms
As we move back into open tasting rooms and, hopefully, a more normal wine country summer and harvest, the question has come up: Should tasting rooms continue to be by-appointment, or should they be open for all walk-in customers? The 240% jump from walk-in tasting rooms to by-appointment in the last year, as highlighted in…
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What’s Your Vision?
A common question from clients and prospective clients is: Where do I start? My suggestion is: Start with your vision. Deciding on the vision for your winery or winery business is the very first step in creating a successful company. So, what is it and how do you write it? The vision comes first Before…
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Strategic Plan Creation for Long Term Success
A strategic plan will help your company succeed and plan for the future. A Strategic Plan is a ten year financial plan that forecasts expenses and sales, and includes a Threats and Opportunities Assessment. When writing this plan, start with where you want to be in ten years.