Values.
Experience.

My story as a wine marketer begins in a vineyard, not a business school.

At the age of twenty-two I put my new bachelor's degree in English Literature to good use by finding work as a vineyard worker in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California. There I learned firsthand about terroir, the miracle of the wine grape, and the backbreaking effort that goes into making good wine.

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Six years later, I found myself sporting a tuxedo and a silver Tas du Vin as sommelier for an upscale French restaurant in Chicago. This role taught me many lessons about consumers. I realized that some truly enjoyed the discovery of new and interesting wines, while others just wanted reassurance they were getting a decent value for their money. Above all, I came to understand that consumers love to be entertained, and seek out brands that align with their own lifestyle, values and tastes.

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My professional career took its course—from distributor salesman to key accounts manager, from brand manager to marketing vice president—with plenty of hands-on consumer product marketing along the way that prepared me for my current role as a strategic consultant. All these details are listed below.

But what still provides the foundation for my work today is the experience I gained decades ago. That great wine can only come from hard work and a passion for excellence. That different consumers have different needs and expectations. And that strong brands tell interesting stories to an engaged audience...not unlike the literature I studied at university.

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Effective branding is both a science and an art. Brands that sell through on the retail shelf are not just creative experiments, they are the result of a disciplined process. My own approach to building brand equity for clients fully utilizes the best practices of CPG marketing; but it also draws on my unique 360° experience in the wine industry, beginning forty-five years ago on a hillside vineyard.