Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America's #1 Wine Brand - Softcover

"Michael and Bonnie started the tradition of Worthy Cause Marketing and for well over a decade used their winery, Barefoot Cellars, to support the Mono Lake Committee's grassroots efforts. Their approach helped spread the word about protection, restoration, and education at Mono Lake--inspiring people to get out and get involved."
--Geoff McQuilkin, Executive Director, Mono Lake Committee

"Michael and Bonnie took a chance on potentially losing sales when they supported our cause with Barefoot Cellars in the early 1990's. Their co-promotion with the League to Save Lake Tahoe took a strong position on a very controversial issue involving the development of the Lake Tahoe Basin. They helped us get the word out about our cause through wine shops, markets and restaurants in California."
--Darcie Goodman-Collins, PhD, Executive Director, League to Save Lake Tahoe

"Of the many supporters Surfrider Foundation has had over the years, perhaps none of them align with us like Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan. Their approach to work with organizations they believed in and encourage others to support these causes was innovative and effective. We shared common goals and through their marketing efforts we were able to share our mission with a wider audience."
--Michelle C. Kremer, Esq., Chief Operating Officer, Surfrider Foundation

"This is a warm, wonderful, inspiring book that entertains and motivates at the same time."
--Brian Tracy, Author of "The Power of Self-Confidence"

"I thoroughly enjoyed The Barefoot Spirit. Since we just started classes this week, I decided to make it recommended reading for my entrepreneurship classes. (After it is out in print I will make it required reading). Why? Because it tells a lovely story and it embodies so much of the entrepreneurial mindset. The books was so readable (I loved the "voice" of the book and storytelling is such a wonderful way to communicate) and it was so intimate - it made me feel like I was on the journey with you. Both of you come across as such real and honest folks who were not willing to compromise your values to succeed. But that is not the BEST part of the story. You, in fact, were able to use those values to succeed in unconventional ways. One of the most important lessons I took away from this was that you were absolutely focused on excellence but you were able to combine that with fun! I love that - I agree with so much of your philosophy. For some reason many pr ofessors try to keep the fun out of learning. Consequently school becomes laborious. You worked very hard but you had fun. That is and has been my goal in my classroom. I think we need the barefoot spirit in education! When young children in kindergarten are asked how they can be creative - can they solve problems, dance, draw, sing, etc - they all say yes - watch me! By the time I get to my college students - most of them are too fearful to have fun and try new things. We have to change our system! But enough of my soapbox. Needless to say I think I am a "barefooter..". and I feel so blessed to have read your book. THANK YOU! I have already used more than one quote in my classes the first day already! Some of my favorites: "At some point when you're an entrepreneur, you're a passenger on your own adventure. You adapt and ask, how do we make this work?" "[we] also had to decide regularly if what appeared to be money-making opportunities were real, or whether they would just create new problems." "When you are strug

"I thoroughly enjoyed "The Barefoot Spirit." Since we just started classes this week, I decided to make it recommended reading for my entrepreneurship classes. (After it is out in print I will make it required reading). Why? Because it tells a lovely story and it embodies so much of the entrepreneurial mindset. The books was so readable (I loved the "voice" of the book and storytelling is such a wonderful way to communicate) and it was so intimate - it made me feel like I was on the journey with you. Both of you come across as such real and honest folks who were not willing to compromise your values to succeed. But that is not the BEST part of the story. You, in fact, were able to use those values to succeed in unconventional ways. One of the most important lessons I took away from this was that you were absolutely focused on excellence but you were able to combine that with fun! I love that - I agree with so much of your philosophy. For some reason many professors try to keep the fun out of learning. Consequently school becomes laborious. You worked very hard but you had fun. That is and has been my goal in my classroom. I think we need the barefoot spirit in education! When young children in kindergarten are asked how they can be creative - can they solve problems, dance, draw, sing, etc. - they all say yes - watch me! By the time I get to my college students - most of them are too fearful to have fun and try new things. We have to change our system! But enough of my soapbox. Needless to say I think I am a "barefooter..". and I feel so blessed to have read your book. THANK YOU! I have already used more than one quote in my classes the first day already! Some of my favorites: "At some point when you're an entrepreneur, you're a passenger on your own adventure. You adapt and ask, how do we make this work?" "[we] also had to decide regularly if what appeared to be money-making opportunities were real, or whether they would just create new problems." "When you are str

"Great read, great book. This story is beyond wine and the love of wine, it's about starting a business."
--Fran Tarkenton, Hall of Fame NFL Quarterback, Entrepreneur, & Sirius XM Radio Host of "The Fran Tarkenton Show"

"Fun beach reading for small business inspiration." The Barefoot Spirit" is an entertaining rags-to-riches story of American entrepreneurship. It's the first-hand tale of California rule breakers Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey, founders of the country's top-selling wine brand."
--Adrienne Burke, Yahoo! Small Business Writer

It is hard to believe that such an iconic brand as Barefoot Wines began as a start-up in a laundry room of a rented farmhouse in the Sonoma County hills. Even more surprising is that the people who started it were just an average business couple, Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey, with no money and no real knowledge about the wine industry.-The part that isn't a surprise is that, because of their lack of experience, and because the wine business is one massively complicated industry, they ran into difficulties and setbacks that regularly put the brand near death in the first two decades. What kept it going was an unshakable belief in Barefoot's potential, Michael's and Bonnie's use of universal business principles, and their never-say-die outlook despite facing one seemingly insurmountable hurdle after another. Those hardships, that hustle, and their heart, are the essence of the Barefoot Spirit.-For years, Michael and Bonnie, the Barefoot Wine founders, have been asked to write a book about how this brand got started and became a best seller. The Barefoot Spirit traces that history and tells the story of how an unknown novelty wine became an American icon. It chronicles the unlikely events that made it possible, and it lays out the cornerstone business and lifestyle philosophies that made it, ultimately, an enduring success. By the time they sold the brand to E&J Gallo in 2005, they'd won a ton of awards and helped transform an entire industry from stuffy and intimidating to fun, casual, and socially aware.-The Barefoot Spirit is not a dry business text. The lessons are cheerfully woven into a twenty-year business adventure story that's inspiring, amazing, and entertaining. It's a case study, an idea book, an uncommon peek behind the curtain of the wine business, and a snapshot of the American spirit, West Coast style.-The book was written by award-winning journalist Rick Kushman after hundreds of hours of research and interviews with Michael, Bonnie, and many others.-This book is a testament to the American Entrepreneurial Spirit of resourcefulness, imagination, innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking.-The Barefoot Spirit is an inspirational guidebook for anyone in business and a great read for everyone who loves a rags-to-riches story. Filled with encouragement, inspiration, and empowerment, including: * How Michael and Bonnie used Worthy Cause Marketing instead of traditional advertising* How they used boot-strapping instead of conventional financing* The surprising advantages of being small and broke* How creating a fun, yet hardworking positive company culture encourages innovative leadership* How making mistakes the right way builds your business and saves essential relationships* Why attitude and determination trumps knowledge and experience-If you like wine, the wine country, or a story about how a plucky little winery transformed an industry, if you want to know what it takes to really succeed in the face of adversity, if you want to know how to use your core beliefs to build a national brand, then The Barefoot Spirit is for you.