Each business has its own unique story; none more inspiring than the one featuring Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey, the co-founders of one of America’s most beloved wine label, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly. In 1986, with no money, and little business or wine experience; Bonnie and Michael took a courageous leap to help resurrect a fledging label, heavily in debt. From the beginning, they knew they were in over their heads.
Not only were they industry outsiders, more importantly they hadn’t fully grasped the breadth of the regulatory scrutiny facing wineries. As with every entrepreneurial journey, they made plenty of mistakes, spent many sleepless nights and faced a decade of economic hardship, but through it all, they never wavered on their commitment to serve their customer. What Bonnie and Michael figured out early on was that the linchpin of any new venture was not only a happy customer, but in their case, it was also a worthy cause; They called it “worthy cause marketing,” and its simple premise will change your marketing perspective: