This Foodie Friday we’re going to talk about wine. I realize some of you are not fans but I think a good glass of wine can enhance a meal much as finishing salt enhances the flavor of a perfectly ripe tomato (I have those on my mind these days as well!). I don’t think of myself as being very knowledgable about wine but I do know what I like when I’m drinking it.
(Photo credit: Uncalno)
One other thing I like about wine is the simplicity of it. You get a bunch of grapes, stick them in a solid container, crush them, and wait. In theory, the natural yeasts that float all around us should find their way into the juice and begin turning the sugar into alcohol. Strain it and it’s wine. Of course, it if was that simple, we wouldn’t refer to a winemaker‘s art. In fact there are lots of decisions the winemaker needs to make – what kind of grapes, what kind of container, at what temperature to keep the juice, what kind of yeast (if any) to add, how long to let it ferment, how long to age it, and even where to make it. All are factors that affect the final product. Which of course got me thinking about business.
Business at its core is equally simple. Create a product or service and sell it for more than it costs to make. Just as with wine, however, it’s all the decisions you take on the way that dictate how the final product turns out and what sort of success you have with it. Do you do what some wine makers do – try to create a flavor profile that is “popular” and go for big sales or do you make something that might sell less but be of a higher quality?
One thing about which you’ve heard me rant is being authentic. Bad wine uses wood chips and artificial flavors. Great wine coaxes out and maximizes the flavors inherent in the grapes. Be transparent too. That doesn’t mean giving away all the secrets about why your business – or your wine – is better. It does mean, however, that you don’t hide bad reviews and you admit when a vintage (or an outcome) isn’t everything you want.
Simple isn’t easy. Wine – and business – are simple at their core, but translating that simplicity into success is much harder. When it’s right it’s incredibly satisfying to me. To you as well?
Consult Keith 