HOW IT ALL STARTED...

I have felt frustrated by the lack of innovation in the wine industry for a long time. While I am deeply passionate about this business, I also find myself frequently at odds with how far behind we seem when it comes to consumer experiences, e-commerce, the integration of technology with our sales and marketing practices, and the general effort to meet wine wine buyers where they are and how they are as compared to other industries. 

I attended the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium this year -- as I do every year -- and, as I listened to much of the same industry reporting on trends and suggested ways to respond, I'd finally had enough. I wrote a piece entitled "How Soon is Now: Where is our Sense of Urgency in the Wine Business?" which garnered quite a response from colleagues near and far. It seems many of you out there share the same frustrations.

And so I think it's time to finally do something about it. I don't know what that something is, but I'm tired of sitting around waiting for someone else to figure it out. In that way, I don't want to become part of the very problem I complain about in our industry. 

And so here we are. I hope you come along for this journey. I'm not sure where it will take us yet, but I know we will get there together. Welcome to The Ferm.