Bearing Fruit Consulting

A Really Goode Job - Great Recruiting In Wine Country

I love it when you can combine several of your passions simultaneously.  This is one of those times when I get to combine my love of recruiting and my passion for wine. 

On several occasions in my recruiting life as a recruiter, recruiting leader and now consultant I have recommended the contest or competition recruiting strategy.  Essentially the idea is to have a wide open contest or competition to determine the best candidate for a particular job.  Sort of an Apprentice (though I can't stand Donald Trump) meets Survivor meets Amazing Race.  This works really well when trying to hire sales professionals or sales leaders but really it can work for ANY job.  There is no substitute for real world measurable results when evaluating talent for a position.  

The folks over at Murphy Goode Winery in Sonoma County clearly get it and are doing  just that.  Honestly this is recruiting brilliance! 

They are having a contest where they are offering "A Really Goode Job" to the winner.  They are looking for a social media whiz to tell the story of Murphy-Goode, their winesand the lifestyle of Sonoma County Wine Country. 

I have never tasted any Murphy-Goode wines so I can't speak to the quality of the product but I am thinking I need to give them a go soon.  Heck, maybe the "Goode" people at Murphy-Goode will send me some bottles to try out and review - are you listening Murphy-Goode?  Shameless I know, but wine is involved so it can't hurt to ask. 

Sorry to have gone off on that tangent.  So Murphy-Goode is asking interested prospects to submit a video that is a maximum 60 seconds in length.  You are limited only by your creativity and normal boundaries of decency so it really is a competition to find the person who can get it done for the winery.  They will then narrow down the competitive field of candidates to 50.  It seems they will be making that announcement 4 days from this writing. After that they will have an interview and selection process.

The official corporate type title is "Murphy-Goode Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent" but after looking at what the role entails and the culture of Murphy-Goode the title is far too stuffy to be reflective of the role and the winery.  This is a really awesome gig for anyone who knows how to use web 2.0, social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube etc.) and loves wine.  You can read the overview and more information here (including the FAQ'S) but here are some of the "Goodes" (get it, Goodes? - Ha!) taken directly from the website: 

State of the Wine Industry 2009-2010 from Silicon Valley Bank

By now most of you know I have an intense passion for wine.   

In recent years I have begun to really invest significant time in the business side of the wine industry and I have even had the opportunity to consult with a few of the larger wine producers as it relates to acquiring and retaining talent.  It is so awesome to combine your profession with your passions!

Silicon Valley Bank annually issues a State of the Wine Industry report and the 2009-2010 report was issued on May 1, 2009.  It took me until now to finally ready it cover to cover and I wanted to share it with our readers because there are not only lessons for the wine trade but business in general.  That said, it is an absolute must read for those in the wine business and anyone who has a passion for wine. 

The author is Rob McMillan, EVP and founder of SVB's wine division and it is incredibly insightful, well written and shows an enormous amount of foresight as it relates to the American wine industry.  There is a cacophony of noise around the poor economies impact on the wine industry and most of it is just speculation and outright guess work from people who are not in the know.  SVB is one of the largest lenders to the U.S. wine industry (winery and vineyard clients in the major wine making regions of the U.S.A number into 300's) and therefore has access to information, data, business plans and strategies of those who actually have to execute and deliver results.  Bottom line is, if you care about wine, the U.S. wine industry and business in general you need to listen what Rob is saying. 

Read the report through the link above but if you just want a quick overview the Good News / Bad News, taken directly from the Executive Summary of the report, is after the jump. 

Wine Making Legend Robert Mondavi Dies at 94

As most of you know by now one of my passions in this life is wine.  The fruit of the vine inspires me, hearkens me back to certain periods of time in life and takes me on an adventure every time I pull the cork on a bottle.   

I was 24 when I first started trying out wine and it wasn't long before my passion for wine began to bloom.  One of the first really good wines I tasted was a Robert Mondavi wine and in large part this led me on the journey to discover all that is wonderful about the world of wine.  I dare say that most people, from casual wine drinker to the most passionate of oenophiles, know who Robert Mondavi is and likely has enjoyed one of is wines at some point in time.

Sadly, Robert Mondavi died this morning at the age of 94 at his home in Yountville, California.  He was a brilliant businessman, visionary marketer and an extremely outspoken and dynamic wine leader who pretty much single handedly put the wines of California on the map. 

My love of wine was first inspired by Mondavi and his wines and I am truly saddened at his passing.  I didn't know him, never met him and have no idea what kind of man he was personally.  The closest I have come to knowing him is the fact that we share the same birthday, June 18th.  However, I feel inextricably linked to him through his wine and the wines I eventually discovered as a result.  I also linked to him because it was his wine that first sparked my interest.  I think that is part of the wonder and magic of this elixir.  It connects people, places and events in such a unique and intriguing way as to be almost unexplainable.  It may seem strange that a perishable item can have that sort of effect but for those of you who love wine or have enjoyed a good wine with friends on a special occasion you will know exactly what I mean. 

Somehow wine made me feel as though I knew Robert Mondavi. 

Strange, I know.  But so true. 

Farewell Mr. Mondavi. 

Thank you for opening the door that led me to many vineyards and so many wines!