Founders Reveal: How They Scaled the World's #1 Wine Brand

The Capital Raiser Show

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14d ago 26:37

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In this episode of the Capital Raiser Show, Richard C. Wilson sits down with Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey, co-founders of Barefoot Wine and New York Times bestselling authors of The Barefoot Spirit. Starting with $300,000 of unpaid grape debt, no wine background, and a "desk" in their laundry room, they spent 20 years building Barefoot into America's #1-selling wine brand—without traditional advertising.

Michael and Bonnie share what really moves the needle in brutally competitive consumer markets: ruthless focus on distribution, knowing every job in the chain, and making "friends in low places" with the people who actually move product—forklift drivers, merchandisers, and store staff. They explain why you don't get to choose your own growth targets; the metrics are already "written on the wall" by the last deal that closed in your niche.

The conversation then shifts to legacy, values, and storytelling. Michael and Bonnie unpack their Business Audio Theater model—Hollywood-style dramatized audio that captures a founder's real story, principles, and hard-won lessons in a format next-gen family members, employees, investors, and partners will actually consume.

If you're building a brand, raising capital, or stewarding a family office and want to scale both your business and your values, this episode will reframe how you think about distribution, strategic alliances, and the power of story.

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