Thinking of building a dream winery? If you do, will the consumers come flocking to the tasting room?
Sonoma State University's Wine Entrepreneurship Course lays the groundwork for a successful wine business - from understanding the process of production to gaining loyal customers.
The class meets on Tuesdays for 13 weeks from 1-3 p.m. from February 5 - May 13 in Schulz 1121 on the Rohnert Park campus. The 13-week course, now in its sixth year, continues to win rave reviews from students and industry members alike for being an effective blend of academic rigor and insight from industry insiders.
"The diversity and expertise of the speakers is a key strength of the course" said Linda Nowak, Director of the SSU Wine Business Program. "It's a way to learn, to connect, to make your new brand even better."
The course is an ideal way for wine venturers to network to share their ideas, challenges, and identify a sustainable competitive advantage."
The class is being taught by industry expert and author, Ray Anderson, one of California's most admired wine educators who also serves as the Assistant Director of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
The author of "The Good Life Guide to Enjoying Wine," Johnson also teaches in the Wine Studies Program at the Santa Rosa Junior College. He earned his Master's in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide in South Australia.
His work in regional branding has been published in the International Journal of Wine Business Research and Vineyard & Winery Management.
Johnson will be inviting special guest speakers to enhance the class, sharing their success from the wine industry and beyond.
According to Dr. Liz Thach, SSU Wine Business Professor and Author, "the SSU Wine Entrepreneurship course is an excellent way for someone who is considering starting their own wine business to learn valuable information from the experts who have successfully done this. In addition, participants get to develop a business plan and receive feedback. There is no other venue that offers such useful information in a practical format".
Brent Bessire completed the course last year and says "the great thing about the Wine Entrepreneurship class is that it exposes you to so many areas of the business. You get a better understanding of options for distribution of your own wines as well as an understanding of some of the challenges of marketing and developing a brand."
The course brings in experts from all aspects of the wine industry, including accounting and financing. According to Armand Gilinsky, Professor of Management and expert in Wine Business Strategy, "the biggest problem for many wine ventures is that they are undercapitalized."
What is the most important step the new winery can take to solve that problem? Creating a distinct, sustainable, competitive advantage is at the top of the list, says Gilinsky.
For further information please go to: http://www.sonoma.edu/winebiz/ or contact The School of Extended Education at (707) 664-2394. The enrollment code is BUS NC 3939 noncredit with a fee of $495.
