Money. You Got This.

Alex is a winemaker and entrepreneur at Kanzler Vineyards, a family-owned winery in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, and co-founder of SkoBubs, a sparkling wine brand inspired by his University of Colorado roots. After gaining hands-on winemaking experience in California, Oregon, and New Zealand, Alex joined the family business, helping grow Kanzler Vineyards into a premium wine brand. Today, he combines his passion for winemaking with a focus on business growth, financial sustainability, and creating memorable experiences for wine lovers.

Here's what you'll learn:

Building a Family Business in the Wine Industry

• How Alex's parents transformed an abandoned apple orchard in Sonoma County into Kanzler Vineyards.

• Alex's journey from working vineyard harvests to learning winemaking across multiple wineries.

• Why gaining experience outside the family business helped Alex develop his skills and leadership abilities.

• How consistency, attention to detail, and small decisions compound into long-term success.

Pricing, Profit Margins & Business Models

• The financial differences between growing grapes, producing wine, and selling directly to consumers.

• Why understanding production costs, overhead, and inventory is essential to profitability.

• How direct-to-consumer sales can generate stronger margins than traditional wholesale distribution.

• The importance of focusing on your most profitable products rather than simply increasing sales volume.

Launching a New Business: SkoBubs

• How Alex and his partners created SkoBubs, a sparkling wine brand inspired by their University of Colorado connections.

• The difference between launching a passion project and building a business designed for profitability.

• Why understanding your target market and growth potential matters before investing in a new venture.

Navigating Industry Challenges

• How changing consumer preferences and increased competition are affecting the wine industry.

• Why premium positioning and direct customer relationships can help businesses navigate market uncertainty.

• Strategies for responding to external challenges that business owners cannot directly control.

Customer Relationships & Marketing Strategy

• Why attracting customers is only the beginning of building a profitable business.

• How tasting rooms, events, email marketing, and customer experiences contribute to long-term relationships.

• The importance of nurturing potential customers before asking them to make a significant purchase.

• How Kanzler Vineyards is refining its customer journey to encourage wine club memberships and repeat purchases.

Long-Term Financial Planning & Business Growth

• Balancing real estate value, brand equity, and operating profitability in a family-owned business.

• Why some industries require three-to-five-year financial planning horizons rather than quarterly thinking.

• How business owners can align their passion, financial goals, and long-term vision.

• Why building a successful business requires understanding not just how to create a great product, but how to sell it profitably.

How do you run your core business and lock in on a new key growth initiative? Very carefully!

Especially when you are a CEO. Listen in to Jason Meshekow, co Founder of intouch Insurance Services. Learn from him!

Listen in here!

Hilary Laffer and Amy Swift Crosby have worked together as brand strategists since 2005. Together (and separately) they have helped hundreds (thousands?) of businesses and founders distill and articulate their mission, vision and positioning, in industries ranging from consumer products, hospitality, restaurant, retail, beauty, wellness, education and real estate – as well as product and service companies who are solely B to B. Hilary is the principal of Part & Parcel, a full-service creative agency based in Los Angeles. Amy is a copy writer and strategist who divides her time between Los Angeles and an undisclosed seaside village in Massachusetts.

Here's what you'll learn:

What Branding Actually Is (And Isn't)

• Why branding is not just logos, colors, or taglines.
• The concept of "it's giving…" - your brand is the feeling people get from every interaction.
• How small details (website, phone calls, environment, communication) shape perception.

The "Net Effect" of Your Brand

• How customers make decisions based on a cumulative gut feeling, not one single factor.
• Why inconsistent messaging creates doubt—even if your service is excellent.
• Real-world examples of brands losing trust due to chaotic or misaligned experiences.

Common Branding Mistakes Business Owners Make

• Thinking branding is only visual design instead of full experience.
• Copying marketing tactics (social media, newsletters, ads) without strategy.
• Trying to appeal to "everyone" instead of defining a clear audience.

Why Most Businesses Don't Know Their Ideal Client

• The danger of not being able to clearly explain who you serve and what problems you solve.
• How lack of clarity kills referrals, networking opportunities, and conversions.
• Why "everyone is my client" = no one is your client.

How to Improve Your Brand Without a Big Budget

• Simple ways to audit your brand: website, client touchpoints, communication, environment.
• How small changes (and what those changes are) can dramatically improve perception.
• Why alignment across all touchpoints matters more than perfection.

Brand Strategy as a Business Growth Tool

• How a strong brand acts as a magnet, not a megaphone.
• The hidden cost of a weak or unclear brand (missed partnerships, lost opportunities).
• Using your brand as a filter for decisions: marketing, partnerships, messaging.

Final Takeaways for Business Owners

• Branding is happening whether you control it or not.
• Clarity beats complexity... know who you serve and what you stand for.
• You don't need to do everything, you need to do the right things consistently.

Connect With Hilary & Amy

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