Corey and Rachel chat with Carly Jones and Jesse Eldredge of Eastfolk Creative Co., a video and photo production studio that focuses on authentic, documentary-style content that helps small business owners tell their stories effectively. The group dives into the nuances of each format, discusses how each can be applied in wine and hospitality, and stresses how authenticity and intentionality in storytelling are crucial for creating memorable first impressions both in-person and online.

Corey and Rachel interview food and beverage PR vet Kylie Flett about starting her own agency, Banter PR, and how wine and hospitality brands can leverage public relations to achieve sales growth. Kylie advises businesses to focus their efforts on areas where they can win rather than spreading resources too thin. She also suggests identifying specific goals, such as increasing tasting room visitors or promoting flagship products, and recommends looking for opportunities when competitors aren't active. Ultimately, PR doesn't require large budgets but does need strategic thinking about what's truly newsworthy to consumers rather than just to the business itself.

Rachel and Corey discuss the importance of staff training and development in winery tasting rooms, emphasizing the need to hire people with the right intangible qualities rather than solely focusing on wine experience. They cover what wine knowledge is essential for new hires and highlight the significance of creating authentic connections with customers to enhance overall experience and drive sales.

Corey and Rachel chat with Shawn Hogan, Sustainability Consultant at Re:Vision. This podcast unpacks a lot of information for wine and hospitality businesses looking to embrace more sustainable practices - specifically within tasting room and production facilities. Additional topics include B Corp and Just certifications and assessments for organizations. Resources referenced in the podcast can be found below:

Re:Vision’s Food + Retail Portfolio

B Corp

B Impact Assessment

Just Program

SME Climate Hub

Free business emissions calculator

Corey and Rachel discuss the importance of vibe and aesthetic in order to attract, retain, and build consumer loyalty. The conversation dives into how vibe extends beyond the confines of a physical tasting room and should permeate every element of a brand - creating a cohesive customer impression of what your wine experience is all about.

Rachel and Corey speak with Noelle Allen, DipWSET, about the importance of emphasizing wine education for both tasting room staff and customers. Noelle is co-owner of PhillyWine, a wine education company that provides WSET Certification in wine, spirits, and sake, as well as independent, non-certification wine classes and events.

Corey and Rachel talk with Mike Madio, user experience (UX) expert, author, and local wine historian. The group discusses the importance of UX in both physical tasting rooms and digital platforms, especially for mobile. For more information on Mike's UX services visit: https://lifeattable.com/ux-consulting-practice/

Corey and Rachel talk with Steve Klein, owner of Dakota Diesel (dakota-diesel.com), a full-service design and advertising firm, about the importance of brand identity.

Meet founder Corey Krejcik and consultant Rachel Brown as they introduce you to the vision behind Thirsty Bandit. Served-up in a quick 5-minute format, ‘Strategy Sessions’ will be a recurring micro-podcast that interviews collaborators and experts as we tackle common challenges found in the wine industry.