In this episode of the Small Fortune Podcast, host Carol Collison talks with fellow UCLA Bruin and IRS Records founder-turned-winemaker Jay Boberg. Jay talks about the difference between launching a band and launching a wine brand, why he and partner Jean Nicolas Meo chose Oregon’s Willamette Valley (hint: profitability is in that mix), and various growth strategies such as developing a brand first; staging sales growth to reduce cash burn; and staging estate development so that it can be funded from cash flow.

https://www.nicolas-jay.com/

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Listen in on a live panel discussion from Wine Business Monthly’s 34th Annual Wine Industry Financial Symposium. Event Host Erin Kirschenmann, Managing Editor of Wine Business Monthly, invited a group of financial professionals in the wine industry to share their insights and observations about current financial markets: Carol Collison M&A Advisor and podcast host; Tony Correia, vineyard and winery appraiser and owner of The Correia Company; and Adam Beak, Managing Director Vertical Head Wine & Beverage Groups, BMO. Hear about how current grape and wine demand is affecting vineyard values, how banks and other creditors are adjusting their lending practices and loan pricing; and how to position your wine company for sale (spoiler alert – you really can’t).

www.winebusinessfinancial.com

https://www.globalwinebank.com/2025/11/california-winery-and-vineyard-markets/

For more than three decades, the Wine Industry Financial Symposium has been the premier conference for wine professionals to collaborate on innovative solutions, discuss the latest in finance and economics, receive industry data, develop bold strategies, and network with their peers. Join us in November 2026 at the prestigious CIA at the Copia in downtown Napa, California, for an unparalleled opportunity to enhance your financial knowledge and stay ahead of today’s evolving market and wine industry landscape.

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

In this episode, host Carol Collison talks with Janie Heuck, who is Managing Director of her late brother Jimi Brooks’ eponymous wine company, based in the Oregon’s Willamette Valley. This wine company’s history tells the unique story of the collaborative nature of the wine industry. Janie stepped in when her brother died tragically in the midst of harvest in 2004. With the help of Jimi’s friends in the winemaking community Janie got through harvest and then carried forward her brother’s legacy, growing the business into the success it is today. Carol and Janie talk about her latest creation, a DTC sales network called “The Atlas Collective”, through which a group of wineries based in different appellations across the country are building a cross-referral network where each winery’s club members are treated like their own in affiliated tasting rooms.

https://www.brookswine.com/

https://www.wineatlascollective.com/

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

It can be done. Learn from one of Napa Valley’s greats about how he started his winery – V. Sattui - in the ‘70’s with a shoestring budget and built a business so profitable he was able to construct a 150,000 square foot medieval Italian castle with the proceeds. In this interview, Carol and Dario outline the keys to his success: focus on sales, control costs, and plan for catastrophes. Small Fortune Podcast listeners really shouldn’t miss this one.

https://www.vsattui.com/

https://castellodiamorosa.com/

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

In addition to being an experienced manager of hospitality teams, Alysha Lee is a great storyteller. She and host Carol Collison discuss important management issues illustrated though Alysha’s tales from the trenches of modern luxury hospitality management. At Montage Resorts, she learned about creating memorable experiences and customer relationship management before the advent of CRM systems. At the Hillstone Restaurant Group she learned about how to run a hospitality business and manage to a profit and loss statement. At Far Niente she learned to manage transitions from family ownership to corporate ownership, which she has implemented with her recent move to Joseph Phelps Vineyards (now owned by LVMH) where she is Senior Director of Direct to Consumer and Hospitality. Enjoy this tale of an amazing professional journey.

https://www.josephphelps.com/

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

Listen and learn from an expert. John Glazewski, Director of Distributor Partnerships at one of the largest wine companies in the world, shares his wisdom on how to succeed in distribution, which can be summarized as follows: Show Up. Hear his advice on strategies for choosing the right market and distributor; how to engage with your distributor to obtain maximum performance in their market; the importance of distributor depletion, inventory and accounts sold reporting; and leveraging wine club customer relationships to maximum effect in wholesale markets.

https://www.pernod-ricard.com/en

john.glazewski461@gmail.com

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

John Gillespie and host Carol Collison discuss his most recent market report, “Wine in Decline,” which queries non or low- consumers of alcoholic beverages about how their perceptions may be affecting wine sales. The survey results are fascinating, and the conversation centers on the evidence from this research that some consumers view wine as too expensive or not a good value. For example, the survey found that “Wine drinkers who are drinking wine less frequently cited the rising prices of wine significantly more often that beer or spirits drinkers.”

John Gillespie was the founding Director of the Wine Market Council; a trade organization formed in 1995 by the wine industry to answer the question of wine demand and consumer preferences after an earlier period of sales growth challenges. He has been in private practice as a market researcher through his firm Wine Opinions since 2005.

https://wineopinions.com/

to request a report, please email info@wineopinions.com

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran

In this episode, host Carol Collison speaks with Ori Katz, Partner in the Finance and Bankruptcy Practice at the law firm Sheppard Mullin about when and how business owners should approach their creditors when their financial situation is deteriorating. Topics include: the importance of having a clear understanding of your financial situation; how lenders think about their risks and how that affects you; and when it’s time to speak with a professional advisor. The conversation also includes the differences between such legal options as Assignment for the Protection of Creditors, Receiverships, and Bankruptcy.

https://www.sheppardmullin.com/okatz

https://www.sheppardmullin.com/

Questions? Comments? smallfortunepodcast@gmail.com

Sponsor: Global Wine Partners https://www.globalwinebank.com/

Music: Nate Collison

Logo Photography: John Corcoran