Growth: Over the past year or so, the winery has grown to the point that I am unable to cover the business side effectively. Telephone calls go unanswered for many days during my really busy periods. But there is hope. Along with the demands of our two young children, I have been able to convince my wife and longtime friend, Judi, to give up her well-paying professional position with its 4:30 AM alarm clock, 1-hour-plus commute, and numerous frequent flier miles for a more civilized position with the business end of the winery (this is harder than you might imagine). She brings skills and experience I could never possess, and I am very excited about working with her, reorganizing and expanding this one-person operation, refining both wines and service. I will have more time to support the family in the vineyard, and explore some ideas I have not had time for. Most important of all, our children will benefit the most by trading two ‘alternating single parents’ in for two ‘full-timers.’ Making it to this point has been extremely hard (and only possible with amazing extended-family support), but worthwhile in the long run.
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