---

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

---

Jason Smith, President & CEO of Smith Family Wines, joined Deidre this week to chat about growing grapes, making wine, and life as a second-generation business owner! 

 

He provided us with some truly AMAZING wiZdoms for our professional lives, AND personal lives. Check them out below!

 

JASON'S WIZDOMS FROM THE VINEYARD

• Treat people the way you want to be treated. My Dad’s favorite simple saying. It’s just not that hard people!
• LISTEN! It’s the most underrated skill and probably one of the most difficult. It’s amazing what you can learn when your mouth is closed and your mind is open!
• Believe in yourself. Although we all have small insecurities, with good work ethic and a little risk we can thrive.
• Know what you know, and know what you don’t. Don’t be afraid to learn and ask for help when you need it.
• Prepare! We all have to adjust on a daily basis with what Mother Nature or the neighbor next door brings to the table. Plan your months, weeks, and days, then watch how much you can accomplish.
• Be prepared to adjust when plans don’t turn out the way you thought they would. Entrepreneurs always have to be ready to make a change quickly.
• Don’t be afraid to fail! Who hasn’t looked back and said, “if I only knew then what I know now?” We can’t live afraid to take chances. Do your homework, take a risk, just don’t keep repeating the same failures!
• The only failure in failure is repeating the same failure more than once. It’s the definition of insanity. Make mistakes, but learn from them!
• The only thing you can truly control is yourself! When you accept that and stop trying to change others you will live a happier life!
• You get what you tolerate! Although you can only control yourself, you can make CHOICES to remove people, places, and things out of your life to make YOU better!
• Be vulnerable! Allow yourself to not know, to make a mistake, or to say you are sorry. We aren’t perfect and no one expects us to be!

 

JASON'S WIZDOMS WITH WINE

• Don’t be intimidated by wine. Keep it simple, know what you like (red, white, sweet, dry) and ask for help!
• I would say a wine rating 85 and above is a nice wine. It doesn’t mean you’ll like it (see above!)
• What grape growers have done well in the last 15 years is grow wine grapes in the proper areas and wineries have sourced from those areas. What that means is you can get nice wines at all price points! $15 and up should be solid, but remember #1.
• High priced wine doesn’t mean it’s the best and reserve wine doesn’t mean that either. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to enjoy a less expensive wine! Good for you!
• Not many people have the pallet to truly taste all the different flavors and characteristics in wine (I CANNOT!) And that’s ok. If you are a foody and want to play around and pair with wine there are great resources on the internet and other places to do that. 
• Back to #1, just enjoy wine! There is no right answer, it’s what you like!

 

LISTENERS: DO YOU KNOW YOUR WINE?  Send us your answer. Either leave us a voicemail at 1-646-653-9278 or send us an email. We may talk about it - or we may even talk with YOU - on the air!

 

You can learn how we help job seekers, employers, and employees by visiting My Success Platform and PEAR Core Solutions.