Rose Gold Rosé is the third evolution of my career. What I have learned over the course of my career is that passion trumps skill (well most skills, anyway). If you do not have passion for the business you are creating, what is going to push you to the next level? What is going to make you feel better when you miss your son’s football game? Your drive will persevere the challenges you will undoubtedly face as an entrepreneur. But it is ok! Everyday is about learning, developing your passion and earning the title of “expert.”
You don't have to be an expert but you have to have the passion to become an expert. What started as a rosé to enjoy with my friends has turned into a lifestyle brand with distribution in fourteen states with over 11,000 cases sold and more coming this winter into the first quarter of next year. Throughout my path, I have been lucky enough to be inspired by so many female founders and the below are key takeaways from my experience and path to becoming a rosé boss.
#1 Passion is a Skill Set
For me, the challenge of an industry I had zero background in — along with no experience in business or ever having been an entrepreneur — was a major mountain in front of me I had to scale. And I did it one step at a time. There was no map, no help, just figuring it all out as I went. There was no other choice — to figure out how to sell this wine or fail. I read everything I could get my hands on about how to start a small business, I have listened to tons of podcasts of female entrepreneurs over the course of the last three years, I have reached out to as many people that I could that were willing to try to give me advice or direction.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you to get it done. The lesson here is — you don’t have to do what your degree (or degrees) hanging on the wall says. You can reinvent yourself as many times as you want. It’s never too late to start over or start anew. I was a family nurse practitioner. Then I was a stay-at-home mom. Now I own my own business. It’s wild but you can do it if you really want to and have the passion to do so.
#2 Surround Yourself with People Who Are Experts
When I started Rose Gold, I knew what I wanted to create and knew how I could fill a void in the market space. What I didn’t know is how to buy grapes or how to produce a product with shelf appeal. Within the first few months, I surrounded myself with the industry’s best of the best. Together, we built a plan to create a classic dry Provence rosé with a beautiful pale pink in color with aromas of rich, fresh fruits, followed by hints of white flowers and minerals. When approaching the experts, be honest. I walked in with my hands in the air asking for help. What I have learned is that people are attracted to passion. The group we pulled together saw my passion and my drive to build a lifestyle brand centered around spending time with the ones you love and enjoying experiences. Also, take every networking meeting/coffee/phone call, because you never know what connections you’ll make or what small tidbit of information you could takeaway.
#3 Let The Answer “No” Be Your Driving Force
Don’t be scared of the answer “no,” but rather let it be your driving force. Over the years, I have received valuable feedback and a ton of “no’s.” When I first started, I made a promise to myself to remain authentic in the process of building my brand. With every no, it has further contributed to staying the course. It is easy to get bogged down and discouraged when you are turned away from an opportunity that you thought could work - only use this as motivation to push past it and keep putting yourself out there. Don’t let that one “no” make you think everyone in that office/organization/industry feels the same way. You could easily receive a “no” from one person in the same place, and the next person you talk to says “yes.” Just keep pushing, do not limit yourself, and you’ll find someone to resonate with you.
#4 Time is Your Most Precious Resource
As a mother of three and building a business, I have come to realize that my time and schedule commitments are precious. It takes alot to raise a family and build a brand. A mentor once told me, it is ok if you do not get everything done in a day and strive for significance over success. I realized that if I was careful with my time and boundaries I could be significant in my day and then weeks. In order to be present with my kids in the morning, I now wake up an hour earlier. This is my most productive time.
As a mother of three and starting my business from the ground up, I have come to realize that my time, schedule, and commitments are incredibly valuable. Building a brand and raising a family are not that different, as both require a lot of time, energy, and nurturing in order to be successful. To pass down some wisdom from a mentor, not everything needs to get done in a day and it’s ok to strive for significance over success. This helped me realize that if I’m more mindful with my time and boundaries, I can be more significant in my days, which carries into weeks, and into months.
When it comes to time, sometimes it requires you and your goals to meet each other half-way. My personal example of this is waking up an hour earlier each day, which allows myself to be present with my kids in the morning. Oddly enough, this has now become my most productive time of the day. This just goes to show that every day is a constant reminder of how precious your time is.
#5 How to Become The Expert
Building something worthwhile is a marathon, not a sprint. It won’t happen overnight and no one is going to hand you your big break. Just keep going every day and push forward — even on the days you want to throw in the towel, remember you are one-step closer to your goals. When I started Rose Gold, I talked to everyone and read everything. I was not an expert in wine, but more so an expert in what I knew I wanted to build. Don’t forget it takes time. Your empire will not come overnight, but rather soak in every opportunity to further your growth to expert level. I carry around a notepad in my purse and if anyone sparks an idea, it goes down on paper. I now have a collection of over a dozen notebooks all around my house. Write it down, learn your craft and the expert title will follow.
About the author: Born and raised Texan Casey Barber is a lover of all things food and beverage-related. Falling in love with the South of France on a trip in 2004, Casey founded Rose Gold in 2017, with her first bottles launching to the consumer market in 2018.Casey is a single mother to three children – Sam (13) Charlie (11) and Gigi (9). Outside her love for rosé, Casey’s interests include culinary experiences, travel and tennis.