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Ignorance is Bliss: The Entrepreneur's Best Friend?
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Written by Allison Allen
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Monday, 07 April 2008
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Page 2 of 2
A micro lesson from Paula on the wine and spirit industry…”a small number of families, a small number of people have been in positions in this industry for a long time and exert lots of influence in certain ways. And most alcohol is marketed by multi-billion dollar companies, in fact, 95% of alcohol is marketed by gigantic corporations. Distributors and their big customers have big relationships. I don’t have relationships.” Translation: for outsiders, getting market share can be a very tough battle.
As a distiller, she is forbidden to ‘sell’, she can only market her products. Getting a distributor to pick your product up is one thing, she found. Getting them to actually sell it is another story altogether. Paula has many an example of the roadblocks, the polite lip service followed by non-action, the ‘now little lady-s”, and other trials she’s learned to navigate with the various players in this business.
For all that, Paula has persisted and steadily grown her ‘cellos into some of the most well-known locally produced spirits in Texas. Recently, in a poll taken by Austin American Statesman readers, Paula’s Texas Orange got 41% of the vote for Best Locally Produced Wine, Beer or Spirit out of a number of distillers who have since sprung up.
Paula attributes her success to playing up the local angle, getting out there to make as many friends as possible, and trusting that the grassroots would do what relying on the ‘system’ would not. She and her husband have achieved their goal by becoming staples in the regional food and wine business. But, she knows there is a lot more marketing to be done and many more niches to target.
Thoughtfully, Paula acknowledges that her reticence to be confrontational has been a hindrance. It’s critical, she thinks, to learn that skill or at least have someone around who is willing to stand the heat. She and I ponder why women seem to have a harder time doing that than men. The contributing factors are too numerous to go into.
Although she doesn’t consider herself particularly persistent, her success would tell another story. Flexibility is important too. “You can make a plan then one day you see a flaw in it. You have to think how to fix that without blowing everything else out of the water.”
And ignorance? Paula laughs as she says, “Self-delusion is real handy. If you knew all the facts, you’d probably never jump in.” PAULA’S PERFECT MARGARITA
1 oz. Paula’s Texas Lemon
1 oz. Paula’s Texas Orange
2 oz. premium tequila
1 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 oz. water
Mix ingredients and serve over ice. |
APPLE SIDECAR
2 parts Paula's Texas Orange
1 part apple brandy (Calvados if available)
2 parts apple juice
1 part fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Shake over ice and serve in a chilled martini glass. |
Paula's Texas Orange is a premium orange liqueur hand made in Austin, Texas. Paula Angerstein owns the second distiller's license issued in Texas and is the only woman in the state to own one. Not bad, eh? Both Texas Orange and Texas Lemon are yummy! For more wonderful recipes, go to www.paulastexasorange.com and www.paulastexaslemon.com .
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 15 May 2008 )
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