Afternoon Brief, February 16th

Hurricane Destroys Hawke's Bay Vineyards: Wine growers are used to rain, frost and drought, but a full-force tropical cyclone is a different level entirely...

Afternoon Brief, February 14th

Beckstoffer Vineyards Sues Last Bottle for Trademark Infringement: The Complaint, filed on February 11, 2023, alleges that Blicker Pierce Wagner Wine Merchants, LLC and its affiliated companies, Sleeper Cellars and Last Bottle, willfully committed trademark infringement by placing the Beckstoffer trademark on the front label of a wine without authorization...

by Mark Steranka, Partner, Advisory Services; Jay Silverstein, Partner, Private Clients Practice; and Bill Vyenielo, Senior Business Consultant, Wine, Beer & Spirits Practice A version of this article was previously published in the December 2019 edition of  Wine Business Monthly. No matter where you are within the life cycle of your business, there are questions, decisions, and solutions that need to be determined. Whether your business is in the start-up, growth, or maturity phase, or if it’s preparing for an exit or transition, entering a new stage is often exciting as well as challenging. Critical activities like strategic planning need to take place during each of these phases to meet future goals—and to prepare for an eventual exit. This article identifies key activities that should be focused on in each phase of your business. Start-Up Phase The start-up phase begins when you decide to turn your idea into a business. Start by breaking down this phase into conc