A loaf of bread, a jug of wine and a good idea from Harvard Business School

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Berglund says the wineries don’t just work together online by selling through the same web site. The company holds bi-weekly workshops that bring winery employees together to discuss what is working for them. “We’re teaching wineries how to embrace this distribution channel and give them a holistic approach to selling their product to consumers,” she says. “Ideas come from everyone and that is where the cooperative spirit comes in.”

So far, the plan is working, and Winetasting can only improve upon its online niche. Competition is disappearing and its business model is getting better with age. In February, the site sold three times as much wine as in December-a prime wine-buying month. “Other wine retailers proved that there is plenty of business but it’s the direct marketing approach to the wine-buying customers that is opening the floodgates,” Berglund says. l

andrea@verticalwebmedia.com

Lesley Berglund

Work Experience

2000: Winetasting.com President and CEO

1991: Ambrosia Co-founder

1990: Mac, Gemini Consulting Group management consultant

1985-1989: The Clorox Co. sales management

1984-1985: Procter & Gamble sales management

1983: Codorniu International wine marketing

Education

Wesleyan University, 1984

Harvard Business School, 1991