Frank and Elizabeth are co-owners of Kirkwood Winery and Isaiah Morgan Distillery. Kirkwood has been in business for 30 years, and the distillery has been in production since 2004. They purchased the winery and distillery four years ago. Frank and Elizabeth manage the day-to-day operations of the winery and distillery. Elizabeth specializes in the paperwork, and Frank specializes in the leg-work. Currently, they have three employees that have been making wine and whiskey for many years.
Frank worked as a power lineman before purchasing the winery. Elizabeth worked for a behavioral health agency.
Kirkwood Wine is sold across West Virginia. The couple attends fairs and festivals across the state; tasting and selling their wine. Frank and Elizabeth hold a Grape Stomp Festival at their winery every third weekend of September. This year, they will host their 30th annual festival. They will have food and craft vendors, wine tasting and grape stomping, including two days of entertainment.
They now have a wedding venue in their vineyard and are booking weddings.
SHOW NOTES:
- 3:21 Frank and Elizabeth, take a minute, fill in some gaps from that brief intro and give us a little behind the curtain look into your business.
- 5:26 How did you get yourselves into a position to buy a winery and distillery?
- 7:33 Elizabeth, can you fill in some of the gaps from that?
- 9:15 What is your 30 sec. pitch for your business?
- 9:47 How many acres is your farm?
- 10:21 What are you most excited about for your business right now?
- 11:37 What are your most popular varieties of wine?
- 12:53 Can you tell us more about the specialty wines you’re offering?
- 14:49 What has been your best business moment so far?
- 15:45 Is the Grape Stomp Festival back on for this year?
- 15:54 Can you tell us what the dates are for your festival?
- 16:30 What has been your worst business moment so far?
- 17:24 PWV Commercial Break
- 17:50 What is the long term vision you have for your business?
- 20:22 Can you tell us more about your entrepreneurial journey?
- 22:27 How do you attract new customer to your business?
- 24:28 What is one of the biggest challenges you’re facing right now?
- 25:58 Is there a community of wine producers in WV?
- 27:29 Do you work with the WV Great Barrel Company at all?
- 28:32 What is one piece of advice that you’d give to young people who are thinking about starting their own business?
- 31:05 What is one thing that you do every day that you think contributes to your success?
- 31:58 Do you get a lot of fulfillment out of your work?
- 33:10 What is one book or podcast that you’d recommend for aspiring entrepreneurs?
- 32:58 Is there anything else you’d like our listeners to know about your company or your story?
- 33:45 How can our listeners learn more about your company and perhaps even get in contact with you?
- 40:27 Outro