Sue Straight Is A Rockin’ Wine Woman Who Rolls

Majorette Sue Straight

There is a saying that “a rolling stone gathers no moss,” and this is Sue Straight, if ever there was a rolling stone in wine. Her constant movement going forward has taught her more than the average bear could ever have learned in the same amount of time. Every winery has a unique message to tell. Sue first learns it, and then guides their direct sales with detailed precision, and wineries grow as a result. Making wine is one core competency, selling it is another. And, I believe it’s very hard for owners to say, “Didn’t I do a great job!” Sue makes sales easy.

Sue Straight is a rockin’ wine woman, who really rolls. It’s the nature of how she’s evolved as a wine educator, due to repetitive redundancy. I know it well. Had I not had my partner Jose Diaz join my Diaz Communications firm, I wouldn’t have been able to evolve my company, with more high tech developments. I went from a one-woman majorette, to having the rest of the band following me, with Jose.

 

Between A Rock And A Soft Place

Sue was again in-between, and that’s when she began scheming her next big move, with a repetitive chapter behind her. Hey, I get it. I worked at Robert Mondavi winery as a wine educator, which is one of the most prestigious wine jobs in our industry. Three trips around the building a day, and within five months, my feet had wings again, and I had recurring dreams of PR. I needed to evolve into more depth, and that’s exactly where Sue Straight has gone over time. People come and people go at wineries, because it’s the quintessential ever revolving door syndrome.

We can grow at wineries, as long as we’re walking into a tasting room for the first time ever. We establish our competency, and unless we decided to become a winemaker or CEO, we’re forced to take our developed skills to the next fun place. There are so many of wine companies, and so little time. Since I came into wine, I’ve clearly worked with hundreds of clients. It’s been also accelerated with PS I Love You members, with well over a couple hundred, in and out, alone.

Sue Straight ~ Height of Her Career

She recently had Diaz Communications build a new website. She’s got her business “open” to take on clients and prove her skills work for them, as an independent contractor.

Presently ~ Sue Straight Skill Set

Over the years, she’s developed three levels, which have brought many brands to a new success. This keeps wine brands focused and becoming more clear on the direction for more sales. Voila! Sue Straight’s plan is impressive. I’m going to be concise, but you may want to visit this page of hers, for full details of services and offerings.

It’s a “getting to know you and you knowing yourself” page. It involves mystery shopping experiences, reporting the details, and then evaluating what you’ve learned. The next level also involves the mystery shopping, evaluating what you’ve learned, and then report detailing with implementation suggestions. Almost there! On Level Three, you’re still evaluating, and this time it involves creating a Direct To Consumer operations manual generation, which fits your own needs.

 

The New And The Seasoned

So many people are adrift these days, not know which way to turn, especially the small boats in over-filled waters. Having someone like Sue, who’s an expert at navigating these over filled basins, reminds me of this imagery for meditating. “You can run around all day with arrows, or you can have a borw and arrow, take time to focus on the bull’s eye, and let the arrow hit your target with a bull’s eye.”

I asked AI the following, “What would you call someone, who is in a very large pond with many many boats, but skillfully knows how to navigate to first place, ahead of the unimaginable competition, but gets there first.” The answer was classic, “a trailblazer, pacesetter, or front-runner. They might also be referred to as a champion, winner, or  victor. Additionally, terms like navigator, strategist, or mastermind could apply. This is emphasizing their skill and ability to succeed despite the challenges.”

Yeah, that’s our Sue Straight, all right. Ask yourself, winery owner or CEO, “do I know someone proficient with this skill set, or do I need a jump start.” Sue’s open for business.

 

 

And, Do you Know She’s A Singer

Something to take seriously of this jovial person, who’s been in bands, also, seems like forever. AI: “Research suggests that singing can indeed boost happiness and inspire others. Singing releases endorphins, which are chemicals that make us feel happy and relaxed. It also fosters a sense of community and connection when people sing together. Furthermore, singing can be therapeutic, reducing stress and anxiety.

With over a 40 year career in the wine industry, Sue has managed tasting rooms and wine clubs for wineries both large and small. She’s also opened and run new tasting rooms and wine shops, was the wine buyer for Oakville Grocery, and was a professional wine judge for over 25 years. She’s also created and provided content for an online wine guide for the San Diego Union Tribune, wrote for Wine Country This Week Magazine (and others) for several years.

And the best part? She’s as much a harmonica player as she is a singer. As for inspiring others, music has a powerful way of evoking emotions and bringing people together, so singers can certainly have an uplifting impact on those who listen to their music. According to Sue Straight, “It’s time to think about a new way to try to get out of our Wine Business slump!”

 

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Written by Jo Diaz, a partner of Diaz Communications, who is helping to make stars realize their dreams. Edited by partner Jose Diaz. To reprint, please contact Jo Diaz: jo@diaz-communications.com