Click here to view the embedded video.

Earlier that day the guys also took the time to give a more detailed presentation, which come to find out was the first time they have actually presented it together IRL. This was a real treat for those that were able to attend and thanks to B Napa (seriously great film makers for the wine industry and all around great guys) we were able to capture it all on video so that those who missed it can watch it in its entirety. We hope you enjoy what these two thought leaders and experts in Location Based Marketing (and Services) have to say.

Click here to view the embedded video.

After their presentation the guys stuck around to personally answer everyones questions and sign their book Location Based Marketing for Dummies which we fully endorse and serves as an ideal introduction to location-based marketing and gets you started building a location-based marketing program. Here is a brief synopsis on the book:

Learn to create a two-way dialog with customers with location-based services and smartphonesLocation-based services (LBS) have started to gain popularity in the marketplace with more and more businesses starting to incorporate LBS into their marketing mix. This book is a necessary resource for anyone eager to create a two-way dialog with their customers in order to establish customer loyalty programs, drive promotions, or encourage new visitors. You’ll learn how to successfully build, launch, and measure a location-based marketing program and figure out which location-based services are right for your business.Packed with resources that share additional information, this helpful guide walks you through the tools and techniques needed to measure all the data that results from a successful location-based marketing program.

• Helps you figure out which location-based service (LBS) is right for your business and then integrate LBS with your social graph
• Details ways to create compelling offers, using location-based marketing as a customer loyalty program, and set performance goals and benchmarks
• Explains how to use tools to measure your campaign, analyze results, and determine your business’s success
• Includes examples of companies that are successfully using location-based marketing to demonstrate techniques and concepts featured in the book

“I’m concerned a little bit with the culture of celebrating the fundraise,” he said. “My dad taught me that when you borrow money it’s the worst day of your life. We didn’t clap for Red Rover because they didn’t raise $6 trillion, but I was sitting here like, ‘Good stuff!  What I’m looking for are people who are not caught up in the excitement. Even though I’m a hype man myself, I like the practicality of it all. People who understand how to turn a profit. At the end of the day, this is still business so I’m looking for real practical knowledge of how to actually make money, not necessarily raise it.”

Though two of the company’s tell about being over leveraged and taking loans to start their company and a VC horror story they didn’t myriad of obstacles that a young company faces: missed payroll, investor relations, 24 hours days, software bugs, broken contracts, late paying clients, troublesome employees, software delays, failed pitches and presentations, and more.  Side note, ironically the complaints of the VC complaining about the type of staples in the BOD presentation reminded me of a series of BOD meetings where a certain member asked for staples on the top, staples on the side, bound presentations, and then different types of paperclips and ran us through the gauntlet about how to assemble our Board presentation vs. the contents.

But even in giving a shiny veneer to the entrepreneur experience the real meat of the ethos of a start-up is incredibly enhanced by interviews from Tim O’rielly, Simon Sinek, Chris Shipley and others interwoven through the movie that really paint the picture of the bravery, the fortitude, and the insanity it takes to start a company.

I highly recommend seeing this movie if you are contemplating a start-up, you are involved in a start-up, or you are working with a start-up.  It will give you a glimpse into the mind of people who Ctrl+Alt+Compete.

For more information about the movie go to:

http://www.facebook.com/CtrlAltCompete

or

http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/Ctrl-Alt-Compete

Here is the trailer for the film:

The Parlotones at Tankapallooza from VinTank on Vimeo.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Unfiltered: Randall Grahm from VinTank on Vimeo.

To see more of how Randall things visit: http://www.beendoonsolong.com/ or follow his tweets (seriously Twitter Haiku) here.  You won’t be disappointed in either case.

Unfiltered: the video series Barry Schuler Part 2 from VinTank on Vimeo.

Unfiltered – The Video Series #4 (1 of 3) from Paul Mabray on Vimeo.

Please join us as we interview Barry Schuler in a 3 part series about the convergence of wine and tech. A true visionary, Barry shares his thoughts on wine and tech. His stories and messages were so good we had to split this into a 3 part interview series. Watch 1 of 3 and please share your thoughts as well.

Unfiltered: Episode 3 from VinTank on Vimeo.

Yes, it was time for VinTank to take a stand against HR5034 at the source, the WSWA and Craig Wolf.  All quotes from our Muppet stand-in for Craig Wolf are HIS ACTUAL words (sources listed below).  Please help fight HR5034 by supporting these sites and organizations:

http://www.freethegrapes.com

http://www.stophr5034.org

http://www.facebook.com/AmericanWineConsumerCoalition

Also please drop in on the musings of Tom Wark when you have the chance at http://fermentation.typepad.com/ where he fights tirelessly to remove the barriers for consumers to access wine direct.

Sources for Craig Wolf quotes:

“We envision a future where the WSWA Convention is viewed in the eyes of the world like the Consumer Electronics Show is to the electronics industry.”

http://www.nightclub.com/events/news/wswa-president-craig-wolf-addresses-crowd-annual-convention-1748

“America’s regulated three-tier system stimulates innovation.”

http://www.nightclub.com/events/news/wswa-president-craig-wolf-addresses-crowd-annual-convention-174

“Sarah Palin is “is a great supporter of America’s free enterprise system and understands that industries like the beverage alcohol industry play a key role in driving our national economy.”

“What her [Sarah Palin]particular ideas are with respect to alcohol I don’t know.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-01-13/palins-booze-hypocrisy/2/

“It’s a direct result of the relationship you create, the product you create (and) the investment you put into it yourself. And that’s in any business, not just wine and spirits. … I don’t think wholesalers need to apologize for that… those who worked the hardest to build their brands will be met with success, and opening up DTC shipping to accommodate the smaller, lesser-known brands isn’t the answer.”

http://www.winebusiness.com/wbm/?go=getArticle&dataId=64549

“Most Americans were satisfied with the system [the wine distribution system] as it is except for a small, very vocal segment who say they can’t get their bottle of 1997 whatever.”

Craig Wolf, Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association New York Times – January 30, 2008

“Direct-to-consumer shipments will never drive a wholesaler out of business, but the deregulation it is fostering will….With Granholm, the wine industry has opened a Pandora’s box that will lead to vodka, beer, and wine, all flow­ing through carriers who don’t check for ID. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

http://www.american.com/archive/2007/january-february-magazine-contents/0116-grapes-in-chains

The only real issue in terms of the substance of the law is that states are clearly told that they can’t pass facially discriminatory laws relating to suppliers. So we’re in agreement with the suppliers in that vein.

http://www.winespiritsdaily.com/publications_daily.php?id=1256

To some extent. I’ve made it clear to all of the wine and spirits supplier groups and I think Craig [Purser] has to the beer supplier groups as well, that we will continue to work with them on other issues. We just have a fundamental disagreement about this issue. Everyday wholesalers work with suppliers. That’s what we do. And we work with retailers. That’s what we do. We are close with all of them and that won’t change. But we will stand up for things that we believe are correct. And we will vehemently oppose those who seek to deregulate alcohol and to create chaos through that course of action.

http://www.winespiritsdaily.com/publications_daily.php?id=1256

UNFILTERED: Episode 002 from VinTank on Vimeo.

We caught up with Rob McMillan, Founder of SVB Wine Division, hot on the release of his 2010 – 2011 State of the Wine Industry Report. He shared with us his findings, his projections on the future and his secrets to wineries success.

Download a full version of this must read report here here.