RATING:
In 1971, Susan Sokol Blosser and her husband founded what was then one of the only wineries in Oregon. Today their company is one of the most venerable and admired brands in a region known for some of the world’s best pinot noirs. What’s more, in the 1990s Sokol Blosser Winery undertook a variety of business measures to reduce the company’s environmental impact only to find that these endeavors substantially helped the company’s bottom line.
Along the way, this self-made success has amassed a lot of practical everyday philosophies that are passed along in Gracious & Ruthless with the help of charming illustrations from award-winning Oregonian newspaper cartoonist Jack Ohman.
The book is reminiscent of Life’s Little Instruction Book and other popular inspirational texts; it’s light on actual word count but adeptly gets to the point. “Act as Atlas and not Jupiter,” the veteran vintner advises: Think of yourself as company head doing the heavy lifting, making sure everyone else is supported. The guidance of The Natural Step and a “triple bottom line” are key parts of Sokol Blosser’s sustainable business model, but in this book they are part of a holistic and very human look at running a business.
