Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brandi Manuel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brandi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

My husband and I bought a small winery business with a supportive existing wine club. We decided to expand options for wine shipments by personalizing seasonal club orders. Think: u-pick the wines you want! And we have a long list. We thought people would enjoy the flexibility when their 6-month shipments came around. Instead we found that it feels confusing to have too much flexibility with no guidance. People value simple structure and will ask for what they need.

Brandi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a winery business owner, granddaughter of immigrants from Mexico and the Philippines, daughter of two college graduates, scholar, farmer, and mom of three. Looking back I can see I came into the wine industry by the grace of God and through conscious life choices, one day at a time.

My business, Barrel Springs Winery, offers small-batch craft wine made from the grapes of our 5-acre vineyard and from farms local to our small town Prosser, Washington.

Customers can come for weekend wine tastings, enjoy the country scene and, and relax next to our vines!

My talented husband is the winemaker and co-owner. He does many things, including visiting with guests and working on wine.

There is so much I’m proud of here. I am most proud that my family and community can enjoy the peace and beauty of a vineyard where my family used to work agriculture fields to survive.

Farming a vineyard is intentional life. Work experience from every job and experience with relationships applies here every day. We are always striving to do right by people and to share the blessings we’ve been given.

And yes! We sell online at barrelspringswinery.com!

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

My husband and I learned how to make wine without having any experience making wine. We had a desire to learn and we bought a home from a winemaker willing to teach us. The process was a series of steps in faith and choosing what was best for our family one step at a time. I’m thankful to every friend and family member who encouraged me to do what was best for me. <3

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Empathy f0r our customers and anyone who works with us is the biggest influence in helping our reputation. We treat people who come here with respect, and God provides amazing customers and friends who support us in return.

Contact Info:

• Website: barrelspringsprosserwinery.com; barrelspringswinery.com/shop
• Instagram: @barrelspringswinery
• Facebook: @barrelspringswinery

Image Credits

Cait Honeycutt Photography; Brandi Manuel