Notes

Success Has a Boring Side: Maintenance

by Hagop

Planning is 90% of success. Or 10% planning saves 90% of execution. We hear quotes like this all the time, and for good reason. In my previous note, I made the same point: planning matters, especially compared to “shooting from the hip” project management. But planning has a way of stealing the entire spotlight in the conversation about success. Whether it’s a website, a construction project, or producing a barrel of wine, the narrative is always the same: “The key to a successful business is planning.” That’s all we hear, and honestly, rightfully so. However, the question I want to focus on, and the one often skipped past, is this: what happens next? What comes after a business launches successfully? […]

Deliberate Spontaneity: Planning So Harvest Feels Fun

by Hagop

One of the most important traits of a winemaker is to be prepared for the unexpected. Whether it’s a small batch independent producer or a high-volume operation, harvest has a way of testing everyone the same way: time compresses, priorities shift, and decisions arrive faster than anyone would prefer. That’s exactly why planning matters. There’s a common argument that sounds practical until it’s tested: why plan when everything changes? Why forecast, order, map tank space, and build timelines if a heatwave, a delay, or a staffing gap can force a pivot? Wouldn’t it be better to stay loose and call it agility? That sounds practical until harvest arrives. Because “quick on your feet” without preparation is not agility. It’s gambling. […]