One of the things we’re proudest of – in addition to our one-of-a-kind wines made from local ingredients – is our status as a veteran-owned business. As members of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, we have a special soft spot for those veterans who don’t go the expected route: into the corporate world, or to continue to serve their communities or their country in some kind of government work.
Those things are all important and necessary! We love any time a service member hears the call to do something new and exciting, to put their skills and talents to work in a new and different way.
Find out more about our membership in the Farmer Veteran Coalition, and send us an email if you’re a veteran who’s interested in joining our team.
Do Veterans Make Good CEOs?
It certainly seems like they would be: leadership skills, grace under pressure, high-risk situations. Why wouldn’t they?
We think there’s a better question: do veterans make good entrepreneurs? Certainly, examples abound of post-9/11 vets who have gone into business for themselves as creators and makers of all kinds.
If you’re a transitioning veteran, we’d like to encourage you to think about interning with Z&M. You’d be learning the tricks of the agricultural and viticultural trade with someone who understands your dedication to service and your military background.
A Day in the Life at Z&M
If you’re transitioning out of the military and you’re curious about apprenticing with us, you’re probably wondering what exactly it is we do.
The answer is, a little bit of everything. The truth of the matter is, part of the reason we think veterans make good entrepreneurs (and farmers especially) is because we work hard.
We’ve still got a bit of the bootstraps startup in us, which means members of our team have to be Jacks (and Jills) of all trades. One day you might be working out in the vineyard, other days you might be helping out on the waitstaff or working as a bar back. You might be helping out with our marketing by taking pictures for social media posts or coordinating to develop ad content. Sometimes, you’re helping out with the winemaking process itself, or you’re manning a table at a local farmer’s market or festival.
Last but not least, there’s the business side, learning about sales systems, making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed legally and financially, and more. For a small independent outfit like ours, keeping things running includes a great deal of networking, hitting the pavement and working with local suppliers, liquor stores, and restaurants to develop and maintain relationships.
A 360 Approach
There are some things you can only learn by doing.
The benefit to learning the ins and outs of the wine business this way? You have get a comprehensive, hands-on lesson in how an independent veteran-owned business operates.
When people think of startups, a lot of folks probably envision a slick Silicon Valley office with people in trendy outfits sipping complicated coffee beverages. That’s certainly one approach, and if that’s your thing, go for it!
However, the startup experience can look a lot of ways, and if you miss getting your hands dirty in the motorpool or the sense of camaraderie that comes from a day’s hard work outside with your team, apprenticing at a vineyard or winery can be a great outlet.
Vets and Farmers: An Ideal Entrepreneurial Partnership
Think of the best leaders you know. Were they people who never left their office, kept their distance, and didn’t know what was going on?
Probably not. They probably weren’t micromanagers, either.
The great thing about going into business for yourself in the agricultural field is it’s really hard to end up too far on either end of the spectrum. You’re too busy to micromanage, but at the same time, so many things demand your attention, you can’t help but know what’s going on in your organization.
Internship or Apprenticeship?
What’s the difference between an internship and an apprenticeship? In our minds, it’s a pretty distinct one.
The term “intern” carries a lot of baggage with it: doing menial tasks, getting coffee, setting up for conferences, and making copies.
On the other hand, we won’t sit here and tell you there’s no grunt work with a Z&M internship. However, as an apprentice, when you’re crushing grapes or stocking shelves, you know you’re not doing anything the founders haven’t done (or aren’t doing) themselves. Even better, nearly everything you do is a learning experience that helps you understand how the entire business works together as a whole.
Join Us!
Are you getting ready to ETS and interested in doing something different when you get out? Why not see if we’re a good fit? You might be a future Farmer Veteran, but you won’t know until you try.
Why not send us an email and start a conversation about your Z&M apprenticeship?