Kerri futch - Building WOLF AND FOX: An Honest Look at Year One
Starting a new business while maintaining a day job might seem impossible, but for Kerri Futch and her husband John, it became their reality when they opened Wolf and Fox Vineyard in Wisconsin. Their story is one of patience, persistence, and embracing a lifestyle vision rather than focusing solely on profit. Four years ago, prompted by wildfire evacuation from their California home, they made the bold decision to relocate to Wisconsin to chase their dream of owning a winery and event venue.
Despite both maintaining full-time employment, Kerri and John spent three years renovating a barn on their 40-acre property (part of a larger 180-acre family homestead) into a production space and tasting room. During this time, they also navigated the complex web of licensing and permitting required for alcohol production at the township, county, state, and federal levels. This bootstrapped approach meant progress was slower than if they had secured external financing, but it allowed them to protect their long-term vision and maintain complete control over their business direction.
The winery officially opened in June 2023, offering not just wine tasting but also hosting community events like barn concerts featuring local musicians. They've created two primary revenue streams: venue rentals (including weddings and corporate events) and wine sales. The capacity of their barn venue is 175 people, which they can manage with just the two of them, occasionally with help from family members. Their strategic location between several mid-sized Wisconsin cities (Green Bay, Appleton, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, and Manitowoc) provides them with both local customers and tourists.
What makes their business unique is the holistic vision extending beyond wine production. The couple planted 900 native trees on their property and created habitat for pollinators and wildlife. They've partnered with local cheesemakers to offer complementary snacks and are working with a sheep farmer to pasture ewes on their land. Kerri envisions expanding their offerings to include maker workshops, children's programming, and potentially even music festivals in the future. They view their business not just as a commercial enterprise but as land stewardship and community building.
One of the most significant challenges they face is time management. Between their day jobs, family responsibilities (they have two children), and business demands, keeping organized is crucial. They use a giant whiteboard with categorized task lists to manage farm maintenance, vineyard care, winery production, venue operations, and administrative tasks. Despite the workload, they maintain boundaries like keeping Sundays as "kids day" when no work is allowed.
Marketing has been another learning curve. Neither Kerri nor John had social media experience before starting their business, but they've embraced online promotion through platforms where their target demographic (primarily middle-aged and older women) can be reached. They're also exploring direct marketing to nearby college campuses to attract younger customers for events and weddings.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Kerri offers this advice: be willing to make mistakes and learn from them, ask for help, reach out to mentors, and understand that putting yourself out there vulnerably is part of the journey. While having a dream is relatively easy, the consistent work of bringing it to life requires resilience and adaptability. Their story demonstrates that with vision, hard work, and strategic planning, it's possible to build a business aligned with your values while maintaining financial security through traditional employment.
