Rebecca Green Birdsall and her husband, Tom Birdsall, are co-owners of Black Kite Cellars in Freestone, a small, family-owned winery dedicated to producing the finest pinot noir and chardonnay. Learn more about Rebecca Green Birdsall and Tom Birdsall…
Follow at: @blackkitecellars
Hometown:
Rebecca: Tiburon, CA.
Tom: Lafayette, CA.
First job:
Rebecca: Babysitting my younger siblings and selling Girl Scout cookies.
Tom: I worked a newspaper delivery route at 12.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in CA:
Rebecca: Hiking and biking. California has the most amazing national parks and coastlines. There are endless opportunities to explore and to see nature at its most glorious.
Tom: I enjoy doing almost anything outdoors in California: hiking, biking, exploring, tennis, etc.
Your biggest accomplishment and why:
Rebecca: Creating Black Kite Cellars from scratch and building it into a business with a reputation for producing consistently high-quality wines has been a major accomplishment. It has taken a great deal of time and effort, but with help from our winemaker, Jeff Gaffner, and many others, it’s fun to produce wines that people from all over the country enjoy. I am also proud of my work to raise money to support endangered wildlife in Africa (elephants and rhinos), wildlife corridors, ocean health, arts and music – particularly the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University.
Tom: Building Black Kite Cellars into a successful business has been a major accomplishment. My wife, Rebecca Green Birdsall, created the company 20 years ago, and I have helped out more and more over time. From a lifetime perspective, I am proud of my volunteer work to help create the Donald and Maureen Green Music Center at Sonoma State University, a world-class music venue. I saw it as a chance to create something unique and incredible that would last many decades and benefit many generations.
The biggest obstacle you overcame:
Rebecca: Being underestimated. Many people have low expectations for what a determined woman can do.
Tom: The biggest obstacle I am still working to overcome in building Black Kite Cellars is getting the word out about our small winery and new tasting room in Freestone. It helps that we make outstanding wines, but with over 10,000 wineries in the U.S., it takes time and effort to get noticed by people who will love our wines.
Someone who inspires you and why:
Rebecca: My father, Donald Green. He was an amazing father and a brilliant entrepreneur. He was a talented and compassionate man who spent his life focused on making the world a better place. He was endlessly optimistic and impactful.
Tom: There are a number of people that I worked with early in my career who showed me that you can work hard, do meaningful work, and still have fun. Those early influencers, plus my wife and family, still inspire me today.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do:
Rebecca: Listen. It is amazing the mistakes you can avoid by learning from people who have been in the business longer.
Tom: As someone who has had multiple careers, I suggest finding something you are passionate about that might make the world a better place. Try not to worry too much about making a lot of money.
Favorite quote:
Rebecca: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”— Mahatma Gandhi
Tom: “The perfect is the enemy of the good.” —Voltaire
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you:
Rebecca: I won an Olympic distance triathlon in my age division — this is particularly surprising given the speed at which I swim now.
Tom: Although I am not tall, I was an All American water polo player in high school and played for two years at the No. 1 collegiate water polo program in the U.S. (U.C. Berkeley).
What makes someone fabulous:
Rebecca: Creativity and the confidence to be their unique self.
Tom: Someone who is kind, a good listener, and modest, but also passionate about what they love and do.