Last Updated on December 1, 2021 by

Jack Duan is the Founder and CEO of Gliding Eagle, a systems and data technology company specializing in global trade. Jack’s team is pioneering direct-to-consumer wine sales by bringing it to an international landscape. Today, Gliding Eagle works with 200 ultra-premium winery clients by sending their wines to 30 global destinations.

Jack worked in the technology industry for over 10 years before founding Gliding Eagle. Previously, he led a team to build the Big Data Analytics platform for Safeway as the Manager of Initiatives and Innovations, and he was a Program Manager for Sun Microsystems.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• Jack Duan describes his career change from technology to wine DTC global connector
• How has Gliding Eagle changed since its inception in 2010?
• Jack shares how he held on to his dream through turbulent times
• The technology that allows Gliding Eagle to operate
• Challenges for the business and how Jack overcame them
• How Covid impacted the business — hint: it wasn’t all bad
• Where is Gliding Eagle headed in the future?
• Jack’s philosophy: get stuff done, no drama, and make the world a smaller place one sip at a time
• How can wineries expand distribution to direct selling?

In this episode with Jack Duan

Can wine bring people together despite their differences — even across oceans? 

That’s exactly what Jack Duan has set out to do with Gliding Eagle. His cloud-based data system tracks each wine product from the producer to the consumer to ensure authenticity and channel accountability. But how did he get started?

On this episode of Legends Behind the Craft, Drew Thomas Hendricks sits down with Jack Duan, Founder and CEO of Gliding Eagle, to discuss how he is connecting the world through data technology and wine. Jack talks about how he developed the systems the company uses today, the ups and downs of his entrepreneurial journey, and how other wineries can expand their distribution to direct selling.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Jack Duan on LinkedIn
• Gliding Eagle
• Dr. Jeff Daiter and Josh Daiter on the Legends Behind the Craft podcast
• Dr. Hoby Wedler on Legends Behind the Craft
• Barrels Ahead
• Drew Thomas Hendricks on LinkedIn  

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by Barrels Ahead.

Barrels Ahead is a wine and craft marketing agency that propels organic growth by using a powerful combination of content development, Search Engine Optimization, and paid search.

At Barrels Ahead, we know that your business is unique. That’s why we work with you to create a one-of-a-kind marketing strategy that highlights your authenticity, tells your story, and makes your business stand out from your competitors.

Our team at Barrels Ahead helps you leverage your knowledge so you can enjoy the results and revenue your business deserves.

So, what are you waiting for? Unlock your results today!

To learn more, visit barrelsahead.com or email us at hello@barrelsahead.com to schedule a strategy call.

Episode Transcript

Intro  0:03  

Welcome to the Legends Behind the Craft podcast with your host Drew Thomas Hendricks. Now let’s get started with the show

Drew Thomas Hendricks  0:19  

Drew Thomas Hendricks here on the host of the Legends Behind the Craft podcast where I talk with leaders in the wine and craft beverage industry. You know, the deeper I go into this podcast and I realize how many legendary people across so many skill sets are working passionately to elevate the entire industry frickin amazing. Last week, I talked with Jeff and Josh Daiter from InVintory, these guys developed a patented 3d modeling technology that allows users to quickly locate a bottle of wine in their cellar. They’re not stopping there. These guys are visionary, they painted a future where your wine cellar was tied to your Spotify account. Choose a bottle from your seller and you get a recommended playlist. Well, today I’m talking with Jack Duan is revolutionizing the direct to consumer landscape by bringing it to an international playing field. Today’s episode is sponsored by Barrels Ahead and Barrels Ahead we work with you to implement a one of a kind marketing strategy when the highlight your authenticity, tells your story and connects you with your ideal customers. In short, we help wineries and craft beverage producers unlock their story to unleash their revenue. Go to barrelsahead.com today to learn more. I’m super excited today to talk with Jack Duan is the founder and CEO of Gliding Eagle, Jack and his team. They’re pioneering direct consumer wine sales by bringing it to an international landscape. Today Gliding Eagle, they work with 138 ultra premium winery clients bringing their wines to 30 global destinations.

Jack Duan  1:43  

Welcome to the show, Jack. Thank you. And pleased to be here.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  1:50  

Oh, I’m so excited to talk to you about this. We’re gonna dive into Gliding Eagle in the work you’re doing. But share with the listeners a little bit about your background. How did you get from in the industry? How did you move from Sun Microsystems all the way to being the DVC global x global connector?

Jack Duan  2:07  

Thank you very much. First, I want to give you a number that actually a little different than we just set it to the audience. You said 138 One we work with? So since yesterday, the number is 200 Oh, really? graduations? Yeah, so we had sold a few months ago. 183. So we’re suddenly grown up the list to 200 really a real 200 Number. Yesterday, as all with a mouse. It’s all inbound, we don’t do any marketing. You know, you know ultra premium winery is a very small circle they just people reach out to so one yesterday actually should have won the top 10 winery just reach out to us yesterday through our website. So and that is very exciting. So why is happening this way. It’s actually take a long time. He loved me years and making. I want to tell anybody. If no gambling, I don’t like to go to Vegas. Even though I want it sometimes, but reality to me to be able to have this so much attraction, it takes so much energy 11 years. So my background technology, Sun Microsystems and Safeway big data 11 years ago, I just want to do something I couldn’t have said that done. But now I’m just very clear. I’m not a political pilot. Want to change the world. I want to make sure that for this century. me a lot of people in my generation don’t want to see anymore World Wars. And really, this is how I really had a calling 11 years ago, I couldn’t tell people because it’s too hard. Crazy, right? It was like a lot. But but now I guess I’m just this is who I am. And I stick with it. And now my investors and some board member look me just dumbfounded like, really? How do you know? Now the world become much more difficult than before? And I think that’s what is your driving force behind it. In order to connect people around the world in the most direct transparent way. Why in the first, it just happened within an hour to know how to use our technology to track things around the world. Adam, join me today on the 15 I started on 10 We’re just two guys in T shirt. We’re desperate, but knock on doors. Napa. Adam was born Sonoma. And I love to click on validate came here and one winery said yes. You know, I saw the app was like wow, okay, you can actually track things individually. It’s like Do you have a need to well, we can’t get the one through this country to there is first time was China. Mainland China was difficult. And that was okay. Let’s get started.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  5:00  

That’s amazing. Was you’re going back to the early days of Gliding Eagle? I mean, definitely want to change the world? What how was the vision of your original vision of climbing Eagle evolved from 2010? To where it is now? 2021?

Jack Duan  5:15  

Only? That’s great question. Actually, I think there are two aspects to the philosophical and more practical, philosophical, it hasn’t really changed. I mean, just even more grateful and feel truly lost. Like, I have more energy now than years ago, you know, you’ll have a year ago, I didn’t want to do this. I even had a kidney stone, I was just so stressed out about it. I mean, I literally love the job and the, you know, the grand idea, what do we do make difference in the world, even in the most solid way, I wouldn’t say big or small, but just very solid, everyone would touch the field people connect around the world, and it became increasingly become more meaningful, right today, on that trend even become just more lost more clarify, the more energetically we can do that for next 1020 30 years. And I think that’s, that’s the legacy people invest to me and working with me, they will leave together in this from practical manner is, you know, I work for large companies, I mean, all the, you know, some Safeway been before that axon calculator they’re all Fortune 500 companies. I see people as as a colleague, but I realized, you know, why won’t become a founder CEO? No, they’re not my colleagues, can people work for me, there’s, there’s a huge change, or took me a year to get through this. So ever since that was me. My name got everything, right. I can’t defer to other people. But I had to say look, it’s something that I’m very particular about, I got to take a leadership that do this and not be put up with just about just really this so I think the from practical matter, you see, running a business is really very simple. But goes through all of that is you how to manage input and output and people should like what do you what they gather pay you. So those can become your more, it’s a practice malar and, and it really becomes really real for me. That’s great. But now

Drew Thomas Hendricks  7:21  

in 2010 Did you was it originally set up as a direct to consumer?

Jack Duan  7:26  

No 2010 You know, that time I would walk in Safeway with big data and I work with brands to visualize all the other revenue on their platform that I managed to build and I thought you know, I don’t want to do anything tax let me do something cool branding, you know, I work with small branded companies, they were my customer. And till I started maybe initially told on to like the why maybe I built a beautiful best gifts that ever and it can be very luxury products right? Until that was idea. The two years later, I was still depressed in a world literally, I mean, I spent all my savings through those and then realize unless that I can control the channel, and it doesn’t really matter. So that like almost like a Phoenix was born from ashes, Molson came out the first two years was I literally every bottle one go through the company had laser engraved as unique ID on it. Build a very simple application to track that. Just create a give you idea like 2016 out to six years later, some guy emailed us said hey, I got this wine from auction like there was 1980 Rich Montebello or something. You have a number I feel works consistently. I was like floored right so 2013 14 to 8090 people I want to trim it down a single crazy I just sick and tired how can people start writing code go back to writing code like this? Where 2013 I think it was starting around October November. No vacation no holidays, one until February 2014. Three o’clock in the morning on either. But I why started having an application relatively taken into shape. And it was a friend of mine. He got initially done I really convert design like so I think people might be beautiful. That whole start taking off 14 with demos demonstrate that appliction Farage, they will not have done it. They will support us now to become we’ve become very loyal to each other for last eight years. Yeah. The IBM side. They give us credit. Now word number one. Fishel IBM Cloud startup, the feature on their website fits into an 18 Right so relationship build, think about go back. You put me into the back title. So Nothing nothing’s really. There’s no skipping steps actually,

Drew Thomas Hendricks  10:04  

yeah. That’s some I mean, all entrepreneurs founders, they go through this like, just journey. What did I mean? Perseverance? Never giving up. That’s one of them. But what what else helped you just get to that inflection point?

Jack Duan  10:20  

Is there many I mean, I think there were two categories things really helped me first, I let me be very clear, I don’t claim to be the most persistent duck, dog person on earth. But one thing that I manifest is I’m true to what’s inside of me. I don’t like to push it around. And when that happens, it decreases. Attraction. A lot of people in my life helped me all through all of that to do what you see in front of you is the production of so many unsung heroes behind me. Investors just friends knew my ex girlfriend timing. I remember I was so distraught, in the corner crying, literally. I mean, I never had been so many rejection my whole life. And if you’d hold my hand this I believe you. I think that works on building on love you I think that means something more, right? So look into how we got through all of that. And again, I always like talk about philosophical, spiritual versus practical, but we saw that spiritual philosophical things can ever get to practical Mallory. I gave up a long time ago. And I think all those unsung heroes around me how me to stay even out on 2015 You know, we’re friends. One day, I call him with you on do this, because we I will, I will, I will quit my job to work with you on this. And you know, and all things I deeply grateful for.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  11:47  

Gratitude is so important. And I love the fact that I believe in you that is such a powerful statement. We all need to hear that more often than we do.

Jack Duan  11:58  

Just imagine literally, I mean I you know, my background I’m almost like top class went Berkeley at 90 People talk to normal they all meet down I didn’t know there’s so many would say no, I’ve got author right in the car literally just like I must be damn crazy. Someone just willing to sell that to me and I felt her I feel that that’s that’s profound you know the deep connection right it’s

Drew Thomas Hendricks  12:26  

you must have gotten a bunch of yeses go off to

Jack Duan  12:30  

later Yes My goodness. So first five years it was grinding grinding so like I think a lot of Michelangelo How are you making David from from the single piece of marble right initially just crying just like Shiva like oh hateful paper. Eventually this Musa yeah so from 16 to 18 smoother and even though we have the times I think it was on something. I mean, that was tough. I had to let you know I never I don’t enjoy letting people go it’s really but it’s part of life. And it’s some some sunlight and please like they know I can’t they just chalk on the leaving I know he can tell me and I had had keep what we have and even little to take we run on Pash and literally one bad credit card debt to pay people right and kinda went through all of that. But I come back to Chanel I feel so things are just battle scars become badges she told her this.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  13:32  

You’re saying what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Amen to that. So Gliding Eagle tell us a little bit about so tell the listener about it. And there’s a lot of wineries listening to this too. They may not know that this service is even available. Give us give us a rundown

Jack Duan  13:48  

Yeah, it’s great if I gave you like a simple pitch just so like Steve Jobs was so clear right? We only do one thing that we care about international wine direct to consumer we don’t care anything else if one meter she wanted Chicago answer no. Thank you. I love your love. Okay, but with no fair well defined boundaries of international intimacy we got this nailed with the two things track and deliver track the technology first. So reason we’re so efficient right now. System building back in 2013 14. Were the first industry to track every single nuclear run away from that’s like DNA does something everything build on that if no weird excuses so everything can be structured from that point. It’s like you fund your crystal for for for carbon molecules to become a become a diamond, right? It’s non negotiable. That’s how I look at it. That’s my view into it. So that then based on that, we can deliver wine individually tracked and compliant, right, that’s like we do compliance. Really well. That’d be our system. So we can do like 30 global destinations. That mean definitely the country slash regions. Okay. So the two most difficult one is Mainland China and Canada.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  15:18  

They asked you what, of the 30? What’s that? What’s the biggest challenge?

Jack Duan  15:22  

And I Yeah, first I tell what’s really good. Japan is super fast. Now. We can’t ship to Japan, Hong Kong, faster from here to Texas. Wow. Literally 40 hour delivered. Right? Super fast, or just single bubble come out from here to go. Japan, just one big ocean, so nothing else. That’s just the extreme side. And the harder one Canada and China why Canada cannot see protection for I was up for reasons it’s appropriate for Canada. For Canadians, they have only one industry. So you have the recipient has to pay duties. We cannot do that for them. So imagine you send someone into the EU, they love that in Canada, but we only use five or six provinces. Right then if 1000 no cap, well, really? Okay. There’s exception. Then second reductions? Well, all the love you but you got to get a call from this government agency. So you can pay tax really? I don’t want to get caught. But yes, you have to just another exception that makes very difficult. And that’s not what we typically most US consumer, like, but that’s what it is difficult.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  16:34  

And just like for the general consumer, they think, oh, Canada trade up there. I know. I learned I learned that firsthand. I like I love to go up to Okanogan. And I like to go skiing over and Banff and talking to the people in Okanagan is like 30 40 miles away from Alberta. They can’t literally get their wines from they’re 30 miles away over in Alberta, without just a huge headache. I mean, yeah, taxes and tariffs and just interstate.

Jack Duan  17:02  

I mean, I’d say thank you so much for you come in the flesh, like a deep racer two, first, really bad customer experience, which, like I don’t like to complain, but I’m just seeing people do that for a reason. Right? That’s what it is. The second is higher tariffs. So one goes to PC. For the Columbia. People live in Seattle, when you get a wonder it’s like 90%. Right, dude in taxes. Thank god to authorial another, like Toronto, big metropolitan, that’s like 100%. Right? You know, the thing is, if you ever walk into wine shop in Toronto, you might pay a lot of price anyway, but it’s so similar to see one price. It’s like we see iPhone, if Apple telling you, you know, the phone cost $600 transcritical $200 and do the cost to America? No sense. But we’re like, oh, we pay 800 $1,099 Okay, that’s fine. Right? So, but it’s all psycho psychology. One thing lesson learned. Don’t go Jack. Don’t say to them smart. Don’t Don’t try to go against granted human psychology. But all around a clue. That’s all we deal with a lot of times. Right? Then I become a little humorous by other people that don’t like, you know, I said, Look, I’d really like you like to tell him our life. Every day. I go on you go. It’s April 15. That literally we like literally sitting in front of screen I was will be so on adopt, right? We pacifically did spot every bottle of wine or call content, and suddenly seems really great people. I love them, but they just make me look a cinch. So they have the bollocks. 24 bottle one every bottle of different. We had a declared 24 different type of thing. I lied on this thing. You’ll get your hate. I mean, our tests gonna hate us. Manual it is so hard to do. So that’s our world. I can tell you it’s charm, because I don’t see personally anymore. But that’s the problem was solving the most practical malice?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  19:11  

It’s a huge issue. I mean, back in the day, we used to ship wines to Japan. This is back in the 90s. And it was a little more of a rum running situation than the wine store. Is that the actual legitimacy but I think I think it’s statute of limitations are over so we’re okay then. But so Canada’s tough, China’s tough. China. I mean, China to be tough, but

Jack Duan  19:37  

well, so let me give it to I don’t I’m so energetic and passionate about because I also felt it’s so important to say humans were connected. Period. We create all the mental walls to tell stories are not connected, but we’re connected. So I want to speed so clear about this. I learned a lot along the way when you have so much good Will other people help you? And China’s difficult because for a number of reasons, right because you are in trade and also people have little finicky requests or kind of thing they don’t want to pay a lot all of these but with all that said it this giving very very cool example to showcase when you get everything done right, it doesn’t really well during the during the initial onset of COVID We have people come to us want to get masks go to heart because of all the relationships I want to kind of fully timeless 10 years right a lot of people were not able to ship using our system track everything from us get a 95 to China was seen a week like the ever seen they just GreenLife everything people didn’t nobody need won’t get a mass back from China to us. It’s hard. We’ve never done that before where did take a longer time to get that? Right. So I want to make sure that everyone understands about one government is worse than others. It’s about how you become so good at this like a truck lots of good we’re talking Rs, we’re not with a love that much to spend our day to do this, you know, so that’s one of the say, it’s difficulty is sometime it’s not rocket science, it just to recognize it for what it is. And when the more time we spend on it. And people really see that we don’t we’re not too weird. You know that a lot of industry people don’t declare everything you know, all that kind of stuff. I like to know do initially put in a short look as a kind of funny, but consistency like okay, then suddenly it starts spitting many effects. And then what has only really relevant right now, a year ago, during the height of COVID without the business right then in relation with building China summit came back, three guys bought half million dollars more, were able to print revenue 1200 clients and because they trust us and just like the prepare everything, and then we got delivered. And that’s how I feel such gratitude for the relationship built in China and also was really one of revulsion. When with a happen, right. Right now see totally different, right there less fly between the two countries and have wireless stuck in our warehouse in, we can ship things like COVID. Right, that there’s some you’re more so within the very the world, I want to say in the world of we expect fast and cheap, like just over. Now we’re going to next decade is I don’t know, but I feel there’s a tremendous amount of opportunities when you do things, right. People really know that you’re serious, you have system behind it, we can actually make a lot of changes in the worst scenario happens. So that’s my big wish we see.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  23:02  

Yeah, yeah. You mentioned COVID. And in the pre show, we talked about a couple of the macro macro economic trends that have really kind of accelerated because of COVID. And they’re both right, right in Gliding Eagles’ wheelhouse. Yeah. E-commerce and DTC how it got it had is hindering as it was and has been a big boon for you guys.

Jack Duan  23:27  

Yeah, so a quick question. I mean, also, so just think about COVID happened that was, you know, a littoral combat and China on the 19th as you had a I had a ticket then hit us march, right. Since June, I thought that was just like the starting September every single one way up, not everywhere. And so revenue went up 50% Last year, because so we see two things happens it’s gonna be that we see the next 10 years number one is cross border. E-commerce the cross border means that literally the consumer and the seller on different sides of the borders it’s not like a you sell some to an importer pinpoint and sell to a consumer that’s that’s traditional b2b to see model costs 40 comes in it’s literally someone in Japan can order one direct from one right and one recycling will help us get right that transaction happens. And that’s a big deal. And and we seen firsthand that’s happening and, and the winery, you know, remember you want to talk about the pre show. It took from 1976 to 2020. They migrated from a farming to hospitality business right now. I think that 1020 years they had a really good toilet desirable. There’d be a lot of a lot of new companies, they really think that would help them. The second is toilet direct consumer he also he was with what I won’t go deep with that it’s really the shark. It’s still not sexy. Right? So

Drew Thomas Hendricks  25:07  

finally made its way COVID I know COVID helped the QR code more than anything.

Jack Duan  25:13  

I think you’re right, seriously, right. I mean, we go to a restaurant and I mean, like, you wouldn’t

Drew Thomas Hendricks  25:18  

know how to eat. Learn how to use the QR code.

Jack Duan  25:22  

That’s funny, right? So this scan. So we were doing QR code 2013 14 A cage or not. Okay. Now, one, we’re coming through like, wow, it’s cool. I want you to help us to track one’s even the unit with the United States were great. We don’t, we don’t ship for you. But we can actually can lessen our technology to track things. And that’s what this game that goes in TTC but even more due to the direct consumer digital. Right? It’s not just selling but how to connect with someone direct consumer, that could be that person could be in Texas, Alabama, Massachusetts, right. So we’ll ship the love for you. But struggling because whenever they have a bottle of wine, their hands, they have this QR code, whether it can be better than the label self where they just, you know, label in collagraph, or whatever that at least so you see it this character is unique. I recall the different is not an Up skill, causal, all kids but it’s something unique. The moment they scan, not that we we articulate with design with beautify the digital experiment, mobile phone, right. And with this the clear respect for privacy. I mean, he said he had the goodwill with us rhythm would never say we don’t sell along with our marketing. So we don’t have any weird incentive to to take all the information. We don’t do that. All right. So we press would be a technology company to to to track things and deliver things cylinder, the funnel, Mr. laminata to route. So what are you do that? So we enable that national happen the moment? And let me be a little geeky about this, right? Imagine if you’re Massachusetts, Alabama, if someone’s scannable I want them to have seen load up with one second. I mean, is that equal to engineering technology, right? So just think about it’s like, pumpkin tethers 39 Our company, like when we when we say yes to something we’re really keep, go really go. So someone’s gonna bottle if they have a good connection. Okay. So they can they can see that website come up in five, half seconds. That speed. So I think all of that onset things when people feel that at Apple, they don’t have that, like that won’t a second you feel something different. Right. But that’s what it called DTC means is the moment take all distributor retailer away, one can get directly. And that was one with with consumer, there’s so many engineering work, never presented them before. But we’ve been doing that for seven years. That’s on the soul, like so geeky and so happy and so proud of the work we’ve done together. Yeah,

Drew Thomas Hendricks  28:10  

I can imagine, especially with all the 30 different destinations, you’ve got different languages. And with a QR code, you could you know, you know, co locate or co you know, translate it and provide an experience that’s relevant to the person in China or in Japan.

Jack Duan  28:27  

Yes, and no one asked me to do that to Texas, you know, that’s good. They all speak English. But it’s experience the moment to scan it. Happy, fast, beautiful and clear.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  28:41  

That’s great. Now we’ll go straight on to the labels.

Jack Duan  28:45  

Gentle labels.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  28:47  

That’s fantastic. So a Gliding Eagle. I mean that that’s a great vision on the QR codes. Here in 2021. You’re growing like gangbusters? Where do you see the Where do you see the actual growth into different destinations and in different luxury brands for for Gliding Eagles?

Jack Duan  29:07  

Yeah, I mean, so let’s talk much for one right let’s let’s just think about this. How do we play the best in this arena for now? And how do we grow? If I look back in 2016, or really September, the first shipment to now one client now to 201. Clients, all of universe about 900 clients from California, West Coast Hyderabad. So we can continue to help more one who come to us to help them. We’re going to have contract and we can also just try to deliver, you don’t have to think a thing done. Okay. And then not only that, if you wanted to digitally connect with your clients, we’re here the technology for that. So we’re already into working with one one way are they going lunches in January. It’s in the United States. So that, but I want to take one step back, what does it mean for a meal founder? And also what does it mean that really what is the means? The means that taking the credit idea 11 years ago wanted to connect people have humans to coexist peacefully, world peace for that way towards like, the meaningful connection using our technology and our way of delivering for the last six years with data in practical matter, is we set standard for it. Right, I can say that the racetrack very narrow, by in the burn now restruck. With standard data, super proud of when says standard can lead people to save the vision. Have you ever seen 510 years down the road? The next five to 10 years down the road? Can we set a standard for global trade? That question, right? Because either generation have a new way of doing it global trading since the camels, ships, you know, trains, no planes, but from digital you? Can you set a standard for that? Can you really enable people to share data across all all different systems? And they know where since are? That Fascinating? Well, I’ll leave that to you.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  31:25  

That’s got to think bigger. That’s, that’s fantastic. It is setting the gold standard for shipping for interstate communication. We’re in a country global

Jack Duan  31:36  

Yeah, yeah. Let’s see, I would love to when we still you know 10 years down the road we’re both still you young and energetic. We talk about these objects look at something we’re actually make happen which I don’t smoke anyway. But thank you know that me so I think drives me an entrepreneur, I feel like this my dojo is not a professor is whatever matters you and our position what we said before actually started manifest that gives so much energy 12 words writing body something, and I was going for the next few years, you know, every few years with chicken like, well, it’s actually connecting is so profoundly change people’s, like their inspiration life. And I think that’s also as entrepreneurs that we can live a finger, lever thing, but a tiny bit of fingerprint other people live to feel like, you know what, changing the world is not a pipe dream. We all can do it. As long as we’re consistent. And they’re on the joke about

Drew Thomas Hendricks  32:39  

I love it. That’s deep. It actually, there’s been a few guests, and they have your sort of vision to change the world. The other one was Dr. Hoby Wedler is a sensory brand expert. And he’s trying to just increase the world’s awareness that we there’s a bunch of other senses of sight, he’s legally blind, and he’s into helping wineries try to use other words other than just the, the color of the wine or the vision of the vineyard, the smells and everything. But it’s that commitment to something bigger, that I just know, you and Hoby you’re you’re onto something, and that your success is going to come from that. Because it’s you’re not just on that smaller goal.

Jack Duan  33:20  

I mean, I thank you so much. When you when you say to look at how I feel there’s such a weird, but also like flow from the top of my head goes down, like we’re connected. Thank you so much to recognize that I think I think the world doesn’t need people to get on the stage to talk about things they want to entrepreneur that we are manifesting something real, right? But there must be something much more come through that. That is really the what it means change the world. The world No, which is people people the world, right? Dogs, cats in a being so that’s our world on Earth. But when you have that embodies a goodwill, that that’ll grow changing anyway, you don’t know me. So the one that is world changing anyway, quantum mechanics says that, but what can I help with that shift? To the direction I see what can go so that’s how sub becomes silica sub manifested that that’s done I just no fear about it. I don’t feel apologetic about it. You know, I’m tired of being white. Who am I to say, but no, actually, we can do it. Suddenly put every Sunday to change the top 10 from

Drew Thomas Hendricks  34:31  

those very, very, very inspiring. It’s kind of hard to move to anything else from that. It’s not

Jack Duan  34:40  

me again, just get shit done. I think I think it should get shut down. We have a word get shut down. No drama. You can blurt that word out if you’re

Drew Thomas Hendricks  34:48  

like, oh, no, no, no. This is a this is an all language program.

Jack Duan  34:53  

Okay, so you know, I mean, I mean, this way to energy, kiddo. No drama, the period so, but we consistently The first thing that you feel it’s like a trend No, where’s in the valleys? Now that agenda, but I’d literally like our gender issue, we must change the world propeller because we know what human had 50 years to live or not, you know, like, what, look at one of the guys in the literal run the front line of global impact. I mean, global climate change empowerment. I mean, every year it fires a drought. I mean, if I don’t, if I don’t, we don’t think this like something more than that, then like, so what? It’s just some rich guy get one of the nanometers, like, the second life of view, but I think when you see the angle Look, no, even for Todd, they’re human beings really care about the bottle one a maker that’s like, really hard to make a wine. Yeah, okay. Right. Well, the way we get there, put so much goodwill and energy and engineering cannot be 100. People. Wow, you would care to do the character transforms, whatever the does, right, and then transforms, and then some evidence or the girl. And again, you said really next few years, I think about what they have done the one container build a such amazing solid business. Almost utility I don’t I wasn’t no drama. People don’t think about your uncle Japan. Say yes. Germany said China said yes. Don’t even second guess yourself. Just say yes. Okay, we’re here to cover. It’s such a hard, just make sure we get that done that baseline. Truly, we can actually literally set standards for global trade. And I think that’d be that’d be a really good life. Look,

Drew Thomas Hendricks  36:36  

it really would be. And you brought up a point, though, that it’s not just rich guys drinking wine around the world, what you’re doing is actually bringing the world smaller, because these rich guys, they’re, they’re drinking the wine, but they’re also now tied to different regions around the world. They’re drinking experiencing it. And they’re tangentially hearing the stories. So it’s not so much just this distant country in the world, just wine over there. You’re bringing it in, you’re making the world smaller, and that that is making the world a better place. And not only guys rich guys, they’re going to work for other people too.

Jack Duan  37:09  

So it’s not like what you think about all humans, right? Mother, it’s very triploid. And talking has a lot of fish, or beings, if you think that way, somehow touches them the way so practical. But we take the sublime goes to that level. You know, again, one says Would it as I do every day, I mean this, but also they’re into business fairness, right. So and it’s hard as entrepreneurs on how to you know, how to be fair to the company, how to be fair employee How to Be fair customer calls stuff, it’s like it. It is practice every day. Yeah,

Drew Thomas Hendricks  37:49  

very inspirational to get. I’m gonna get down to nuts and bolts here for a second. So your story, there’s a winery, but what’s the winery wants to expand their distribution out into the desert directly selling? What’s what’s the first process? And what’s the right fit for the winery? Like it’s not going to be everyone?

Jack Duan  38:09  

Quick question. Let’s turn to the let’s just assume like our our mom is the one religious just care for our moms. Right? We care about moms. So, so I told our first there are two steps. Not everyone could go second steps you notice first step is at the tasting room, training staff use their software. If someone said I want to get to Japan before, well, maybe not. Yes. Yes. Really. So that’s just people, you build competence. Right? The second step is crossbody commerce. We can bring part you know, we have we don’t sell wine, we would deliver together. But they’re part partner workers they can get you to sell in local country, UK, Japan, or Hong Kong sec. All right. So what a lot of wonder, they had to go through the first step. And that’s most of all one raise today. They have to because this Imagine 99% of the students tell us this is today right? So how the trend the trend of staff we train and stuff we showed up with either software mixed up is super simple. So that’s step one. And there are two types of work one called one off just like suddenly you walk into flagship something, you know, okay, we ship for you a lot. This is a contract with FedEx, they can do billing, right so one office is someone we give them credit they pick up a lot of pickup with dropping to our office for free. This one for No, no like b2b relationship just with help you this overtime, we know not know almost 50 wineries all would allow us to become more contracted paying customers because they’d realize you know, you got you got the best thing around for me to have the potential goes anywhere in the world without going through a distributor and it won’t keep you around. We want to become part of a partnership with you to become contractual. So there, so that’s who we work with. But we also was ground zero mom, you know, Pima Don, okay, well, I’m gonna help you to get so you have something you feel like it’s cool. It’s not breaking our leg kind of thing. Okay, if you come for the last couple of relationships, okay, so let me get down. So practical knowledge that our work together

Drew Thomas Hendricks  40:25  

so how long does it take? So when are you says to show up at words, contracts with you, and then they can immediately they educate their tasting room, they get education software, someone from Japan visits joins the wine club, then you’re off off to the

Jack Duan  40:40  

races. Yeah, it’s just seriously I’m so proud that we really take that put into a product. That’s so simple, right? So give example. For example, just for example, Omar, have a one month one. The first client shows up married from Japan. Okay. And it’s absolute. Oh, yes. Going to train me yesterday. Great. Your software these are separate them. So beautiful. It’s like one peak button. Destination. Click on that. Japan BIM asked us to passion. How many bottles Oh, six bottles. What the price? The other? Give a quote committed fully delivered. Right? So mom, you don’t worry about me calling you like you owe somebody money. Okay. Oh, really? No, none. The Americas? No, Iverson pick them. One price to pay like apple. No other sins. No salt. Everything included, by the way, benefit for you because the mom has worked with us. Mom doesn’t have to charge your sales tax because we can prove the California government. Every bottle wine is for export. Oh, really? Similar percent. Okay. See? Oh, this is so damn simple. For the 10 years to get so simple and tell people over and over again. Don’t forget. Oh, really? Oh, yeah, Mom, I love you. I just don’t forget this. So kind of thing I had to do every day.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  42:00  

Oh, that sounds I can see you guys. Yeah, you 200 Just this just the start. You guys are going big. as we as we kind of wrap down I got to ask a couple questions that everyone. We’re all about gratitude. Who do you admire right now most in the wine industry?

Don Keninitz  42:16  

And would you like to give thanks to

Jack Duan  42:21  

I mean, I would say I am Meyer Mondavi Robert Mondavi. I mean, I never met a guy, you know, hey, I just imagine 1950s with the the way he did agriculture become I mean, you know, another one is Warren, you know, he asked I can’t even pronounce it but you know, the the founder of stack the one seller and he transplant from Chicago. I mean, those guys saw something and then just get to work. And I’m really inspired by them. And my world’s not in the perils my world into people and you know, that’s kind of but that’s Atlanta until so they inspire me and the people even much grander people inspire me it’s like like Gandhi right? And he doesn’t talk about it it just get done you know he was he was he actually literally causing heart wire to to stop by not eating food. Now buy guns now buy crazy sweats I mean just it’s I think a humans are different we need people the really we put the you know, we can kill people each other just go along. I can we do something inspire people to So yeah, those are things that inspire me.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  43:34  

Those are very, very inspirational. Do you drink wine?

Jack Duan  43:38  

I don’t. I don’t drink. I taste wine. I’m very spoiled by really good wines. I know the taste. I also see Kim is different perspective, right and become very even tempered palate. Now. I had the such profound appreciation for craftsmanship. Digital craft software. That’s why one time I won one maker give me a big hug when he saw our fruit hat because all you get us like I get you but I’m gonna go away yet. But I get you because that was someone’s dream for excellence. You can tell. Yeah.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  44:17  

I love that. You appreciate the craftsmanship of it. And that’s something that you get most people don’t realize how many steps go into that final product. All the choices that are made from the label to the cork to the bottle to the all the different blending decisions. I mean, there’s a ton of craftsmanship

Jack Duan  44:34  

that goes into that. Can you tell us a one small story? I can tell you respect them just but how to make something manifest. So the way I respect the ones come in, we use those Swiffer you know those kind of parallel seem to get out dust off your sink. Every fall to come in. I actually asked my employee to dust off all the ones before they even go to a special type of container and we test like Five div type our bricks rate 0.17% What how does it make every 1000 bottles want to have bottle break the 110s industry again? I’m saying like why? Once I decided to take on other people, craftsmen, I can get that down. Yeah, I gotta get on to practical and that makes people that oh, you can hear me it’s not words. So do you think just to dust off all the dust on the one Brillo box and put the box that we know the best we can ever afford to ship them without any breakage? That’s like, I got you.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  45:33  

You got me. It’s the number one week and I mean you’re just honoring that craft and so Jack Duan Now where can people find more about you and Gliding Eagle?

Jack Duan  45:45  

Um, I think you know, sent you for just google google Gliding Eagle and BAM we’re number one we don’t you know, just like organically gone into this and I just said really no goodwill in universe is reciprocal. It’s just a way that is I don’t have to constant looking for next year. We’re customer they come to us. But once we decided where to get our stuff so well, you know, like to talk about even just dusts off the bottles with packaging. I think that matters for people. And I just want everyone knows whatever they do. Somehow they got to get into the level of passion. When it matters. My not met man appeals to me the first second up eventually that people see this solid like everyone comes. And that’s what we see right now.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  46:36  

It’s amazing. Well, Jack, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today. It was very, very inspirational.

Jack Duan  46:44  

To thank you so much for reaching out and you I totally like a friend. We’re friends now. I really appreciate you giving the space and the goodwill to listen. Thank you.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  46:54  

Thank you have a great day.

Jack Duan  46:56  

You too take care of you well.

Outro  47:06  

Thanks for listening to the Legends Behind the Craft podcast. We’ll see you again next time and be sure to click Subscribe to get future episodes.