Jules Robbins | Tech CEO

Bailarín Cellars celebrates those who do what they love. Their passion for life is unstoppable and their enthusiasm is infectious. We celebrate these heroes and learn from their words of wisdom as we chase our own pursuits.

This month we celebrate Jules Robbins, the Founder & CEO behind VinesOS, an all-in-one DTC wine platform including a winery POS, wine club software, wine ecommerce, and tasting reservations. We have worked closely with Jules and team since initially adopting their club software. As their POS beta client, we have had a front row seat to their development process that never stops. Jules’ tech expertise and passion pair with a strong connectivity to her clients and the wine industry to drive her platform forward. We are happy to celebrate her in our hero feature.

WHAT MAKES YOU DANCE?

"Connections”

I'm, at heart, a tech geek. After years of working in a cubicle for the tech giants AOL, Netscape, and Yahoo, I left to follow my dreams of creating a Direct-To-Consumer platform for a unique vertical at the heart of California -- the wine industry -- to lend my expertise from the top ladder of Corporate America. 

It may be odd for a tech geek to be motivated by connections... But there are so many ways in my life that "connections" are, at the core... what makes me want to dance. 

Connections with clients, my team, family, and friends. 

My connection with clients is all about understanding needs, leaning in to listen, and communicating those needs to our product and engineering teams to develop features, continually advance our software, and to enable clients to connect, in turn, with their customers. At VinesOS, we have an average 97% customer satisfaction rating, and we know that because we care enough to connect with every client after every ticket or conversation and ask, "How did we do?". For me, it's about something more than just the technology. Connection is the humanizing element of technology. It's wanting to use technology and what we have to improve things for others.

We are human beings, not meant to be isolated in cubicles, just staring at the glowing screen. In my days at corporate America, I knew I wanted to have a family one day, and I was not planning to bring a child into the world only to leave her in daycare at six weeks of age, to return to a cubicle. When I started my business, I was able to be at home with nanny support during those early years. There's nothing more special than that connection. I was lucky, and so was she. Technology, for me, enabled that. 

Team connection. We are a global team, working remotely, even before Covid. My team is carefully selected for specialized, advanced skills and is in Italy (formally in Ukraine), Brazil, and several here in California. We connect on Slack like some would around a water cooler. Conversations shared just last week: preparing for a big mud run in CA; a new baby on the way in Brazil; excitement to see a favorite Ukrainian band playing in Rome; a sister's wedding in LA; my teen daughter going to Junior Olympics for waterpolo. We connect around the product we build and also as friends. I feel so grateful to have this fantastic team. It's about connections. Relationships.

I came to California from Toronto in 2000, and to this day, remaining close to my family is a huge priority. We are over 3,000 miles away, but with annual or semi-annual visits, phone calls, SMS, and shared vacations, we make concerted efforts to stay closely connected. Family is so important. 

What's important in life isn't just what you do; it's about the connections and the difference you make in someone else's day and life. 

Isn't it the same with wine? It brings people together, friends and family, sometimes strangers, but it's always about connecting. It's the sharing, storytelling, and remembering experiences, such as when you enjoyed the first sip of that delicate Suacci Pinot. And that is why people continue to purchase on-premise, online, or to join a club... (other than that, it's fantastic wine....); it's to bring it home and remember and share the initial experience. Wine, too, is so much about connecting and sharing. 

I feel so fortunate for so many beautiful connections in my life.