This Week: A special edition featuring an interview with entrepreneur and TikTok star Joe Wagner
I told you I was taking a week off… but I couldn’t help myself.
Back in August, I spent a morning with one of the most impressive creators and entrepreneurs in the Bay Area. It was originally slated for the “Bay Area Creator Economy” newsletter, but between our interview and publication, I stepped back from BACE, leaving Monica Khan and France Tantiado to reimagine it in their own way.
Since the BACE newsletter has been mostly quiet, I didn’t want this story to stay hidden. It’s too good, and too inspiring, not to share.
And if you read to the end, you’ll also find a link to my worst business lunch ever, which somehow turned into one of the most memorable moments of my trip to Rwanda last week.
Hi, I’m Jim Louderback and this is my weekly creator economy newsletter. If you’ve received it, then you are either subscribed or someone forwarded it to you.
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TOP TIKTOK WINEMAKER REWRITING THE RULES IN NAPA VALLEY
It’s no secret that CEOs who are also creators bring tremendous value to their businesses. But in the traditionally buttoned-up world of wine, such hybrids are rare.
That’s what makes Joe Wagner’s story stand out. As the founder of Copper Cane Wines, and a TikTok star with more than half a million followers, he’s rewriting the rules of Napa Valley. Wagner already built and sold one brand, Meiomi, back in 2015. Now, with Copper Cane, he’s producing great wines at approachable prices while entertaining fans on TikTok and Instagram as @JoeTheWinemaker.
Joe humanizes the often scary world of wine, while also helping to introduce GenZ to its charms: a generation more likely to pop a White Claw than a wine cork.
I visited him at his Rutherford, California winery, where we talked shop for this newsletter — and he even invited me onto his podcast.
Q: Joe, you’re a winemaker, a CEO, and now a content creator. How did you get started creating content in the Napa Valley?
A: I never set out to be an “influencer.” I started in 2001 making wine with my family, then launched Belle Glos. Everything changed during COVID — it forced us to rethink how we marketed wine. We started live streams, got comfortable on camera, and began posting on social media. Sabina, our social media manager, pushed us onto TikTok. We realized wine didn’t have to be pretentious — we could have fun. Suddenly, videos were getting millions of views.
Traditionalists criticized us, but I believe reaching new audiences is what keeps this industry moving forward. At the end of the day, the goal is simple: wine on everyone’s table every night.
Q: What made you decide to become a creator yourself?
A: Early successes. We saw engagement right away, and the educational side of it really hooked me. Negative comments became teaching moments — we could explain why we did things the way we did. It became a natural way to educate and connect with people.
Q: Has that translated into more people discovering and buying your wines?
A: Absolutely. On TikTok, most of our audience is 18–34. Many are already legal drinking age, and younger fans often say, “When I turn 21, I want to try Belle Glos.” On Instagram, the audience is older. We don’t change the content, but we know who we’re talking to. With tools like Linktree, we can track fans going from our videos to the website to signing up for the wine club. So yes, there are real results.
Q: As a creator, what’s your biggest challenge?
A: Time management. I run a company, have six kids, five dogs, a couple of cats. Learning to delegate was huge. Ten years ago, I was hands-on with everything in the winery. Now I have a great team I can trust. That makes all the difference.
Q: What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started creating?
A: That negative comments don’t matter. In fact, they can help. At first I wanted to shut down TikTok because of them. Then I realized those posts actually drove more engagement — and often sparked supportive comment threads from fans.
Q: What’s one thing you wish people knew about you as a creator?
A: That I’m actually a winemaker. People recognize me from TikTok, but I’ve been making wine for decades. And I don’t monetize my content—it’s about sharing my passion and bringing people into the wine world.
Q: You grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. What do you love most about it?
A: The weather and the variety of outdoor activities. We’re close to mountains, the coast, and amazing hiking and biking. The range of experiences within a few hours is unmatched.
Q: What’s your ideal Bay Area day off?
A: Heading to Bodega Bay or the rugged northern Sonoma coast. It’s sweater weather, perfect for a beach barbecue, and far from crowded.
Q: Favorite Bay Area restaurant?
A: Bistro Jeanty in Yountville—authentic French cuisine, even dishes like lamb tongue salad. It feels like the French countryside.
Q: Favorite local tradition?
A: The Napa Town and Country Fair. It’s become well-run with good entertainment, exhibits, and a sense of community.
Q: Favorite podcast or YouTube channel?
A: Two Bears, One Cave. They’re hilarious, unpredictable, and sometimes completely off the wall.
Editor’s Note: much like Joe himself
Q: Favorite source for wine industry news?
A: The Mark Brown Report for detailed daily updates, and Shanken News Daily for higher-level marketing stories.
Q: Why should other winemakers become creators?
A: Authenticity matters more than ever. People want to know who’s behind a product. If you’re not telling your story, you’re missing a huge opportunity—for yourself and the industry. The days of purely “think tank” marketing brands are over. Take the organic approach, get uncomfortable, and learn to connect on camera.
Q: What question about the creator economy do you wish you had the answer to?
A: What’s going to happen with TikTok?
Q: What do your kids think about you being on TikTok?
A: At first, they were embarrassed — their friends would talk about me at school. Now they understand the business side and are more comfortable. Their friends sometimes treat me like a celebrity, but I remind them: there’s no such thing as fame anymore. At best, you’re an educator.
Joe’s one of a kind, and a great winemaker and entrepreneur as well!
It’s too bad that almost everyone else making great wine in California thinks social is stupid, as they simultaneously wring their hands because all their best customers are dying off.
Check out the podcast I did with Joe and his team as well here.
And try some of his wine. It’s good – and it just might save the wine industry.
A FABULOUS LUNCH DATE GONE HORRIBLY WRONG
If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing lions, elephants, and gorillas in the wild, there are only a few places on Earth where you can find them all… and one small country, about the size of Vermont, happens to have it.
I spent last week in Rwanda, first on safari across its eastern plains, then hiking through misty bamboo forests in the volcanic north to meet a family of gorillas.
Which brings us to that fateful lunch.
Check it out here:
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100% written by me. AI used very sparingly for edits.
I’ve built and sold multiple creator economy startups to top media companies – including an MCN to Discovery and VidCon to Paramount. Subscribe here on LinkedIn to get this newsletter every Monday.
Let me know what you think – email me at jim@louderback.com. Thanks for reading and see you around the internet.
