Fun fact: I’m that person that studies menus a week before going to eat somewhere because I get just that excited. As I've gotten older my love for wine has grown to match my love for food. So you can imagine my utter delight when, in 2013, my dear friends Kyle and Sylvia Franson decided to open Rancho Capistrano Winery, an absolute gem of a restaurant and winery in the southern part of Orange County. I wanted to share a bit of their story not just because they are dear friends and I’m so proud (I am) or because they named their 2020 Sauvignon Blanc release after me (they did, and I will humblebrag about this for the rest of my life). Their story is an inspiring one of second-act career success after 40 and the power of a genuine, well-executed brand.
Growing up my mom liked to say “from little acorns big trees grow.” I’ve watched Rancho Capistrano Winery (RCW) grow from the seedling of an idea from a couple passionate about exceptional food and wine and their hometown of south Orange County to the 7th anniversary of the multi-award winning flagship location. A second location opened in downtown San Clemente in 2019 and they are preparing to open their much anticipated third location this fall in Ladera Ranch, CA.
For the last ten years or so it’s been nearly impossible to miss stories of successful twenty - and thirty - somethings hitting it big as entrepreneurs. However, personally, I love a good second chapter story. Gone are the days when the path you choose as a teenager or early twenty-something necessarily dictates what you will be doing for the rest of your working life. For anyone thinking that it is too late to find a new (or parallel) career path, the Fransons’ story is incredibly inspirational.
Leaping…
Before founding RCW, Kyle built a successful, decades-long career in corporate management and financial sales and Sylvia was thriving as an entertainment executive, and is currently a Vice President at NBCUniversal. Kyle knew he loved working collaboratively, was a natural leader and also just happened to have a close friend in the wine bottle business. The Fransons love entertaining at home (Kyle’s cioppino is legendary) and traveling to wine country; two key components of what would become RCW.
Neither had a background in restaurants specifically and, as Kyle relates, they didn’t have any preconceived notions about what they were getting themselves into. What they did have was faith and the fortitude to jump in and tackle a new chapter - with all of its’ adventures and challenges. Also key, the Fransons had extensive backgrounds as customers - the lens for which they view many of their decisions. “Listen to your customers” Kyle says. “Listen more than you talk”. (I love this. So basic, so true.) Sylvia echoes: “Just like at NBCU, we are always evolving but the customer is at the core, always.”
And while the Fransons are certainly a killer combination of skill, drive and talent, they are also, simply, doers. “Ideas are one thing” Kyle says, “acting on them is another. Execution and moving the needle are what matter."
So Kyle and Sylvia took their backgrounds in finance, marketing, entertainment, and shared knack for branding and took the leap.
While writing this post, I’ve thought a great deal about this leap. Knowing the Franson’s personally, this couple of deep faith, family and fun, this journey has always made sense, almost as if it was a natural next step. But, of course, it takes a tremendous amount of courage and sometimes a fair amount of resources to embark on a new path, especially in one’s career. Some people, like Kyle, are more natural risk takers (and I have always envied them) while some of us are naturally more risk averse (ahem, raises hand). The good news is, personally, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed a steadfast confidence in my own instincts along with the vulnerability needed to try and sometimes succeed and sometimes make mistakes that transform into valuable lessons. Risk can become your friend. I wasn’t this person in my 20’s or even early 30’s; it was a skill set I’ve developed over time and through trial and error. I’ve been deeply inspired by friends like Kyle and Sylvia who demonstrate that sometimes our greatest successes and critical pieces of our legacies don’t reveal themselves until we have a few years (dare I say, decades?) under our collective belts; always believing that the best is yet to come. Spend just five minutes with the Fransons (or check out their social media) and you can see that while they are working extremely hard, they are having the time of their lives.
Landing…
“Branding” has become such an overused word in the last decade (and I should know, I’ve used it a lot.) And yet, when done well, branding - establishing and communicating who you are and why customers or clients should choose you - is critical to any successful venture. Successful brands evoke feelings, memories and they inspire loyalty and evangelism on their behalf.
When you create, nurture and grow a venture from your heart, when that soil is watered with the genuineness of the people behind it, the venture carries charged, contagious energy. Continuing to create from this place of authenticity is what gives a brand its bona fides, what makes it sustainable. From the beginning, Kyle wanted to create the ultimate experience for the RCW customer and centered this experience around some of his greatest joys - wine, food, family and community. The Franson family exudes warmth and kindness; and you can feel this when you walk though the doors of their home and when you walk into each RCW location. It’s in the brand DNA, literally and figuratively.
Visually, it was important that RCW stand out from the crowded marketplace. The Fransons chose a name that signaled a story and evoked the rich history of where the flagship location would stand - San Juan Capistrano, home of sun, stables and the historic San Juan Mission. Their logo is iconic, and Kyle knew right away it was something you could put on a t-shirt as easily as a wine bottle. “You don’t see a lot of those in the wine industry” he said.
The original Rancho Capistrano Winery boasts an incredible outdoor patio with a fireplace and live music most nights; it’s both cozy and buzzing. Kyle hired Chef Adrian de la Torre (who would eventually meet and marry his future wife Devin at RCW!) from Minnesota to bring classic midwest comfort food to south OC. Together they developed a menu of small dishes like the best fried brussels sprouts you will ever have (I promise) to fig bruschetta (yes, I’m picking my favorites) to pork chops direct from a farm in Minnesota where Chef knows the farmer… you won’t find that at many wineries! Once the wine, food and atmosphere were in place, Kyle and Sylvia went to work creating the ultimate meeting place for locals; making the RCW Wine Club membership a must have. (Members enjoy exclusive parties, half price date nights and, of course, the best wine available in Orange County. Devin, Chef Adrian’s wife, is the manager. A true family affair.)
Everything was filtered through the lens of the customer - what would give them the best evening out or most special Sunday brunch? Cultivating such a memorable dining experience early on paid off as RCW saw its local clientele loyally supporting them year after year. (Not to mention customers who have discovered RCW though social media and visited from around the world; RCW has indeed gone global.)
Speaking of years, 2020 was a doozy, of course. Navigating the challenges as a business owner in the hospitality realm warrants a post of its own. I thought about asking the Fransons how they weathered these challenges specifically when I realized I really didn’t need to ask, as I watched them firsthand. They, like everyone in their industry, pivoted several times with grace, ingenuity and aplomb too many times to count. Whatever they needed to do, they just got it done. But this isn’t unique to the roller coaster that was 2020, it’s simply what is required to be successful, period. Figure it out. As someone who has worked for the family business for years I can tell you option B doesn’t really exist.
To wit: a couple of weeks ago I went to the Fransons house for a BBQ, expecting to dine outside per usual as Kyle worked his magic on the giant penguin shaped grill machine in the backyard. I arrived to find the table set indoors and a backyard absent of any seating. Why? Because a perfect storm of customers ready to run back to their favorite places coupled with newly ordered dining chairs stuck on a container ship in the Port of LA left the winery needing a few extra chairs temporarily. Before she knew what was happening, Sylvia watched as her fabulous outdoor dining chairs were being loaded onto a truck. Problem solved. Kyle got it done. I had a great laugh and mentally made a note to not overthink things so much!
…next up: Leveraging.
Not ones to rest on laurels or sit still for very long, Kyle and Sylvia are always thinking about new creative challenges and ways to grow and expand upon the foundation of the RCW guest experience. First up is the highly anticipated opening of RCW Ladera Ranch: a 5000 square foot wonderland of food and wine, complete with a 3000 square foot patio overlooking Ladera’s Town Green Park. Not to mention a kitchen the size of a small house (including a 60- inch grill and smoker) and the first RCW Chef’s table, showcasing Chef Adrian’s next-level menu, as well as featured guest chefs. Fall cannot come fast enough.
Until then, I will be enjoying summer evenings under San Juan Capistrano stars, with a glass of the forthcoming 2021 vintage Marissa Sauvignon Blanc (see, humble bragging, can’t stop won’t stop) or Sylvia Pinot Noir from RCW’s newly released black label collection. You can too; they ship! But to experience the mushroom truffle flatbread, sriracha gorgonzola French fries or Chef A’s signature beef stroganoff, you’re going to have to visit in person - definitely a trip worth making. Cheers!
By Marissa DiMaggio
For more info visit:
https://www.ranchocapwinery.com
