Founder and Director, Barossa Valley Cheese Company
Executive Program for Growing Companies
Stanford Graduate School of Business (USA), 2016
The Barossa Valley is synonymous with world-famous wine, and winemakers. But what sets Victoria McClurg apart is that she no longer makes wine; she makes cheese. Her artisan produce has won numerous accolades across Australia, including the Australian Grand Dairy Awards and the South Australian Tourism Awards.
Wine to cheese
After completing a winemaking degree at the University of Adelaide, I worked vintages in Sonoma and Bordeaux. It was in France that the idea of cheesemaking took hold and on returning to Australia, I followed my dream.
When the opportunity presented itself to make authentic produce in a premium wine region, I wholeheartedly immersed myself in the world of cheese. Accordingly, the cheese I make is not just any cheese: these are rare, authentically traditional varieties. All handmade with a winemaker’s sensibilities and artisan skills in the picturesque town of Angaston using local milk from cows and goats farmed by their neighbours.
I am is passionate about keeping cultures alive, not only the cultures in cheese, but the diversity of cultures across our community. I strongly believe that the plethora of both business large and small, and all individuals create the unique tapestry that we call the Barossa.
The Stanford experience
In the early days of Barossa Cheese the beginnings were exciting, there was lots of opportunity for growth and learning but I found myself quickly seeking more opportunity to learn from other business as how to best succeed in the small business world. Studying at Stanford was another stepping stone in my lifelong learning journey. Recognised as one of the top universities in the world, it has a reputation for excellence in education and research but what I didn’t envisage was the immense power and support from a network of people across the globe.
As a founder we can sometimes feel isolated and alone as we navigate growth of business and the complexities that continue to arise. By seeking and finding our people, we can create a tribe that ultimately becomes our personal cheer squad as well as providing insights and alternative solutions to challenges encountered on our journey. That is what Stanford ignited for me and as such has led our business to encourage learning and connecting with others to achieve personal and professional goals for now and the future. I am grateful for the insights the course provided and particularly grateful to the ILF for encouraging me to undertake it, and for providing a significant grant to allow the course to be affordable.
Tips for community success
- Embrace people – connection to a diversity of people gives us all a sense of belonging and support.
- Lifelong learning – always seeking and searching for information and opportunities for growth keeps our mind active and grows our ability to adapt easily to the change ahead.
