An Interview With Chad Silverstein
I try to remind myself every day that we each see the world through a different lens. Our varied life experiences and unique personal journeys are beautiful because they allow for creativity and connection.
Purpose has become the new currency of success in today’s workplace, and leaders who prioritize mission-driven cultures are standing out in the war for talent. To explore this important topic, we are interviewing Jeff Lewis.
From Kansas to Argentina, Jeff transformed an early career as chef, sommelier, and designer into traveling around the world to develop luxury sales and hospitality programs for hotels, restaurants and wineries.
Jeff resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two sons. He leads a global team of thought leaders in winemaking, farming, hospitality and winery operations as General Manager for the three winegrowing Estates of Dr. Madaiah Revana (Alexana Estate — Willamette Valley, Oregon; Revana Estate — Napa Valley, and Corazón del Sol — Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina.)
Jeff’s pursuit of excellence and relentless optimism permeates his work and has helped consistently produce some of the top wines from Oregon, Napa and Argentina.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
15 years ago, I found myself on a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina in search of adventure and growth. I was determined to push myself into a new world of possibilities as a young designer, chef and sommelier. After months of vagabonding around the country with backpackers from all over the globe, my journey led me from Patagonia to Mendoza (one of the great wine capitals of the world). A chance meeting with famed sommelier, Mariana Onofri in Mendoza over a glass of old-vine Malbec opened a door to become opening General Manager of iconic Chef Francis Mallmann’s Siete Fuegos restaurant. For 6 years, I would travel between Argentina and Oregon in perpetual summer, gathering a unique perspective on the world of wine and the wine business. I had found a niche to utilize my love of business, wine, food and design to help wineries, hotels and restaurants elevate their programs.
In 2012, I met Dr. Madaiah Revana while working with chef Francis Mallmann in Argentina. A few years later, Dr. Revana asked me to manage the development and launch of Bodega Corazón del Sol, his Estate winery in Uco Valley, Argentina. In 2016, I transitioned to Oregon full-time to spearhead expanding our wholesale distribution for all three wineries across 45 states along with developing an education department to elevate our hospitality and sales programs across all three Estate wineries.
Dr. Revana and I developed a strong professional relationship founded on mutual trust and our shared commitment to excellence, which led to my role steadily expanding across multiple facets of the business. This culminated in 2021, when I assumed the position of General Manager overseeing all three Revana Vineyards properties spanning Argentina, Oregon, and Napa.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began working in leadership, culture building, or purpose-driven organizations?
Within a span of only a few weeks, the three longest tenured employees (President and two General Managers) of our company, Revana Vineyards, were recruited and departed to other wineries. I went from newly appointed General Manager for our Alexana Winery in Oregon and Corazón del Sol in Argentina wineries to also assuming the role of President and General Manager of the Revana Estate in Napa. The birth of our first son was also just a month away at that point. I look back on those first 12 months and it energizes me–the experience, the perspective, the grit and strength that all came from being committed to a purpose. The purpose to “be the change that I knew was needed”, “inspire those around me to build a legacy” and I knew there were no shortcuts. It’s experiences like this that give me confidence to help others realize what is possible when you truly are committed.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
1. Resilience
Finding comfort in discomfort. I’ve found enjoyment in discovering the context within a challenge, it’s where the growth happens. Every challenge can be broken down into small sets of interconnected variables, this makes them manageable, as opposed to an overwhelming abstract. Looking at the areas I’ve grown the most throughout my career, it has come from finding fluency in managing uncertainty and change. I see the most talented and educated people get completely spun out if things don’t go as planned, but if you can be a source of strength for your team in those scenarios, people will rally around you and eventually other team members will also increase their resilience.
2. Empathy
I try to remind myself every day that we each see the world through a different lens. Our varied life experiences and unique personal journeys are beautiful because they allow for creativity and connection. As you become the leader of an organization, it can be easy to develop a false sense of assurance in your perspective and lose connection to your team. It’s important to have honest feedback and conversations with team members from all levels; this has helped me have a more accurate perspective on our organizational health as well as develop meaningful relationships with business partners and clients.
3. Accountability
I’ve learned that accountability builds trust, drives performance and is crucial to fostering a culture of ownership. As a leader, I try to always demonstrate accountability and take full responsibility for my actions, decisions, and outcomes — whether good or bad. It sets a standard for my team to do the same.
“Supportive Accountability” is now one of Revana Vineyards’ company core values–it’s about learning, improving, and delivering on our commitments. When employees see that leaders hold themselves accountable, it inspires them to take initiative, be transparent, and stay committed to shared goals.
Let’s now jump into the focus of our interview. What does a “purpose-driven culture” mean to you personally, and why do you think it’s critical for attracting top talent?
A purpose-driven culture exists when an organization’s mission and vision are not just clear, but genuinely meaningful and inspirational to everyone involved.
In my experience, establishing this clear sense of purpose is more than a recruitment strategy — it’s fundamental to both attracting industry-leading talent and creating an environment where these exceptional individuals want to stay and contribute their best work.
The most innovative thinkers and accomplished professionals in any field naturally gravitate toward environments where they can connect with colleagues through a shared mission that matters. Looking at this through the lens of our innate human tendency toward tribalism is illuminating: employees seek their “tribe” — a community united by common purpose and vision.
When we create a truly purpose-driven culture, we transform ordinary jobs into meaningful contributions to something larger. People no longer simply perform tasks; they become essential threads in the fabric of a collective mission that has significance beyond profit margins or quarterly targets.
How did you identify and define the mission or purpose for your organization? Was it inspired by a particular event, challenge, or insight?
I’ve become very close with our founder, Dr. Madaiah Revana over the past 15 years that we have known each other. When I took over running his three wineries in 2021, I asked him about legacy and what he would like wine collectors to think about him and his wineries in 20–30 years.
The conversation about legacy is what led to me outlining Revana Vineyard’s Mission and Vision Statements and Company Core Values. Today, these core values dictate all our hiring, promotion and staffing decisions as well as farming, winemaking and business strategy. It has given me, Dr. Revana, our team a profound understanding of who we are as a team and company, it has redefined our approach and how we undertake every challenge. We are a stronger team and much more focus than ever before after defining our purpose.
Our core values are the following:
- Driven by Excellence
- Transcend the Status Quo
- Engage and Inspire
- Commitment to Relationships
- Supportive Accountability
- Healthy Land and Water
What are the key steps leaders can take to embed purpose into the day-to-day operations and decision-making of their companies?
Leaders must keep purpose at the forefront in their daily interactions (internal and external). The purpose should be exemplified and encouraged as your team connects it to the daily implications of operations and decision-making within each department. Not only is it a core part of our new employee onboarding, but we base our hiring and interviews on the topics of our core values. Bring the purpose to life in your company and it will take on its own momentum.
What role does leadership play in championing and modeling a purpose-driven culture? Can you share an example of how you or another leader helped reinforce your organization’s purpose?
Leadership must exemplify and empower the propose-driven culture. Every organization is unique, but leaders should realize they are accountable for keeping the company vehicle fueled up with purpose while also navigating the “drivers” of those vehicles to the next fueling station, one step closer to fulfillment.
In our weekly team meetings, we reinforce the purpose with specifics so that the team can feel the positive impact of their efforts on a personal level.
How do you handle skepticism or resistance from team members or stakeholders who may not immediately understand the value of focusing on purpose?
This is a real challenge and shows that there is a disconnect with either the employee or the assignment and its alignment to our stated purpose. Usually, I’ll clarify if there are unforeseen barriers or miscommunications that need to be addressed first. Skepticism can also indicate lack of buy-in from an employee in the mission; often, identifying this disconnect can be a great opportunity open a conversation and realign on role and responsibilities.
Ok, let’s talk strategy. Based on your experience, can you share “5 Steps to Build a Purpose-Driven Culture That Attracts Top Talent”? If possible, please include examples or stories for each.
1. Clarify and document your mission and company purpose
Develop your mission, vision and company core values (I recommend 4–6 core values).
2. Embed your purpose in your hiring process
Your purpose should drive where you’re looking for talent, how you interview them and how your onboard/train them.
3. Share your purpose with existing staff, clients, and partners through appropriate platforms
This adds a healthy dose of accountability to your purpose and if you’re willing to share your purpose with staff, clients and partners, it will set expectations.
4. Update decision making processes, planning agendas and reporting/reviews
Your purpose should permeate and dictate these important processes within your daily operations.
5. Go recruit the talent that fits your purpose
If you have authentic purpose and culture, prospective employees and leaders will be excited and want to join. You are essentially building talent density and talent wants to be where there is a reputation for talent.
Can you share a specific example of how embracing a purpose-driven culture helped your company attract exceptional talent or achieve a significant business goal?
In 2023 we made “HEALTHY LAND AND WATER” our 6th core value
“Practice thoughtful stewardship of our lands and waterways through regenerative and organic agriculture, responsible water use and environmental preservation”
This led to hiring a thought leader in the organic farming community, Drew Herman, who in the past two years has elevated our approach to farming at our three winegrowing estates. We’re now globally recognized for our progressive farming methods under Drew’s leadership. In fact, our Oregon winery, Alexana Estate is hosting the first-ever Organic Winegrowers Conference on the West Coast in March 2025.
What advice would you give to leaders of smaller companies or startups who want to build a purpose-driven culture but don’t know where to start?
Building a purpose-driven culture begins with clearly defining your mission — then committing to it wholeheartedly. This isn’t simply a matter of crafting an eloquent statement; it requires authentic dedication to your purpose in every decision and action.
People have remarkable intuition for distinguishing genuine purpose from performative gestures. Your employees, potential hires, customers, and partners can all sense when a company’s stated values align with its actual behavior.
For startups and smaller companies, this authenticity is your greatest advantage. Allow your purpose to genuinely influence everything from your hiring practices and team dynamics to your product development and customer relationships. When your purpose naturally permeates all aspects of your business and brand, you create a magnetic culture that attracts those who share your vision and values. The most successful purpose-driven organizations don’t just talk about their mission — they live it daily, making it the foundation upon which everything else is built.
What are some common mistakes leaders make when trying to create a purpose-driven culture, and how can they avoid them?
The most critical mistake leaders make is failing to translate their company’s purpose into meaningful connections for each employee. A powerful organizational mission means little if individuals can’t see how their specific roles contribute to it. This requires active listening and observation — identifying which teams naturally align with your purpose and which struggle to find their place within it. By recognizing these variations in engagement, you can provide targeted support where needed, helping every employee discover their personal connection to your shared mission.
How do you ensure that your organization’s purpose evolves and remains relevant as your company grows and the world changes?
As leaders, we must ensure we are continuously evolving our understanding of both the organization’s purpose and the shifting landscape around it. This means staying attuned to changes in business conditions, political realities, socioeconomic factors, and the evolving needs of your team members.
Balancing this adaptability with our obligations to business owners and stakeholders creates perhaps the most challenging dynamic. It necessitates difficult but crucial conversations that may inspire — or even require — significant change, internal reflection, or the introduction of external resources. The most resilient purpose-driven organizations maintain their core values while adapting how those values manifest in response to a changing world. This delicate balance between consistency and evolution ensures your purpose remains both authentic and relevant through every stage of growth.2
What trends or shifts are you seeing in the workplace regarding purpose, and how do you think these will shape the future of business?
I’m seeing shifts in the workplace regarding purpose, both from the employee perspective and organizations. Employers are realizing they need purpose not just for team culture, but also to clarify their focus and to be effective in their competitive space. I also see more transactional employees who are sacrificing working somewhere with real purpose for a position or role with more “freedom.” I have noticed recently that as the concept of “freedom” (work from home, 9–5, flex days, etc.) becomes more occupied by the distractions of technology, that employees of all ages are seeking a greater sense of purpose from their workplace to keep them focused on the meaning behind their job.
In your opinion, how does having a purpose-driven culture impact not just employees, but customers, clients, and the broader community?
Aside from our business aspirations and legacy, the entire reason we have a purpose-driven culture is because we are luxury winery that is completely committed to our clients and community. We want to clearly communicate our purpose in everything we do, because it adds meaning and substance. We make better wines; we have more meaningful stories and our experiences are richer because of our purpose.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people by building purpose-driven workplaces, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
This is a great question! If I could start a movement, I would create a program helping young people discover the transformative value of purpose-aligned work before they begin their careers. Imagine a program where students and early-career professionals experience 2-week immersive internships across diverse organizations — each driven by distinct but meaningful missions. This exposure would help participants develop an understanding of the types of missions that truly resonate with them. Rather than stumbling through early career choices based solely on salary or status, they would enter the workforce with profound self-knowledge about the environments where they’ll thrive.
How can our readers further follow you online?
I’m constantly on the move between our three wineries, but tend to have some beautiful photos and stories to share on Instagram: @realjefflewis
alexanawinery.com
revanawine.com
corazondelsol.com
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Jeff Lewis of Revana Vineyards On How to Build a Purpose-Driven Culture That Attracts Top Talent was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.