1485 Wines is a UK fine wine merchant specialising in Italian artisanal wines from boutique producers who care deeply about the land, the vine, and the craft of winemaking. Customers consistently praise the quality, uniqueness, and value of the wines, as well as founder Peter’s deep knowledge and highly personal service. 1485 is the “go‑to” for people who want wines that are a bit different and a bit special—perfectly placed to create memorable experiences for corporate clients, gifting, and events.

Even with strong products and glowing reviews, 1485 Wines faced three key challenges:

• Corporate clients were more accidental than intentional

Corporate orders and gifts were occurring, but there was no clear strategy or structure to win and grow business accounts proactively. Opportunities depended on word‑of‑mouth and chance, rather than a focused growth plan.

• Events weren’t being used as a strategic growth lever

Tastings and wine experiences were an obvious strength, but they weren’t part of a deliberate events strategy to build brand awareness, attract more corporate clients, and generate repeat business.

• The business model needed to be more sustainable and scalable

Revenue was largely transactional and one‑off. Without more predictable, recurring corporate revenue and better systems, growth depended too heavily on the owner, limiting capacity and long‑term scalability.

Million Circles partnered with 1485 Wines through its Ignite / Level‑Up Coaching, a “done‑with‑you” support system designed to help owners build capability, delegate profitably, and scale successfully.

Together, they focused on three core areas:

Sharpening the corporate growth strategy

• Defined ideal corporate segments (e.g. firms that value premium client experiences and staff rewards).

• Clarified the key drivers of the business to prioritise corporate account growth and retention.

Turning events into a growth and awareness engine

• Designed a clear set of corporate‑friendly offerings: curated gifting ranges, hosted tastings, and bespoke wine events.

• Built simple, repeatable event workflows (from enquiry to follow‑up) so each event could drive new business, referrals, and brand visibility.

• Embedded events into a regular marketing and relationship‑building rhythm, rather than one‑off activities.

Strengthening the business model and freeing the owner

• Shifted focus toward recurring and repeat corporate revenue (e.g. annual gifting, regular tastings, ongoing supply).

• Introduced practical systems and processes to reduce reliance on the founder for every task.

• Used coaching and accountability to help the owner “fire themselves” from low‑value work and focus on high‑impact activities like strategic partnerships and key client relationships.

With Million Circles’ Ignite / Level‑Up Coaching:

• 1485 Wines now has a clear, compelling corporate proposition that speaks directly to business needs—client appreciation, staff engagement, and premium brand experience.

• Events and tastings have become a structured channel for awareness and growth, consistently positioning 1485 as the expert partner for corporate wine experiences.

• The business model is moving from ad‑hoc and transactional to more predictable, sustainable, and growth‑oriented, with stronger processes and repeat corporate revenue.

• The founder has greater clarity, control, and confidence, spending more time on what truly grows the business and less time reacting in the day‑to‑day.

1485 Wines is now firmly on a stronger growth trajectory, building not just a great wine offering, but a valuable, scalable business.