Develop skills, build relationships and be prepared to use one's human capital when the need arises. Most people would agree an entrepreneur needs all of those factors --plus some more.

And they sum up the life of Ashley Walkley, who has just written a book that draws on his more than a quarter of a century in the hospitality and training industries, which has also metamorphosed into a full time consulting business.

The book, Fun with Food & Fermented Beverages, is a 60-page self-published reference work Walkley hopes will contribute to one of life's great pleasures -- an excellent meal enhanced with superb wine (or beer) in convivial company.

"It's a compendium of the food and beverage data and materials that I have assembled over the years," said Walkley, who compiled the book because he felt there "wasn't a quick and ready reference to what wine and beer goes with what foods."

Those questions, plus lots of other useful tips are answered in the book.

Kevin Marchant, a vice-president with Harry Winston Diamond Corp., purchased 25 books. "They vanished pretty quickly because people want to know the balance between food and liquid. The book is good for both beginners and those who are veterans of the culinary and liquid delights."

Writing a book was probably the farthest thing from Walkley's mind when he arrived in Canada in 1979 as the first marketing agent for wine made in Australia

Back then, Australian wine was a tough sell as it was unknown as a wine country. "There was nothing. The liquor stores were populated by French, Italian, Spanish, German and Portuguese wines. I was selling fortified wines, ports and sherries," said Walkley, whose time in Canada started when the locally produced Baby Duck was the top seller. "Their view was that Australians were beer drinkers and not capable of making good wine. There were a lot of obstacles and prejudices to overcome," he said.

But Walkley, who grew up in Adelaide, the capital of the wine state of South Australia, didn't give up -- even if he spent more time at wine shows than he had anticipated. To assist with the education process, he helped form the Australian Wine Society.

Then came the breakthrough. "I went down to the liquor board with the Australian Trade Commissioner and we got six listings, three reds and three whites. That was unprecedented," said Walkley, noting the six, "were fundamental Australian wines, they were big sellers down under and made to appeal to emerging tastes."

From that small start, the interest by Canadians in Australian wine grew and grew. Fast forward a quarter of a century and Australian wine is de rigueur as far as Canadian consumers are concerned. Canada is one of the top importers of Australian wine after the U.S. and Britain. Until recently the top selling individual red (Yellow Tail) and individual white (Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay) wine sold in Canada were Australian.

From wine, Walkley then sold beer for the Imported Beer Co., a company started by John Sleeman.

"Like all Australians, Ashley has an attitude that says 'we can get things done.' It's a can do attitude. We would sit down, discuss an idea and just do it. It was fun working with him. Instead of being bureaucratic and finding reasons why things wouldn't work, he was always a positive influence," said Sleeman, who in 1988, re-established Sleeman Brewing and Malting.

Sleeman has read the book, while his wife has bought a number of copies. "I have had fun matching the right beer with the right food," said Sleeman, who still has a business relationship with Walkley. "He is a guy who keeps reinventing himself. He is a very skilled guy and it seems whatever he turns his hand to, he has fun and is successful."

Walkley credits Sleeman with helping develop his own entrepreneurial spirit. "He is wonderful visionary. He single mindledly went forward by shrugging off the obstacles and barriers."

When Detroit-based Stroh's Brewery Co. purchased a 19% stake in Sleeman, Walkley joined Stroh's. (Sleeman bottled beer for Stroh's.)

Stroh's, and a number of other foreign beer companies, challenged the power enjoyed by the Canadian based brewers in restricting foreign beer from being freely available in the beer stores. That matter was taken to GAAT. "We ended up winning, which established the popular price category in Brewers Retail in Ontario and the corner stores in Quebec," said Walkley, noting that it was a pyrrhic victory. "Even though we had access, they would bury our beer in the bottom corner of the store," he said.

After the beer business, Walkley formed AEW & Associates Inc., a skills training firm. "The business etiquette and protocol work grew out of requests from my clients for instruction and guidance in these areas. There were opportunities not being acted upon. The idea was to show how people could present themselves in a positive light, to gain people's attention and respect and be remembered," he said. "One key to success in business is to get people to listen to you and to develop relationships because people like to do business with people they like."

And that business has meant contracts with a number of financial companies, and with the major utilities including Rogers Communications.

One brokerage firm, whose firm has a policy of not commenting, hired Walkley for a series of presentations. "He brings an interesting and professional insight into how to deal with clients in a productive manner," said the organizer.

So what's next?

At this stage Walkley is bringing his skills to the hot energy sector with Enbridge Electric where, once again, there are new challenges to overcome and opportunities to be realized.

Walkley's book is available via www.aewassociatesinc.com.