The Start A Brewery Podcast

If there was ever an insider’s look at brewery financing, this is it. Rick Wehner of Brewery Finance and Scott Birkner of Dogwood State Bank hail from lending organizations that are very different in their approaches. Their opinion about business plans, however, has a lot of common ground. For a good hard look at credit, partnerships, different kinds of financing, working with businesses in trouble, and a whole bunch of valuable commentary – take a listen.

Rick Wehner, Founder, Brewery Finance

Rick started his leasing career shortly after college when he went to work for his father’s equipment leasing company, learning the leasing business from the ground up, starting in the file room and slowly working his way through most of the different departments.

Rick eventually went on to start his own equipment finance company along with his brother, and he quickly married his passion for craft beer and his experience with equipment finance by forming Brewery Finance. He’ll be the first to tell you that he is more of a “beer guy that works in finance,” than a “finance guy that works with breweries.”

Scott Birkner, SBA Lending Specialist, Dogwood State Bank

Scott Birkner began his finance career immediately following college, where he worked for Unity Bank and held several progressive positions, from a loan underwriter to a Regional Sales Manager, and then commercial lender. Following this, he became a SBA Business Development Officer, where his portfolio projects ranged from $500,000 - $15,000,000.

Scott comes to Dogwood State Bank with over 20 years of SBA Lending, having served as a Senior Business Development Officer for HVC Bank, United Western Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Bank of North Carolina (now Pinnacle), Yadkin Bank (now First National Bank), and United Community Bank. Scott specializes in financing business acquisitions, start-ups, expansions, refinances, partner buyouts and commercial real estate on a nationwide platform. He is passionate about forming relationships with his clients and anticipating their needs throughout the duration of the loan process.

Scott is a member of the CVBBA (Carolinas Virginia Business Brokers Association) Brewers Association, America Craft Distillers Association, American Distilling Institute and many State Guilds. He is a frequent speaker, panelist and moderator at business broker events, commercial real estate events, lending conferences, seminars and SBA industry training.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

What does it mean “to leverage your brand”? And how would you do that? Our guests in Start A Brewery Podcast Episode 022 have answers, and do an wonderful job of connecting the discussions in Episode 006: Understanding Your Market & Creating Your Brand Identity and Episode 021: Creating Your Marketing Plan as well. Covering a wide range of topics – from brand strength to brand refresh, social media influencers, and consistency (the episode theme), Taylor Seidler of SeaThirst Creative and Jenny Mann of DIY Social Media for Breweries and Jenny Mann Photography bring examples, stories, and some really actionable insights to the table.

Taylor Seidler, Creative Director, SeaThirst Creative

Now living in Western North Carolina, Taylor started her award-winning design life as an editorial designer at a Boston alt-weekly, moving on to be creative director for a beer magazine & website. Now she’s focused on branding, marketing, and finding the best spots for a hike or canoe trip. 

Jenny Mann, Founder of DIY Social Media for Breweries and Jenny Mann Photography

 For over 11 years, Jenny has been a huge advocate for craft beer, while working for some of the top breweries and craft beer bars in the San Diego beer community. Her experience includes homebrewing, beertending, developing brewery tours and draft maintenance programs, education, management, sales and marketing. She is a Certified Cicerone and has photographed over half the breweries in San Diego. After seeing the need for beer-specific social media in the craft-beer industry, especially over the last two years, she built a business and online community designed specifically to navigate and guide small-to-medium-sized breweries and brewpubs through the wacky and everchanging world of algorithms and social media to help them get their messages and products out to the masses. Jenny travels all over the country coaching and speaking in front of local brewer guild memberships, helping brewing companies create thoughtful, informative, timely posts to keep fans and followers in the know.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Marketing plan? Who needs one? Well…you do. From understanding what exactly a marketing plan is & what it’s for to marketing budgets & target customers, our guests in Episode 021 bring it all to the table. SWOT analysis, road maps, local vs. outside market approaches, marketing budgets, and more….it’s here. It’s not just for the business plan or for the lenders; this is where you make the game plan for your business.

Many thanks to RadCraft for sponsoring Episode 021 and to All About Beer for partnering with us in this podcast endeavor!

 
Guests: 

Ann Obenchain, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Brewers Association

Ann Obenchain is the Vice President of Marketing & Communications for the Brewers Association. Ann develops and leads the strategic direction of the association's marketing and communications activities, and serves as spokesperson with the media for events, including the Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, World Beer Cup, and Homebrew Con.

Julie Rhodes, Owner & Strategic Business Consultant, Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions

With over 2 decades of experience on the business side - supplier sales, digital marketing, and distribution management - of the craft beverage industry, I provide strategic sales and marketing advice to small to medium-sized beverage alcohol brands through webinars, whitepapers, digital courses, one on one consulting, and group coaching programs.

Bill Wetmore, Sales & Marketing Director/Head of Beer Strategery, Fat Heads Brewery

 A highly skilled professional with nearly 20 years of beer leadership experience (marketing, sales, and general management), across dozens of national import and craft brands, Bill is a strategic thinker who combines excellent communication, problem-solving, and motivational skills, with a firm focus on long-term business development, team empowerment, budget achievement and bottom-line results.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

From business projections to everyday financials! Dovetailing nicely with our previous episode, Getting Into the Numbers, Part II recaps a bit of the groundwork prep you’ll need to start generating numbers for your business plan and then hits seasonal projections… before heading into a thorough discussion of best practices and strategies to help new and existing breweries stay in touch with their financials. It comes as no surprise that communication is the #1 culprit in a lot of distressed situations, and our guests get into some ways to tackle that challenge as well. A deep dive with both strategy and actionable elements throughout.

Audra Gaiziunas, Brewed For Her Ledger

Audra is the owner of Brewed For Her Ledger, LLC. Prior to owning her own company, she served as Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s Controller 2009-2010 and Mother Earth Brewing’s Chief Financial Officer 2011-2014. She has been working exclusively in craft beer for 11+ years and joined the Brewers Association’s Finance Committee in January 2020.

A graduate from the prestigious Kenan-Flagler OneMBA program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Audra possesses over a decade and a half of experience in senior leadership roles in craft brewing, manufacturing, services, non-profits and startups. She earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and business management (double major) from Loras College (Dubuque, IA) in 1997. Her passions include home brewing, mobile marketing, crafting stories from numbers, and paying it forward.

Kary Shumway, Beer Business Finance and Craft Brewery Financial Training

Kary is a CPA, former CFO for a beer distributor and current CFO and Partner of Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, MA. He has spent the last 20 years using finance to help improve financial results in our businesses. Now, he’s helping other breweries, wholesalers and cideries to do the same.

His financial training programs have been developed on a new learning platform in order to deliver the best experience. The programs are designed specifically for non-financial people who have the responsibility of either managing or contributing to the success of business.  

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Proforma, Sales, and Cash Projections, oh my! Episode 019 literally “Gets Into the Numbers”, with a ton of guidance about approaches to the tasks, available templates, and other resources to help you with the financial side of your business plan. Our guests discuss the strategy around conservative plans & projections and what lenders/investors are looking for…and break it down into terms that our hosts can understand. Audra Gaiziunas and Kary Shumway both are chock full of experience, offer different perspectives around how to work into the numbers, and provided such a wealth of information that we are recording again  for Getting Into the Numbers Part II.

Audra Gaiziunas, Brewed For Her Ledger

Audra is the owner of Brewed For Her Ledger, LLC. Prior to owning her own company, she served as Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s Controller 2009-2010 and Mother Earth Brewing’s Chief Financial Officer 2011-2014. She has been working exclusively in craft beer for 11+ years and joined the Brewers Association’s Finance Committee in January 2020.

A graduate from the prestigious Kenan-Flagler OneMBA program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Audra possesses over a decade and a half of experience in senior leadership roles in craft brewing, manufacturing, services, non-profits and startups. She earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and business management (double major) from Loras College (Dubuque, IA) in 1997. Her passions include home brewing, mobile marketing, crafting stories from numbers, and paying it forward.

Kary Shumway, Beer Business Finance and Craft Brewery Financial Training

Kary is a CPA, former CFO for a beer distributor and current CFO and Partner of Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, MA. He has spent the last 20 years using finance to help improve financial results in our businesses. Now, he’s helping other breweries, wholesalers and cideries to do the same. His financial training programs have been developed on a new learning platform in order to deliver the best experience. The programs are designed specifically for non-financial people who have the responsibility of either managing or contributing to the success of business.  

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

What does it mean to set goals and create projections for your business plan?  How do you pull those numbers out of the sky? And running your brewery, regardless of any other variable, requires setting goals to optimize your business success. Mark Boelman of Triple Bottom Line Brewery Consulting starts off Episode 018 with practical goal setting advice, and Tim Myers of Strange Craft Beer Co and Matt Del Vecchio of Duck Foot Brewing follow by sharing their personal experience. In addition to initial goals, Tim and Matt share how they work with their team now to set goals and communicate for day to day operations.

Many thanks to Harvest Hosts for sponsoring Episode 018 and to All About Beer for partnering in the creation of this podcast!

Guests:

Mark Boelman, Principal, Triple Bottom Line Brewery Consulting

Mark is an industry veteran with an MBA in accounting and finance who led the business side of Left Hand Brewing Co for many years. He founded the Craft Beer Accounting Group, a network of 100+ regional brewery CFOs, Owners, and Controllers, is a National BJCP judge, and an avid (award-winning) homebrewer.

Tim Myers, Founder/Head Brewer, Strange Craft Beer Company

Tim Myers is a father, husband, and brewer, in that order. He started Strange Craft Beer Company in May 2010, brewing one barrel at a time in Denver’s first taproom brewery. In the past 11 years, Tim has helped over a dozen breweries open, taught brewing classes at Metro State University, and served on the board of the Colorado Brewers Guild.

Matt Delvecchio, Founder/ Head Quack, Duck Foot Brewing Company

In 2012, Matt Delvecchio, at the time a financial planner living in New York, was diagnosed with Celaic Disease, a gluten-intolerant disease. Instead of letting this get him down in the dumps, he researched ways to make beer with virtually no gluten, and thus, duckfoot was born upon Matt’s arrival in Encinitas, CA. Matt enjoys spending time with his wife, and two children, and working on ways to give more gluten free beer to the people!

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Continuing the two part conversation about the necessary – nay, essential - systems for your brewing business, our guests take a hard look at the key people who make up your brewery business team. Who are they, how did you find them, and how much of a voice do they have in the direction and decision making for your business? The conversation hits highlights about business structure, communication, sharing of business progress, supporting your team, and ultimately how many hours there are in a day. Larry Chase and Matt Hughes have lived experience from so many different perspectives around this topic, and their wisdom is helpful on just as many levels.

Guests:

Matt Hughes, USI Insurance

 Matt has been a commercial insurance and risk consultant for 18 years. In addition, he has been a brewer for Wynkoop Brewing Company & founder/ former head brewer for Goldspot Brewing Co.

Larry Chase, Great Game of Business Certified Coach

Beer flavor variety brought Larry to craft brewing in 1997. Today he supports and coaches owners who want to build a culture of ownership and employee involvement.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Beginning a two part conversation about the necessary - nay essential - systems for your brewing business, our guests dig into their areas of specialty to talk through both the philosophy and mechanics interwoven behind the scenes. Mary Brettmann offers insight around the critical financial/Accounting hub of information gathering for effective decision making, Ethan Tsai speaks to the production side of brewing with the realities of the 5S approach to success, and Nancy Trigg talks through the tap room, staff and customer service systems that are so important. While brewery owners of all levels will find good information in this episode, start up, young, and expanding breweries may expand their vision and practical understanding of solid brewing business best practices.

Guests

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

While podcast episode 014focuses primarily on Contract Brewing, 015 takes us down the path of Alternating Proprietorships. Jamil Zainasheff shares his experience brewing his recipes for Heretic in an Alternating Proprietorship arrangement before he had his own location, and Candace offers a wider lens with regard to contracts and the legalities of different Contract/Alt Prop combinations of services, licenses, and facility usage. Chock full of tips, tricks, and best practices, this episode is an extremely practical and useful way to expand your perception of what it takes to open a brewery.

Guests

Jamil Zainacheff, award-winning homebrewer, author, beer judge, and host of “The Jamil Show” and “Brew Strong” shows on The Brewing Network, and Founder of Heretic Brewing Co.

Candace L. Moon, Co-Founder of Start A Brewery and Founder/Attorney at The Craft Beer Attorney

Candace L. Moon is a San Diego-based attorney who handles many different legal areas including alcoholic beverage law, contract review and trademark law. (also Co-Host of the podcast)

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 014 explores the business approach to opening a brewery based on contract brewing and alternating proprietorships. Alisa Bowens-Mercado of Rhythm Brewing tells her story of the search for contract brewing, while Phil Markowski of Two Roads and Matthew Osterman of Sleeping Giant share the backstory and intent behind their purpose built contract brewing facilities. Relationships are key, as we learn, and all three guests share tips, tricks, and best practices throughout this episode.

Phil Markowski, Master Brewer/Co-Founder, Two Roads Brewing Co.

Master Brewer Phil Markowski comes from an engineering background. After dabbling in home brewing and winning a few competitions back in the 1980s Phil made the bright decision to go into the craft beer world as a career.

A long career at various breweries has led to dozens of medals from the GABF and WBC, along with many other medals at regional and international competitions. Phil also wrote the book on Farmhouse Ales, literally, and is thrilled to be in his dream job: working with friends to create a brewery from scratch with state-of-the-art equipment.

Alisa Bowens-Mercado, Owner/Brewmaster, Rhythm Brewing Co.

Rhythm Brewing Co. is a New Haven, CT based brewery, founded by Alisa Bowens-Mercado. Realizing the lack of craft lagers on the market, Alisa decided to create her own. Her flagship beer, Rhythm, is a modern American-style lager with an ABV of 5.5%. Brewed with South African hops, Rhythm is unfiltered, flavorful, and has a slight bite that leaves you wanting more. 

Music, Dance, and Beer have played a significant role in Alisa’s life. Both of Alisa’s Grandmothers’ were beer drinkers, and on special occasions, they would sip, dance and converse about “Finding your Rhythm in Life”.

Matthew Osterman, President & Founder, Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.

Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. is the result of President & Founder, Matthew Osterman creating the type of contract brewing facility that he and his business partner were looking for when they needed one. Listen for the colorful story of his homebrewing journey in his college dorm through the advent of Sleeping Giant and its current role in the Denver and regional area.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 013 continues the discussion with Chris Leach of Wild Goose Filling, Alex Smith of ABS Commercial, and Brian Mollohan of Ruby Street Brewing about all things equipment. Where 012 was more shopping information and considerations, 013 takes us further into customized equipment, the entirety of costs associated with brewing equipment, and all things cans….including growlers vs. crowlers. Listening to both episodes will give you confidence in both shaping your vision and searching for the right vendors to work with to get you there.

Episode 013 is sponsored by ABS Commercial.

Brian Mollohan, Owner, Ruby Street Brewing

Brian Mollohan founded Ruby Street Brewing after years of homebrewing and building custom brewing systems for friends.  Ruby Street is a family owned manufacturing business that specializes in building small scale nano and pilot brewing equipment.  Ruby Street is unique in that all equipment is built to order with flexible designs, customizable options, competitive pricing and unrivaled customer support.

Alex Smith, Midwest Sales Consultant, ABS Commercial

Alex’s first foray in to fermentation was actually at a wine growers internship through the University of Georgia Sustainable Ag program.  Realizing he had neither the patience of palate for wine, he soon pivoted to beer and never looked back.  Since then he has worked in almost every aspect of the beer industry from retail to production and everything in between.  Over 5 years ago, he helped open our sister company, Raleigh Brewing Company, where he served as yeast manager, head brewer and productions manager.  Now with ABS commercial he wears just as many hats, covering sales, technical consulting and on-site brewing support.  Alex resides in Denver, CO and heads up the Colorado wing for ABS Commercial.  When not in the office or on the brewhouse, Alex can be found roaming the mountains with his wife, Natalie and their two dogs, Gracie and Wren.  He also enjoys wrenching on and riding bikes, fermenting foods and tinkering with whatever needs tinkering.

Favorite Beers: A roasty schwarzbier, a juicy IPA or Schlenkerla Urbock

Chris Leach, Regional Sales Manager, Wild Goose Filling

Chris Leach is the East Coast Sales Manager for Wild Goose Filling. He comes from a background in the hospitality industry, attending the Culinary Institute of American and working in all facets of the restaurant industry. Chris shifted course in 2006 to the beer industry brewing at Keegan Ales in upstate NY before moving into consultative sales. His sales experience includes off-premise retail, distribution, cidery/distillery representative and packaging equipment. Chris has been working with breweries to design, configure and implement over 300 packaging lines over the past 5.5 years. 

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

In Episode 012 our guests weigh in on one of the most popular topics of conversation when talking about any brewery: brewing equipment. In addition to in depth advice about brewing system capacity, the group gets into what kind of questions to ask equipment suppliers, how to evaluate equipment, considering used equipment, when and how to consider mobile canning vs. purchasing your own canning line, and more. Keep an eye open for a Part II of this topic, as rumor has it there are lots more areas to discuss!

Episode 012 is sponsored by Wild Goose Filling.

Guests: 

Brian Mollohan, Owner, Ruby Street Brewing

Brian Mollohan founded Ruby Street Brewing after years of homebrewing and building custom brewing systems for friends.  Ruby Street is a family owned manufacturing business that specializes in building small scale nano and pilot brewing equipment.  Ruby Street is unique in that all equipment is built to order with flexible designs, customizable options, competitive pricing and unrivaled customer support.

Alex Smith, Midwest Sales Consultant, ABS Commercial

Alex’s first foray in to fermentation was actually at a wine growers internship through the University of Georgia Sustainable Ag program.  Realizing he had neither the patience of palate for wine, he soon pivoted to beer and never looked back.  Since then he has worked in almost every aspect of the beer industry from retail to production and everything in between.  Over 5 years ago, he helped open our sister company, Raleigh Brewing Company, where he served as yeast manager, head brewer and productions manager.  Now with ABS commercial he wears just as many hats, covering sales, technical consulting and on-site brewing support.  Alex resides in Denver, CO and heads up the Colorado wing for ABS Commercial.  When not in the office or on the brewhouse, Alex can be found roaming the mountains with his wife, Natalie and their two dogs, Gracie and Wren.  He also enjoys wrenching on and riding bikes, fermenting foods and tinkering with whatever needs tinkering.

Favorite Beers: A roasty schwarzbier, a juicy IPA or Schlenkerla Urbock.

Chris Leach, Regional Sales Manager, Wild Goose Filling

Chris Leach is the East Coast Sales Manager for Wild Goose Filling. He comes from a background in the hospitality industry, attending the Culinary Institute of American and working in all facets of the restaurant industry. Chris shifted course in 2006 to the beer industry brewing at Keegan Ales in upstate NY before moving into consultative sales. His sales experience includes off-premise retail, distribution, cidery/distillery representative and packaging equipment. Chris has been working with breweries to design, configure and implement over 300 packaging lines over the past 5.5 years. 

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 011 brings together decades of ingredients and processes experience for a thorough discussion of “What are you brewing?”.  Neil Witte, Erik Fowler, and Niko Tonks are all brewers who in time have specialized in quality, yeast, and hops. The scope of their work within the industry and connection to both the brewing and business side is apparent as they offer practical advice about everything from recipe costing, house yeast, secondary hops markets, and ultimately to the proper way to brew and serve a nitro beer.

Erik Fowler, Director of Education & Craft Hospitality, White Labs

Erik has been with White Labs since 2014. Before coming to White Labs, he worked for a prominent regional brewery, a nano-brewery, and several beer and wine focused retail outlets. He has led education classes on yeast handling, sensory techniques and QC. Erik holds his Cicerone® certification as well as a certificate in the Business of Craft Beer from San Diego State University.

Neil Witte, Associate Director of Exams for the Cicerone Certification Program, Founder/Owner of Tap Star & Craft Quality Solutions

Neil Witte is the Owner/Founder of TapStar and Craft Quality Solutions. He's a 23-year beer industry veteran, draft beer specialist and one of 19 Master Cicerones.

With TapStar, he takes the industry draft quality standards he helped develop as a co-author of the Brewers Association Draught Beer Quality Manual. and certifies quality standards at draft beer retailers. He then promotes those retailers who serve the highest-quality draft beer with consumers.

With Craft Quality Solutions, he travels the country helping restaurants, bars, breweries and distributors through such services as draft system design, installation, troubleshooting, and service; distributor draft department consulting and training; on-premise sales team draft system training; and brewery field quality and sensory program consulting and training.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Niko Tonks, Central Region Sales Manager, Yakima Chief Hops

Niko Tonks is the Central Region Sales Manager for Yakima Chief Hops. He started his brewing career at Live Oak Brewing in Austin, Texas in 2011, co-founded Fair State Brewing Cooperative in Minneapolis in 2013, and joined YCH in the fall of 2022. He has extensive experience with technical brewing, recipe development, and R&D brewing. He lives in Southern Minnesota and enjoys a fine pilsner beer.

Episode 010 harkens back to Episode 003: Foundational Elements, and continues with the critical decision making of Ownership, Kitchens, and what kind of brewery approach you will be using. Beginning with a thorough discussion of strategies and pitfalls of various locations, our guests work their way through approaches to design, working with contractors, architects & other professionals, functionality above and beyond such as solar or water sustainability practices or equipment, and more. Dustin, Andy & Derek offer best practices as well as examples of challenges created by issues at this juncture on their journey.

T. Dustin Hauck, Principal, Hauck Architecture

With over twenty-five years experience in the profession, Dustin has participated in all aspects of architectural practice. As principal of the firm, he is the driving force behind all of the firm’s projects and designs, responsible for project management and document production. A local resident of San Diego, California, since 1985, Dustin began his architectural career in 1996, and founded Hauck Architecture twelve years later. His background includes a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the Hammons School of Architecture at Drury University, study at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland, and hands-on experience in the construction industry while assisting his family in their many construction endeavors. Dustin’s combination of thorough analysis, client considerations, and attention to detail constitute the foundation of Hauck Architecture’s approach to every project, whether it’s a green home design, a sustainable restaurant renovation, production brewery, or ADA code compliance upgrades.

Derek Wasak - Founder, Lead Consultant - Plato Brewing and Consulting Inc.

Derek is a 14 year veteran of the craft beer industry, an award winning Head Brewer, and has direct experience planning, designing, building, and operating multiple craft breweries. Most notably, he has worked at Smuttynose Brewing (NH), Stone Brewing (CA), Duckfoot Brewing (CA), as well as others in Southern California ranging from 1000 bbl-180,000bbl/yr+. Derek is a graduate of UMass Lowell, Siebel Institute, World Brewing Academy, and Doemens Academy and specializes in brewery business planning, equipment and space planning, expansion planning, and project management. After spending most of his career as Head Brewer he decided to step off the production floor to start Plato Brewing and Consulting in 2020 to utilize his operational experience and help others realize their dream of opening a Brewery as well as save them time and money throughout the process.

Andy Hooper, Director of Business Development for Barnum Mechanical

Andy is the Director of Business Development for Barnum Mechanical, a design-build engineering contractor.  He is an award-winning Brewmaster with over 15 years of experience in brewery design, sustainability, wastewater treatment, and process engineering.  He holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and holds a Master Brewers’ certification from the U.C. Davis Master Brewers extension program.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 009 carries forward the critical decision making from Episode 008 into the biggest of pictures about your business, digging into the food component (kitchen) as a major factor in determining whether you’re planning a tap room (only), a brewpub, or a packaging brewery. With decades of experience individually, our guests together represent a very diverse collection of perspectives on this topic. From the headaches to the financial benefits of a kitchen, and diving into the  situational possibilities for production breweries and tap rooms without food, this discussion covers a ton of useful ground for the start up or expanding brewery.

MATT POTTS, FOUNDER/CEO OF DESTIHL:
Matt Potts is the Founder, CEO and General Counsel of DESTIHL®. Matt also served as DESTIHL’s original Brewmaster from 2007 until January 2022 when he passed on the mash paddle. Matt received his Bachelors in Ag Science from the University of Illinois in 1991, his juris doctorate in 1993 from DePaul University College of Law and became a licensed attorney in 1994. While practicing law, he started homebrewing at the end of 1995, and he & his wife, Lyn, eventually opened their first brewpub, Elmwood Brewing Company (‘EBC’), near the law office in 2001.

In 2007, Matt attended Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, securing his Associate in Brewing Technology certificate, and then started up a new brewpub and full-service restaurant concept, DESTIHL Restaurant & Brew Works, in Normal, IL. In 2013, DESTIHL opened its first production brewery in Bloomington, IL, reaching capacity by late 2015. In 2017, DESTIHL Brewery opened its new destination, regional Brewery & Beer Hall facility in Normal, which is now expanding its capacity to over 60,000bbls/year and has a brewhouse capacity of over 150,000bbls/year.

DESTIHL’s award-winning beers are now distributed in almost 40 states, plus Canada and Sweden, including its industry-changing Wild Sour Series, which was one of the first sour beers packaged in cans, its DeadHead® IPAs (including 2021 Gold and Bronze Medal winners in the coveted Juicy/Hazy IPA & Imperial IPA categories) and many other beers. DESTIHL started doing some contract brewing in 2018, but due to so much word-of-mouth growth for these services, it is now launching a new, separate division of its brewery called CANOPOLIS™, which is focused on contract brewing.

Matt served on the Board of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild from 2010-2020 and Chairman of the Guild’s Government Affairs Committee from 2017-2020, which was instrumental in securing many changes to Illinois laws over the years to secure production cap increases, self-distribution & beer transfer rights and many other important rights and protections for the growth of all Illinois breweries.

Chris Black, Co-Founder Falling Rock Tap House

Chris Black is a 40-year veteran of the Craft Beer Wars. From his start working at an early Beer Bar to stints working for Importers, Distributors and Breweries, to his ultimate goal of owning one of the World’s most well-known Beer Bars, The Falling Rock Tap House in Denver, CO for 24 years, Chris has experience in all three tiers and a passion for helping people set up a great experience for their customers. Essential elements include Good Design and Layout, Sound, Lighting, Seating and most importantly, setting up your Draught System properly.

Tom Hennessy, Founder Colorado Boy Brewing

Tom Hennessy has opened seven breweries of his own and helped open over 130 more with his Colorado Boy Brewery Immersion Course. He is  the founder, along with past partners Tom White, Greg Atkin and  Rick Post, of Scalo Northern Italian Grill in Albuquerque, Pranzo in Santa Fe,  and IL Vicino Wood Oven Pizza in New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas. His video Frankenbrew, from 1995 has become a cult classic in the brewing world. His three previous brewing books include The Brewery Operations Manual, The Affordable Brewery, and Colorado Boy SOP. Tom lives, brews and writes in his mountain town of Ridgway, Colorado, with his wife Sandy.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of  Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 008 covers one of the most obvious and essential initial topics in Ownership and Organizational Structure. Yes, you need to explain your decisions and the resulting organizational outline in your business plan, but the importance of this gets into tax implications, decision making for the company, succession planning, following legal guidelines for investors, etc. And as Mary points out during this episode, you need to know your partners well, because you’re going to spend a lot of time together and you need to be on the same page.

Guests:

Mary Brettmann, CPA, President,Beverage Business Builders

Mary holds an active CPA license in Minnesota and California & has 25+ years of experience in the corporate world. In prior lives, she has been a state auditor, a sales controller, an international treasury professional, a business owner and finally a craft brewing CFO for a fast growing regional craft brewery. Mary’s current mission is to teach the industry what she’s learned and to help people get to the next level in their journey. And so in 2015 Beverage Business Builders was born. Mary calls Minnesota – and now California -  home, but has clients all throughout the country.

Jeff Mendel, Partner/Director, Left Hand Brewing Co.

Mendy, aka Jeff Mendel, is one of the original owners of Tabernash Brewing Co, which merged with Left Hand Brewing Co. in 1998. Mendy has been on the Board of Directors for Left Hand since that time in addition to being fully immersed in all things with the Brewers Association. He is currently on the Events Committee for the BA, was co-Founder of the Colorado Brewers Guild, has been the Director for the Institute for Brewing Studies, and Director of the Microbrewers Conference and Trade Show among other leadership roles in the industry.

Jeffrey O’Brien, Attorney/Partner, Chestnut Cambronne PA  

Jeff O’Brien is a partner with the law firm of Chestnut Cambronne PA, practicing in the areas of business and real estate law.  He represents several craft breweries and distilleries, helping them with financing issues, real estate matters, the launch of their businesses, intellectual property protection, operational issues and all of their other legal needs.  He is a frequent commentator on issues pertaining to liquor law. Jeff is licensed in the States of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and South Dakota.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of  Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The 007 episode is a break to check in with three industry veterans about their craft beer journeys. Key elements of the discussion include how mission statements & values shine through their existing businesses and, overall, how business plans have or have not played a part in the various breweries they have been with over time. Their experiences showcase the differing approaches to business through the years, down to writing a business plan “for an audience of one”, as Sam puts it.

Mark Youngquist, Owner/Brewer,Dolores River Brewing Co.

Cofounder of Rock Bottom Breweries, the Colorado Brewers Guild, and founder of the Dolores River Brewery, Mark has been actively involved in the brewing industry for over 35 years, and is a ICF certified coach specializing in leadership, business development and entrepreneurship to those looking to explore their passions and dreams.  

Mark began brewing in 1987 at BridgePort, founded the Rock Bottom Breweries in 1990, resurrected the Boulder Brewery in 1991, and was a founding member of the Colorado Brewers Guild.  He opened the Dolores River Brewery in SW Colorado in 2002 and is a mentor with the BA mentorship program.

Sam Calagione, Brewer/Founder,Dogfish Head Craft Brewery(& affiliated businesses), Boston Beer Co.

Sam Calagione has been focused on brewing beers with culinary ingredients since 1995 when Dogfish Head first opened as the smallest craft brewery in America. Today, Dogfish has grown into a 400+ person company and is one of the most recognized breweries in the country.  Dogfish Head is based in Delaware with Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, an off-centered brewpub and distillery, Chesapeake & Maine, a geographically enamored seafood restaurant with a James Beard nominated cocktail program, Dogfish Inn, a harbor-front beverage-themed motel and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and distillery featuring a Tasting Room & Kitchen.  Dogfish currently sells beers, spirits, and canned cocktails across the U.S.  In July 2019, Dogfish Head proudly merged with the Boston Beer Company.  Sam’s innovative style and collaborative spirit has earned him a reputation as one of the industry’s most adventurous entrepreneurs and brewers. Sam has authored four books and was named the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional in 2017.  Sam, Mariah, and their family reside in coastal Delaware.   

Mitch Steele, Brewmaster & Co-Founder ofNew Realm Brewing Co.

Mitch is the Brewmaster and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing Co. in Atlanta, GA. He has been brewing beer professionally for over 34 years, studying brewing science at the University of California Davis and home brewing prior to becoming a professional brewer in 1988. Since 1988 Mitch has managed brewing operations and innovation with four different breweries, including 14 years with Anheuser-Busch followed up by 10 years at Stone Brewing in San Diego county, where he managed all brewing operations as Stone Brewing grew from a 50,000 bbl operation to one of the top 10 largest craft brewers in the country, operating 4 separate breweries in 2 countries. In 2012, Mitch authored the Brewers Publications book IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale and in 2014, the Brewers Association awarded Mitch with the prestigious Russell Scherer Award for innovation in craft brewing. In addition to his duties at New Realm Brewing Co., Mitch currently chairs the Brewers Association Supply Chain Sub-Committee, was just elected to the Brewers Association Board of Directors, and sits on the Board of Directors for the GA Craft Brewers Guild.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of  Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

This session is an excellent Branding 101, including finding those differentiating elements, how to avoid the hop cones and barley in your logo (unless you grow them), and understanding how this translates to your brand family development on the shelf at retail. Indeed, looking from the retail shelf backward, the group discusses being intentional with your decisions at this stage as your foundation for growth later.

Guests:
 

Emily Hutto, Founder/CEO of RadCraft: Emily Hutto is an experienced journalist, marketing professional, and public speaker who specializes in the craft beverage supply chain. After years of freelance writing and authoring the book Colorado’s Top Brewers, she founded RadCraft in 2012 to serve the communications needs of maltsters, hop farmers, brewers, and distillers.

Misty Gordon, Founder/Owner of Misty Gordon Creative: Misty Gordon is a Multimedia Graphic Artist and Creative Director specializing in creating strong, visually stimulating design and providing cohesive marketing collateral across multiple platforms.  After years of working in the advertising industry in various markets, Misty opened Misty Gordon Creative in 2010 to address the needs of the craft beer industry.

Julie Rhodes, Owner/Educator, Not Your Hobby Marketing:With over two decades of experience on the business side of the craft beverage industry, Julie Rhodes founded Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions in 2019 to assist small to medium sized beverage producers with their sales, marketing and distribution plans. She’s an educator, strategic business consultant, journalist, and advocate who enjoys analyzing market data just as much as skiing and sci-fi movies.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of  Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 005 - Your Business Plan: Mission Statement, Perspective, Values & Vision brings together the very different perspectives of a mediator (“ombudsman”), employment law attorney, and diversity educator to discuss the questions “Who are you?” and “What do you collectively as a team and a business represent?” In exploring what mission statements are, why they are important, and how to help others create them, the group gets into the importance of walking your talk  for your own team, for your community, and to continue to maintain best practices as an employer of choice.

Guests:

Ren Navarro, Owner/Operator, Beer. Diversity.With nearly a decade of experience in the alcohol industry, a passion for encouraging personal and professional growth, and her trademark wit, Ren is here to educate, enlighten, and engage. Since launching Beer. Diversity. in 2018, Ren has become a known name at breweries, wineries, distilleries, and beyond. She has given talks on diversity and inclusion at several colleges and countless festivals, panels, radio shows, and podcasts throughout North America. In addition to being a diversity educator, she is a craft beer consultant for bars and restaurants in Ontario, Canada, and an educator for countless businesses throughout North America.

Jon Hyman, Esq., Chair of the Employment & Labor Practice Group and Co-Leader of the Craft Beer Practice Group, Wickens Herzer Panza.Jon serves as outside in-house counsel for businesses. He has extensive experience on more specialized labor and employment law issues, such as wage and hour compliance, social media, cybersecurity, and other workplace technology concerns, affirmative action compliance, and union avoidance and labor relations. Jon is also co-founders and co-practice group leaders of the Firm's Craft Beer practice. In that capacity, he helps brewers, brew pubs and restaurants, and businesses that serve the craft beer industry navigate their specialized business, legal, and regulatory issues. He is also the author of the renowned and award-winning Ohio Employer Law Blog (www.ohioemployerlawblog.com, an American Bar Association Blawg Hall of Fame inductee), which he updates daily to provide businesses and human resources professionals breaking news and other updates on the ever-changing landscape of labor and employment law. Jon is licensed in the states of Ohio. 

Jason Gladfelter, Owner, Vombuds (a Virtual Ombudsman).Jason is a beer geek with a conflict management profession (or is it the other way around?) who developed Vombuds, a virtual ombudsman, to help small businesses with their internal dynamics. He is Professional Human Resources certified, has a conflict resolution degree, and has been a conflict management consultant for 15 years in both India and the US. He is an admitted beer dork/homebrewer and is Level one Cicerone Server.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of  Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Your Business Plan: The Academic Perspective is the first of a series of episodes dedicated to creating your business plan. We begin with a group of professors with a variety of backgrounds speaking to the whole of the plan, with emphasis on its importance, the approach people take, what’s effective or not, and finish with common mistakes. Each guest shares their wisdom to close, and this one has a bit of a surprise in the wrap up!

Our Guests:

Jon Reynolds is the founder of Brewplan, a strategic marketing advisor to craft brewers, craft distilleries and boutique wineries. Jon has been referred to as a“Beer and Beverage Strategist” in the beverage industry with more than 42 years as an insightful branding, sales and marketing professional for a large regional brewer, wine importer, craft brewers and currently as President of Sales Results for his own consulting business. Jon is also a Certified Instructor of the Business of Craft Beer course at UVM.  Jon publishes a monthly beer industry blog for craft brewers also on the UVM Business of Craft Beer Website that focuses on business trends, beer consumers, distributor issues, legislation that affects craft brewers, marketing tools, and strategic planning to improve brewery profits. The monthly beer industry blog is hosted by UVM, and additional insights and resources are available at www.brewplan.com. Jon can be reached at brewplanmarketing@gmail.com.

Ethan Tsai, PhD, formerly a professor for the brewing industry program at Metro State University, was most recently the general manager of all brewing operations for Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, after his tenure as the director of the brewery for Tivoli Brewing Company in Denver.

Gregory Dunkling is  Director of the Business of Craft Beer Program (BoCB) at the University of Vermont

Greg is founder and director of UVM’s program. Greg has met with hundreds of breweries over the past decade, offering guidance to individuals interested in starting a brewery; and others who seek industry knowledge to transfer skills into the beer world. Although Greg has never had the pleasure to own a brewery, he has great passion for working with the BoCB team of amazing instructors to give people an edge for success in craft beer.

About StartABrewery

StartABrewery is a collaboration amongst a fun group of craft beer industry veterans who are often invited to speak at beer business / brewing education programs. Each has offered to share their knowledge and experience to support the craft beer community as a whole by helping fledgling breweries in planning.
 

Conceived and coordinated by Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, and Laura Lodge of  Customized Craft Beer Programs, StartABrewery is provided as an educational resource for those dreaming of opening a brewery, those who are taking steps to make their dream a reality, and those who are opening their brewery doors and living it.
 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Positive Fat Bass Intro Loop by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6093-positive-fat-bass-intro-loop
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license