October is over? That means we have more episodes to recap from The True Craft Podcast.
This month’s topics spanned a variety of subjects, but there was an unintentional through-line of thought that was present in our conversations: The importance of being in relationship and supporting your community.
Before we get into the recap, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the SBS community. Whether you are a SBS client, podcast participant, a listener and reader of our content, or a combination of the above: thank you for being here.
Let’s get into this month’s recap!
Episode 62: The Raw Truth Behind Entrepreneurship with Chris Farmand and Katy Noel
Episode 63: The Revenue in Risk-Taking with Sam Kazmer from Elsewhere Brewing
Episode 64: The Relationship ROI with Pearce Fleming from Commonhouse Aleworks
Episode 65: Surviving Craft with Michael Memsic from Sanitas Brewing Co.
Increased business comes from your unique contribution to your community
In conversation this month, we heard quite a bit about what some brewery owners are doing to help gain a ROI in both revenue and relationship.
When we sat down with Sam Kazmer, Co-Founder of Elsewhere Brewing out of Atlanta, GA, he was days away from opening a second taproom location.
Sam initially made reference to that infamous Field of Dreams line “If you build it, they will come…” but quickly followed it up by adding, “…that scenario isn’t working anymore. Just having high-quality craft beer is simply not enough to get people out of their home. It’s not interesting enough to stand on its own.”
So, what did Elsewhere Brewing do for their second location? They formed a relationship with the Atlanta Pickleball Club and brought them into the conversation with the building developer to have pickleball courts constructed in their new space.
This type of out-of-the-barrel thinking was also present in our conversation with Pearce Fleming, Proprietor of Commonhouse Aleworks, who shared that “when an employee starts with [the brewery], they get to choose a cause that [resonates with them].”
The brewery then explores ways to invest in the local community, whether it’s volunteer work or giving a portion of proceeds to a chosen cause that the employee wants to support.
Commonhouse Aleworks has created a strong foundation for relationships with their employees, customers, and regulars. Pearce makes it clear that it’s not all about profit, but any additional revenue is an inadvertent side effect of caring for and fostering their community. You can read more about this episode from this month’s highlight email.
Focus on relationship ROI
Whether its relationships with your employees, wholesalers, or colleagues: The days of holding information close to the vest, specifically with other craft practitioners, are coming to an end.
Our chat with Michael Memsic, Co-Founder of Sanitas Brewing Company out of Boulder, CO, led to Chris asking what Michael sees as the future of craft and how breweries can find a path forward:
“Talk to brewers,” Michael said in response, “We’re all out there. Build relationships where you can trust people. It allows you to see what other people are doing and you can learn from one another. And let me clear: there is a difference in just talking over beers in a crowded room and actually sitting down and having an honest conversation.”
It should come as no surprise that a similar sentiment was shared by Pearce at Commonhouse Aleworks: “If we want people to be for Commonhouse, we have to be for them. It comes back to relationships.”
Building trust while sharing your knowledge, including missteps, helps strengthen the industry melting pot of expertise through shared experiences.
Balance as an entrepreneur is the key to sustaining success
Speaking of relationship ROIs, the balance between the relationship you have with yourself, your family, and your business is essential for sustaining success.
When Katy and Chris sat down for our first 1-on-1 episode format, they chatted about growing up in entrepreneurial families, both with personal experience of having father’s who run their own businesses.
“The thing with being a business owner is…it doesn’t stop at 5pm,” Katy said, “you are the person responsible for the success of the business…if you can’t [find balance], it’s not going to help your business because you become the bottleneck. But it also, honestly, kills your family. It’s a big thing to say, but if you are dedicating your entire life to [your business]? Is that the impact you want to have?”
And Chris was able to relate as he comes from a family of CPAs, with a father who would work incredibly hard around the clock in order to support his family.
For Chris and his brothers, it wasn’t going to be about working yourself into the ground. As Chris recalls, “I told my brother’s that we are going to have to work smarter than dad did in order to maintain the quality of life and success we have now. Same results, but working smarter.”
Of course, there isn’t anything wrong with working hard, but if it’s at the detriment of your relationships, it’s imperative to ensure you find balance to sustain success in your business. And in your relationships.
That concludes October’s edition of The True Craft Podcast Recap!
November’s discussions are on the horizon and if you haven’t already subscribed to the podcast, you can do so here and listen to episodes as they release every Friday morning.
I’ll see you for another recap at the end of November!