Going Pro...whose got what it takes?

[cowgo]

Yes, but the Tri-Lateral Commission (Bud, Miller, Coors) has conspired with the politicians in Texas to make it almost impossible for any startup that does not have multi 7 figures to burn. They have all the state politicians in their pocket and force a 3 tier distribution system on brewers with their arcane laws.

That's not a new item. Anhueser-Busch, Pabst (Best Brewery) and Miller were doing that in the 1800's.

Read, Ambitious Beer, The Story of American Beer, by Maureen Ogle (One hundred fifty years of American beer, from the German immigrants of the 1840s to the microbrewers of the 1980s.)

Puts a lot of American beer history myths to rest and provides a thumping good read, as they say.

 

[Jaybird]

Oh I am going there and doing that. I have decited to build a brewery and that is just exactly what I am going to do!!! California Brewing Company inc. Redding Brewhouse should be open for buisness early 2009. buisnesss plan is complete I have the DREAM TEAM on board, the marketing tools and lables are complete.... Here we go
JJ
make your dreams happen. cause nobody is gonna do it for ya!!!

 

[MVKTR2]

+1 for Inkslinger82's comments!

My parents owned a commercial nursery for 17 years, 13 of which it was the sole source of income for our family. In retrospect I don't know how they did it and am amazed and thankful!

I started a new job last month, left an awful situation after 7 torturous years of what would qualify as mental abuse if I had been married to my last job!!! NO I"M NOT KIDDING, it was that bad. My new job, like my old one, is a small business run by the owner/operator. It couldn't be more different than day is from night. How a business is run in all aspects are key. The product, placement, advertisement/promotion, work environment, talent pool of prospective employees, product awareness of clientel, realistic possibility of educating clientel, on and on and on! What's my point? To echo what others have said, it's hard and I haven't even mentioned financing. I myself would absolutely LOVE to go into bus. for myself, but lack the means and contacts to do so with any assurity of being able to keep my family clothed, fed, and properly housed.... so I work for someone else.

Too finish up and track back to the original purpose of this post, I'll relate what my new boss said too me as we were talking the other day. ( to understand this you have to know that I work for a Digital Graphics/Vehicle Wrap/Trade Graphics company as a graphic artist) He said about 3 years ago he had to make a decision to either be an artist or run his business the correct way. Well I was hired to take over much of his remaining design responsibilities. So like inkslinger82 said.... there are some tough decisions to be made when you run a business. Sorry to be so UNBRIEF... guess yall know why I'm an artist and not a writer!

Good luck and cheers to all you intrepid entrepaneurs,
Phillip

For anyone intrested check us out at www.imageonestudios.com

Just wanted to quickly chime in on this one. Im new to brewing, but have my own business. Here is what I learned BEFORE I started mine. There is a HUGE difference between being an artisan/craftsman...and being an entrepreneur. Very few people possess the ambition, personality, and devotion to both be the artisan and the businessman. In my situation, I made a decision up front that I was going to be the main artisan in my business...therefore I needed to hire somebody to actually RUN the business. I guess if I was to relate the experience to Brewing...I would say either make a decision to RUN the business and make the decisions that will lead your company to success...or go the other route and HIRE somebody to run the business while you focus on creating a solid, marketable product. Doing both is not efficient for time or product quality. Im not saying it cannot be done, but any business consultant might tell you that the creator of a company MUST be willing to relinquish some control of the company in order to achieve steady growth.....this goes for any business. Just have sound hiring and training procedures to make sure that it runs like a machine. Just my thoughts.
Chris

 

[moger777]

I think location makes a big difference in whether you will be successful or not. Here in western mass there are a lot of micropubs and some really good regional breweries. It helps that we seem to have a culture that appreciates good beer around here. Some areas and some people just have the "I drink two types of beers, bud and free" attitude.

 

[Dextersmom]

Maybe a little late to this discussion, but there are a lot of books out there worth reading about restaurant / bar / foodservice ownership. All my life i've wanted to own a bar. I've worked in just about every aspect of food service and its a great deal of work and money obviously but if done right it can be quite rewarding.

My plan its to own an establishment for all audiences. Family food section as well as a seperate bar section. Now that i'm getting into brewing this is yet another angle that could potentially be an option. Obviously we'll hafta see how the brewing comes, but i've decided to hold on opening until i'm a little older, have some more money, and experience.

...but i digress....

definitely check into some of the books that are available. The first that I read was "Running a Bar for Dummies"

 

[Bobby_M]

Oh I am going there and doing that. I have decited to build a brewery and that is just exactly what I am going to do!!! California Brewing Company inc. Redding Brewhouse should be open for buisness early 2009. buisnesss plan is complete I have the DREAM TEAM on board, the marketing tools and lables are complete.... Here we go
JJ
make your dreams happen. cause nobody is gonna do it for ya!!!

I hope the dream team also "decited" to spell check the business plan before shopping it around. :cross:

 

[Jaybird]

I hope the dream team also "decited" to spell check the business plan before shopping it around. :cross:

spell check dweeb holy crap I would hate to think I sent some things out to the brew boys without spell checking first...there is more to life then spellcheck bobaloo but ya it was put together by a pro. loads of great feed back on the plan and generating $$$$$$$ thats the key
Cheers
JJ