004 - Your Business Plan: The Academic Perspective.

The Start A Brewery Podcast

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 [email protected].

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