CBAM Issue 1, 2021

VOL 5 • ISSUE 1, 2021

The Voice of Craft Brands

They’ve got the look How Indeed Brewing Co. continues to grow beyond its Minneapolis roots

Kelly Moritz, COO Indeed Brewing Co.

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VOL. 5 : ISSUE 1, 2021

THEY’VE GOT THE LOOK

How Indeed Brewing Co. continues to grow beyond its Minneapolis roots

IN EVERY ISSUE: 3 EDITOR’S NOTE What’s in a site?

4 INSIGHTS Industry News

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ARE YOU YOUR BEST SELF? 7 questions to ask yourself in 2021

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SURVIVING THE TIDE How unprecedented times can be the beginning of something big

editor’s note

D

What’s in a site?

Do you have what it takes to reach your customers today? I know, what everyone needs right now is one of those broad stroke questions that has, like, one hundred different answers. I mean, come on, right?

Okay, so do you? In a time when people are limited to where they can go, shop, eat, drink, and on and on, do you have the right tools in place to let them know what you are up to? Another question.

Without lecturing, I am going to bet that you at least have a strong web presence. A clean, modern designed, easy to navigate site that offers all the particulars, helpful tools, resources, etc., to keep your customers informed.

Websites can be a funny thing. Some offer more bells and whistles that you can shake a beer at, while others are nothing more than “Are you 21 or older” and a cloud of smoke.

When the Craft Brewers Association of Oklahoma (CBAO) recently launched its new website (yes, we track these kinds of things), it offered all of aforementioned tools, giving craft spirit lovers throughout the state an opportunity to find the beers that fit their taste. It had member listings, a statewide map, event information, signup forms, information on how to join and connect with other breweries.

So, when a craft beer lover finds what they are looking for, one of the first things they do is come to your site. Forgive me for the question again here, but what do you have to offer?

Having a website as the face of your brand, because that is what it is, is critical. It should be fun and informative, interesting and vital.

The reason for my soliloquy is simple: I spend an enormous amount of time visiting sites looking for craft spirit brands that have interesting stories to tell. Many of the leads I follow and the brands I fall for have the coolest sites filled with entertaining stories about who they are and why they do what they do.

So take a look at what you have to offer. Make it an extension of who you are, instead of something that somebody said you needed to have as a “landing place.” Remember, landing and sticking around are two, very distinct things.

Michael J. Pallerino

Having a website as the face of your brand, because that is what it is, is critical. It should be fun and informative, interesting and vital.

Cheers.

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insights

Tapping your inner Zen 4 ways to build your business vibe Vibe. Everyone and everything has it. So, how do you use it to your advantage? How do you make it something the people around you not only sense, but want to be a part of? In his presentation, “Executive Presence: Four Ways to Convey Confidence and Command Respect as a Leader,” business thought leader Joel Garfinkle outlines four ways you can build your ability to convey confidence and command respect, regardless of the level of leadership you hold.

Here's how to get your craft team started today:

1. Be composed True leadership is most visible under stressful conditions. When tension rises or a crisis hits, you need to remain calm. Show your professionalism by keeping your poise while others panic.

2. Be decisive Learn to convey your ideas with certainty. When others are looking for leadership, they are looking for someone to step up and make a decision – by being willing to take charge and drive the team toward a solution. Be clear about what needs to be done and who should do it.

3. Be credible No matter what level you’re at within the company, your reputation travels with you. If you’ve always been accurate and reliable, people will be drawn to the security your track record provides.

Perception management is key to creating an accurate reputation.

4. Be concise Think about the people you are drawn to in everyday meetings at your organization. The person who speaks with clarity and purpose to their words probably is top of mind. Be clear and crisp.

They said it... “ I seize every opportunity that I can to talk about beer, but also discuss DEI, and the ways we can celebrate diversity, equality, and inclusion for a beautiful, stronger humanity.”

— Societe Brewing Company founder Megan Stone on what makes the craft beer world such an amazing place to do business

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“ We have a real story to tell that is authentic and longstanding.

In part, this journey has been about making sure we are being clear on what we stand for and pushing our role as ‘silverback’ of the craft within our category and industry.”

— Coopers Brewery national marketing manager Kate Dowd on the cultural, market and creative thinking behind its new strategic brand positioning

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“ Our mission is to ‘beer the change.’ You know, we say, ‘beer the change you want to see in the world,’ because there’s a lot of good people in this industry who want to see equity and inclusion come along.”

— Crafted Culture Brewing Company founder Anthony “Sizzle” Perry on his brand being the first Black-owned brewery in central Ohio

Book Rec

Enforcer to Entrepreneur: Achieving Hockey Stick Growth in Life, Business, and Sports

By Jerry Rollins From where Jerry Rollins sits, nothing in business is a mystery. Success comes through careful study and dedication to the process. The former professional hockey player grew up in a hockey family. His father, Al Rollins, was an NHL player and professional coach.

Growing up, he was surrounded by the likes of Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and Wayne Gretzky. He cherished the moments, absorbing everything he could about life, sportsmanship and excellence. But Collins’ Enforcer to Entrepreneur is not a hockey book. Instead, it shows how a high school dropout took everything he learned on and off the ice and became a successful CEO, running five companies and now mentoring hundreds of executives.

Enforcer to Entrepreneur shares Collins’ decades of experience gathering intel from some of the most successful executives—lessons that were previously only available to the top leaders in industry.

It is a book every craft spirit entrepreneur can embrace.

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The Voice of Craft Brands

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Interview by Michael J. Pallerino

They’ve got the look How Indeed Brewing Co. continues to grow beyond its Minneapolis roots The plan was always to take it slow. When Tom Whisenand and Nathan Berndt wrote the business plan from a library book called “How to Write a Business Plan,” expansion was not on the short list of things to do. The plan was to diligently grow a brand that was not just rooted in innovation, but also in a culture built of good people, good beer and good experiences.

Eight-plus years down the road, Indeed Brewing, which launched in 2012 with a taproom opened to the public and a distribution model consisting of kegged beer to bars and restaurants, the brand continues to evolve. The location, which opened in the Logan Park neighborhood of Northeast Minneapolis, included Whisenand, Berndt, Rachel Anderson and Josh Bischoff, a former local brewer who they named head brewer.

Indeed kicked off its foray into the Twin Cities’ craft world with a diverse set of offerings, anchored by its flagship Day Tripper Pale Ale, and the likes of Flavorwave IPA, the award-winning Mexican Honey Light and its Wooden Soul series of wild, sour and barrel-aged beer.

Growth ensued with a $250,000 expansion in 2013 aimed at doubling its capacity to 6,400bbl per year, eventually increasing expansion out of state in 2014. In November 2018, Indeed rolled into Milwaukee with a new brewery and taproom in the city’s Walker’s Point neighborhood.

Today, it continues to create a whole environment around each brand—a strategy that not only involves the beer, but also the customers who have affixed themselves to the brand.

We sat down with COO Kelly Moritz to get a peek into the Indeed world of brewing and what’s in store for the craft world in 2021.

What adjustments have you made to your business model surrounding the recent state of events?

It almost feels easiest to answer, “What adjustments didn’t we make?”

The more nuanced answer, though, is that we have been able to double down on our strengths as a business to power through the unique challenges we face in this industry.

Two main things stand out when we reflect on our relative successes in the past year: taproom experience and self-distribution. Our taprooms have adapted to the new norms by providing a safe experience for guests and staff whether enjoying a

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Indeed Brewinghead Co. department

pint on site or taking beer to go. The self-distribution arm of our business, which serves the Twin Cities metro area and represents about 70% of our sales, was positioned to provide continuous, custom-tailored service to more than 700 accounts. In both cases, we were able to respond quickly and nimbly to a changing landscape.

What kind of conversations are you having with your customers?

We’re making every effort to put ourselves in their shoes and provide solutions to problems. Our bar and restaurant partners are hurting, so we’re going the extra mile with them, and providing support and creativity wherever possible.

What role should a brand play in being a leader in a distressed market?

A brand like ours is actually quite versatile in that we are a small company built and run by real people who speak in a clearly defined voice and tone that is easily recognizable and trusted. We can use that voice to take a stand on an issue that’s important to us, or we can use that same voice in a different time and place to put a smile on someone’s face with a bit of witty copy and a well-shot photo. We recognize that we’re in a stronger position than some, so as a brand we remain open, supportive and willing to help where we can.

What advice can offer other brands in how to deal with the unthinkable like this?

Stay true to what got you where you are. If you don’t have a well-defined brand voice, now is the time to put that work in. If your company doesn’t have well-defined values to lean on in hard times, and you can feel that now more than ever, dig in and figure out what those are. If cracks started to show when things got crazy, use them to shine a light on problem areas and to define what you want the future to look like.

Give us a snapshot of today’s craft spirits market from your perspective.

The playing field is wide open. Nothing is siloed into a rigidly defined category anymore. Beer can be seltzer. Wine can be a cocktail. Spirits can be booze-free.

What’s likely to happen next?

I think companies that are willing to play in a few different sandboxes, intentionally and with respect to their brand and their uniqueness, will see new levels of success staying relevant to their core customers and developing new relationships with those who exist now in their white space.

What trends are defining the space?

Fruit continues to dominate the craft beverage space, with the new addition of botanicals and teas really gaining in popularity. Creative booze-free offerings like hop water, CBD seltzer and non-alcoholic spirits are becoming so sophisticated, with such well-designed packaging.

On opposite ends of the spectrum, I see a lot of wellness-leaning trends sitting side by side on shelves with a new level of decadence in these over the top pastry stouts and heady, sweet milkshake styles; it feels like the angel and the devil are on your shoulder with not much standing out in between.

What’s your story from a brand perspective?

We try to keep our story simple and let it tell itself through the things we produce, whether that’s a can of beer, a night out at the taproom, a new hat. We have two homes,

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Indeed Brewinghead Co. department

in Minneapolis and Milwaukee, and we are deeply rooted in both cities. In all the things we do, we aim to contribute to the culture of those places where we work and play, and to give back to the communities we live in.

Our owners founded the company with a light-hearted ethos that has been a through-line for the brand and still guides us today. We love what we do, and creating positive beer experiences is in our DNA. Artfulness has always been an important part of our brand story, from brewing philosophy to can design to what’s on our taproom walls. We’ve been able to build upon the founders’ vision of a playful, adventurous, whimsical, caring brand, while leaving room for the rest of our story to still be written.

Walk us through your branding strategy.

We try to create a whole environment around each brand, starting with the liquid, the person drinking the liquid, the experience they’re having with it, and then try to tell that story as quickly as possible through the visuals and copy surrounding each brand.

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What’s the biggest issue today related to the marketing/sales side of the craft beer business today?

Since branding has become so important on the shelf, people have lost a sense of the people behind the brands. In a race to become the hippest, the most well-designed or funniest label, the branding becomes more of a graphic design project with no distinguishable personality behind it. Brands aren’t telling stories of their companies beyond the cover image.

What’s the secret to creating a branding story that consumers can buy into?

An authentic and consistent voice, whatever that means to that particular brand.

What’s the one thing every craft beer brand should do in the way of marketing?

Email. After years of social overload, a really well-crafted email feels like a personal letter from a friend.

What do you see as some of your biggest opportunities moving ahead?

2 Silos Brewing Co. Manassas, VA

METROCERAMICS.COM | 1.800.325.3945

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To circle back to the strengths that have been getting us through this tough time, our taprooms and our self-distribution operations, along with our recent forays into some “beyond beer” drinks like our Boon Hard Kombucha and Lull CBD Seltzer, all stand out.

What’s the biggest item on your to-do list right now?

We plan to take our Milwaukee brewery from less than 300 BBLs in 2019 to 1,000 BBLs in 2022, so that.

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strategy

By Ed Hess

Are you your best self?

7 questions to ask yourself in 2021

Here are seven questions to ask yourself as 2021 gets underway.

Question 1: Do I have control over my Inner World (or am I at its mercy)?

The best thinkers, learners, collaborators and listeners have learned how to manage their ego, mind, body and emotions. If this describes you, you have a Quiet Ego and are open-minded and good at “not knowing.” You don’t reflexively defend, deny, or deflect when someone challenges you. You are willing to change your position when you get better evidence. When talking to others, you have a Quiet Mind and are fully present and focused totally on listening and understanding.

We all have flaws, foibles and blind spots. Problem is that we cannot be great leaders—or even great employees—if we aren’t willing to work on them. Whether we’re leaders or not, most of us have some less-than-ideal traits and habits. Maybe we steamroll over others. Or we intimidate them with angry outbursts. Or we gossip. Or show off. Or get defensive when someone questions us. Or maybe we spend our days flying under the radar so we don’t have to leave our comfort zone.

It can be uncomfortable to look for bad behaviors in ourselves. But as we head into this new year it is the perfect time to take stock. It’s not just a new year; it’s a whole new day.

If we can’t bring our Best Selves to work, we won’t be contributors to the innovation, collaboration and ongoing learning that defines companies able to adapt to a fast-moving world.

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This is not just about “playing nice” with the other kids in the sandbox. It is about being able to join together with them to build a stronger, better, more marketable sandcastle than the one the next playground over. The more you can do these things, the more relevant and employable you’ll be.

Red Flags: A person who cannot “manage self” must always be right. Others may describe you as defensive, arrogant, judgmental or super-opinionated. You may interrupt or multitask while listening to others… or behave in disrespectful ways…or be unable to control your emotions.

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Question 2: Do I have an “Otherness” focus (or am I all about me)?

These days success is highly dependent upon your ability to build caring, trusting relationships that enable the highest levels of thinking and learning for everyone. Otherness is a mindset—a belief that you need the help of others to see what you don’t see because of the human tendency to seek confirmation of what you believe. It is also a behavior—behaving in ways that show you respect the human dignity of others. In the Digital Age, a competitive, survival-of-the-fittest mindset will be the quickest pathway to failure.

Red Flags: You rarely ask for help. You believe you are better than most people. You view each conversation as a win-lose, zero-sum game. You won’t prevent someone from doing something wrong because you want them to fail. You may be viewed as a know-it-all or a braggart.

Question 3: Do I lift up the energy of others or toss a wet blanket over them?

Positive emotions enable better learning; better decision-making; and more willingness to explore, create and innovate. They liberate people to be fully engaged without the limitations of worries, insecurities and fears.

This opens the door to high-quality conversations, team flow and “wow” results. When you bring positive emotions to the conversation, you slow down to be fully in the moment. You express positivity by smiling, by your tone and the words you choose and by your calmness. You behave in respectful ways to others even if you disagree with what is being said.

Red Flags: You are rude and ungrateful. You use body language that says, I am not really listening to you or I am dominant. You put others down. You are closed-minded or not engaged. You are constantly interrupting, raising your voice or getting ready to attack verbally.

Question 4: Do I enable collaboration (or intimidate and dominate)?

This begins with leaders setting an example. You know how to set up meetings so people feel “safe” to join in.

You create an environment in which people care about each other and trust that no one will do them harm.

During meetings, your people are fully present, attentive and connected to each other. Everyone gets to speak.

People challenge the status quo and seek the best possible idea, regardless of the status or position of who suggested it. (It is a collaboration, not a competition!)

Red Flags: You dominate and aggressively push your views. Meetings are not genuine open discussions—the answer is predetermined, and your real goal is consent and compliance. Some of your people don’t speak up at all. Too often, your critiques get personal.

Question 5: Do I practice reflective listening, or do I steamroll over the other person?

If you’re a good reflective listener, you allow others to talk.

You reframe what you think the other person is saying, to make sure you understand. You ask clarifying questions before telling, advocating, or disagreeing. When you do disagree, you critique the idea, not the person.

Red Flags: You don’t make eye contact. You interrupt and multi-task. You are a great “teller,” not a great listener. Your ego is wrapped up in proving you are the smartest person in the room.

Question 6: Do I have the courage to try… or am I a play-it-safer?

In the Digital Age, everyone will have to excel at going into the unknown and figuring things out. When you have courage, you are willing to experiment, even though you know you might fail. You also understand that most learning comes from having conversations with people who have different views from you. You don’t mind having respectful difficult conversations. You volunteer for new projects, openly share your views, and ask for lots of feedback.

Red Flags: You are unwilling to take risks. You appear guarded and closed-lipped. Because you fear making mistakes or looking bad, you rarely step out of your comfort zone.

Question 7: Do I make decisions based on Evidence or Ego? You are not tied to your ideas. You are open-minded.

You never assume. You are always seeking data, even if it will disconfirm your theory or even force a return to the drawing board. You seem to get the statement “I am not my ideas” on a deep level.

Red Flags: You defend your ideas even when there’s no data to support them. You rarely ask for the input of others (and if it’s given, you don’t listen to it). You are invested in being “right.”

If you didn’t like your answers, don’t fret: Becoming your Best Self is a never-ending journey. There are many things you can do to accelerate your growth, from meditating to practicing gratitude to setting daily intentions.

Edward D. Hess is professor of business administration, Batten Fellow, and Batten Executive-in-Residence at the Darden School of Business and the author of Hyper-Learning: How to Adapt to the Speed of Change. For more information, visit edhess.org.

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business

By Katie Lundin

Surviving the tide How unprecedented times can be the beginning of something big One in five small businesses has been forced to permanently close their doors this past year because they were unable to adapt and evolve in response to the pandemic and recession. But some found ways to thrive in the midst of the disruption. Their actions can serve as lessons to light the way forward for those still lost. If your business isn’t thriving, here are some lessons that others did to help grow their businesses during the recession.

Add a new product or product line When you started your business, you probably focused your business plan on a specific market. And that might have worked for some time. But the pandemic and current economic downturn continues to present new challenges, forcing you to rethink your original plan.

For silicone cookware maker GIR (Get It Right), the best solution was to add a new product line—one that focused on a different application of its core technologies or products. GIR could create vital protective equipment for the public using the same silicone material and manufacturing structure that was already the core of its business. So GIR developed an easy-to-clean, reusable silicone mask with companion filters.

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When GIR launched its masks and filters it was rapidly swamped with orders – because the masks and filters filled a real, timely need. Since then, GIR hasn’t rested on its laurels.

They’ve listened to its customers and continued to innovate.

GIR’s recognition of what customers wanted led it to update its mask and filter designs to create a better product, even launching an additional product—a mask carrying case to keep masks sanitary when customers carry them out in the world.

The blueprint includes: > Develop a product that solves a relevant problem > Choose a product that aligns with your business model and current operational capabilities > Let customer feedback guide your direction > Look for related product opportunities that complement your new product

Adapt your operations Normal consumer behavior patterns have changed.

Many people are uncomfortable (or unwilling) to eat indoors in restaurants. More people are shopping online more frequently than ever before.

When consumers enter stores they want to get in and out quicker than usual to minimize the risk of viral exposure. Smart businesses are paying attention to these trends by adapting their operations to support consumer preferences accordingly.

Coach, trainer and executive consultant Giora Morein reports that Whole Foods, along with Kroger, turned some stores into distribution centers and temporary warehouses and fulfilment centers. Adapting their operations has allowed them to meet their customers’ needs more effectively. And it’s powerful to deliver uninterrupted service at a time when so many businesses are failing to live up to customers’ expectations.

Here are ways you can adapt your business operations to service customers more effectively: > Embrace changing more than one thing. > Don’t assume that making a single change is going to be enough to propel your business to success. > For some businesses, adding a new product, adjusting operations, or reaching out to a new audience may be enough. > But, for many, it won’t be. And, that’s not a cause for alarm. > Make the changes that are appropriate to your unique situation.

Take the gourmet cheese retailer The Cheese Shop, which implemented a multi-faceted adaptation to the

coronavirus pandemic. First, it expanded its store offerings beyond cheese to include a wider range of groceries, prepared sandwiches and meals. It used social media accounts to engage customers with videos of tasty foods and daily specials.

In addition, The Cheese Shop implemented curbside pick-up and shipping services, which continue to cater to those who are unable or uncomfortable to come into the shop. The retailer now offers “Victory Cheese” boxes to help support the American artisan cheese industry.

Careful branding or rebranding can help you tell a better story about the range of products you carry and about your business.

Think of ways to rethink your overall brand. Just remember not to confuse your customers and prospects.

Careful branding or rebranding can help you tell a better story about the range of products you carry and about your business.

That’s what gift shop retailer Revolutionary Concord did. Like many businesses during the pandemic, it had to close its doors to the public during the early stages of the lock-downs.

In order to keep the store afloat, ownership introduced the following changes: > “Virtual shopping” via Facebook live, walking customers through the items in stock so they could place orders via phone. > A “no-touch” pick-up service and delivery. > When the store reopened, Revolutionary Concord instituted an eight customer maximum, a new sanitation regime, and private shopping hours available by appointment from 8:30 a.m.–10 a.m.

Just remember, changing course is not a weakness.

Take a cue from these businesses and adapt your business in smart ways now and you’ll live to do business— and adapt again—to work another day.

Katie Lundin is a Marketing and Branding Specialist at crowdspring, one of the world’s leading marketplaces for crowdsourced logo design, web design, graphic design, product design and company naming services. She regularly writes about entrepreneurship, small business, and design on crowdspring's award-winning small business blog.

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It’s easier to sell during a pandemic if everyone on your staff is selling Every one of your employees, from the brewmaster to the cellar workers, can and should be selling for your craft brewery.

Does your team know how to spot an opportunity to sell?

Do they know what to say when the opportunity presents itself?

In the Wall Street Journal best-selling business book Every Job Is a Sales Job, Dr. Cindy—also known as the First Lady of Sales—motivates your entire team, even non-sales employees, to bring in new business and nurture the customers you already have.

Visit www.DrCindy.com and get Every Job Is a Sales Job for your employees today.

Use promo code CRAFT to get a special bonus with purchase.

To contact Dr. Cindy for a personal consultation, visit www.OrangeLeafConsulting.com.

Dr. Cindy McGovern