Send us a text Some people are definitely born with the sales gene. And Maggie Skinner of Revolution Brewing has seen every side of beer sales from getting small breweries off the ground and into the market, to managing the house - the whole house - to working for a distributor and their portfolio, to now managing sales for a brewery with a regional market. She’s experienced all levels and all sorts of people and is here to tell us all about it from her base in Milwaukee. Great Resources for Wom...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 54
Send us a text Starting with baking, Courtney Lorenz knew she wanted to work with fermentations while also helping people lead healthy lives. This joint mission led her to kombucha and building an amazing brand and product in Northern Michigan. On this episode she shares her fermentation journey, why she is so drawn to this beverage, and how she has single-handedly built this company over the last 8 years. And yes, I made sure ahead of time that she wasn’t offended if I called it Booch. Special ...
Mar 06, 2023•54 min•Ep. 53
Send us a text When producing a beverage for public consumption it is important to know beforehand that people even want it. When you get rolling, that consumer feedback is still so important. But so is market data, category trends, and what the media is saying. Jess Lander from the SF Chronicle joins me to share her story as a wine and travel writer and her perspective of the wine industry from in front of the tasting room bar. She has always had a passion for writing and focuses those skills o...
Feb 20, 2023•55 min•Ep. 52
Send us a text She’s focused her education and career on empowering women and advocating for their well-being. Now she has put her experiences into words with a new book about cultivating assertiveness and finding your voice. Cara Tuttle Bell joins me to share her personal journey and dive into why the systems are failing women in the workplace and what we can do to help ourselves and each other. Harness that rage ladies! Get her book today! Drowning in Timidity: Women, Politeness, and the Power...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 51
Send us a text On this episode we head to the Commonwealth of Virginia to a cidery focused on dry ciders, fresh ingredients, and unique flavors. Tegan Biun is half of the cidermaking powerhouse team over at Lost Boy Cider in Alexandria and brings her wealth of cider knowledge, experience and passion to their production processes. She shares her winding journey that got her to Virginia, the ciders she makes, and the importance of cultivating equity in the alcohol community and supporting each oth...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 50
Send us a text The Sober Curious movement is gaining traction in this country which I am reminded of at the start of every year with all the Dry January posts. And if you need to reassess your relationship with alcohol, please, by all means. But on behalf of alcohol producers, I feel compelled to say a few words about how a neo-prohibition movement, no matter how small, must not negate the love, respect, and passion that cidermakers, winemakers, brewers, distillers, and fermenters in general hav...
Jan 09, 2023•22 min•Ep. 49
Send us a text For this episode we’re headed back West, to the Central Coast of California. There, Morgan and Maggie have been building Two Broads Ciderworks - focusing on locally grown apples and wild fermented, co-fermented, single varietal, and classically blended ciders. They have bootstrapped a small business and also continue to face challenges, like most in the queer community in America. Despite it all, they’re staying true to themselves and their company vision, growing organically, and...
Dec 12, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 48
Send us a text Starting in the tech world as a programmer, Limor worked her way up to manage teams of engineers both in Israel and the US, all while also raising four children and moving between countries. She has recently redirected those skills to helping other women in the tech space as a coach and mentor. On this episode she shares her story and some helpful tips to making your LinkendIn profile the best that it can be, and it should be!, and ways that women can reach out for professional gu...
Nov 28, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 47
Send us a text You’re trying to grow a market for your brand but you’re running out of time in the day? You’re in a state where you can’t sell your own products in the market and have to work with a wholesale distributor? Just interested in what it takes to sign with one? Shopping around for the perfect distribution partner would take til the end of time, but here are the questions to ask and the things to think about for companies that want or need to make the next step to larger distribution. ...
Nov 14, 2022•35 min•Ep. 46
Send us a text It’s been 20 years since Meagan Bishop and I said buh bye to high school and set off on our own separate courses. She actually jumped into sales and the alcohol industry much earlier than I did so while I am still in Virginia we are sitting down to discuss her journey through golf courses, tennis lessons, winery tasting rooms, and all that has led her to wine sales and distribution. She has the Irish gift of the gab and is here to share where that can take you and how her passion ...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 45
Send us a text For this episode Jamie Barlett of PolyPay joins me to talk about the great resource that she has developed to connect small businesses with the payment processing tools that they need while also sharing her journey of building this finance company from the ground up as a female in a male dominated financial industry. It’s another example of carving out your place and making it your own. Special Mentions: PolyPay Businesses require flexibility in the different ways they accept paym...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 44
Send us a text Adelaide spent years assessing risk for an insurance company, using her math background to save money and work out inefficiencies. During COVID she got the entrepreneurship bug and changed gears entirely. Now a couple of years into building a spirits brand from scratch she shares her story - why she made the leap to the alcohol industry, her passion behind the Brazilian drink of cachaca, and a few pointers on getting a company started from the ground up. Special Mentions: Kachaca ...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 43
Send us a text Laurie Gilbertson was a criminal prosecutor in New York for 10 years and then made the jump to consulting, sharing all that she had learned with other lawyers and entrepreneurs. She shares her experiences being a female in another male-dominated industry, and some tips and tricks for putting your best self forward for a sales pitch or any communications in the business world. Tribeca Blue Consulting Want to become a better communicator, or just boost your confidence when talking a...
Sep 19, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 42
Send us a text Today I have some news to share - that South City Ciderworks is closing its doors and shutting down production permanently. This has been a painful journey over the last month and I know that it is not over yet. But through it all I have had this podcast, and I have more yet to share, assuming I don’t start feeling like a total imposter. Thank you to Tony Stuck for the awesome intro/outro music and to Mary Ann King for the amazing pod art that you see for every episode. If you’ve ...
Sep 12, 2022•13 min•Ep. 41
Send us a text Jennie Dorsey has built a career around her passion for cider and her enthusiasm is contagious. She’s been on the sales beat, she’s managed a sales team, she’s run a taproom restaurant, she’s written the rules on how to taste, analyze, and talk about cider and she joins me on this episode to talk all about it! Special Mentions: Tieton Cider Works Portland Cider House for Schilling Cider American Cider Association - Certified Cider Professional Program Thank you to Tony Stuck for t...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 40
Send us a text The interviews are back! I sit down with Airelle Peters of Black Mermaid Lifestyle Brand and soon to be Justified & Worthy Brewing Company to talk about making beer, drinking beer, and promoting and educating women and minorities in the industry. It’s not easy being a reservist for the military, a cicerone, a brewer, and a mother but she’s done it all! Special Brewery Mentions: Railyard Brewing Company Founders Brewing Company - Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Settlement Justifi...
Aug 08, 2022•58 min•Ep. 39
Send us a text Glass hydrometers, production hoses, rubber impellers, racking arms, butterfly valves, and stainless steel tanks. All critical to the production of cider. And all oh so easy to completely destroy. And over the years we have done our fair share of breaking stuff. Just to give you an idea of all that can and has been destroyed in the process of making our cider, I thought I’d share at least my first take a list. We're only human after all. Ever had something break unintentionally or...
Jul 25, 2022•29 min•Ep. 38
Send us a text Every bottle, can, box, tube, and paper towel in a big box grocery store is there because a lot of different voices and interests have decided it is so. And getting your craft beverage on that shelf can be a daunting task. But it’s not the only off-premise option for products. For this episode I dive into all the options we have as small producers to get our products on shelves in stores. And that’s a wrap! Have you had a sales victory recently? Been overwhelmed with the difficult...
Jun 14, 2022•36 min•Ep. 37
Send us a text The apple orchard has been in the family for five generations and that love and legacy shows through in the great cider that they make. For this episode, Andrea from Far West Cider over in Richmond, CA joins me to chat about growing up on the family farm, her journey into cider, and what they’re doing to innovate and keep things interesting with the beverages they make. Special Mentions: Hard Core Cider Tour Far West Cider - Subscription Box Options and a list of participating Far...
May 16, 2022•57 min•Ep. 36
Send us a text When I started South City Ciderworks seven years ago I wasn’t thinking about where my life would be down the road and that I might not want to be in California for the rest of it. Almost a decade later, a little girl later, a global pandemic later, and a company merger later we have packed up our life and are moving back home to the East Coast. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make and I’d like to share why I did it and what it means for our amazing cider. An...
May 02, 2022•26 min•Ep. 35
Send us a text Each alcohol category in the US has its own association, or if anything, an organization that helps spread education and advocacy about the craft. For cider, we have an amazing woman at the helm who has helped build the American Cider Association into a vocal champion for us cidermakers, cidery owners, and cider enthusiasts. I sit down with Michelle this episode to hear all about her unique cider journey and her role in the industry. Cider Resources: VinoShipper - Direct to Consum...
Apr 18, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 34
Send us a text For this episode in my cidermaker series I am joined by another member of the Blindwood Cider team over in San Leandro, California. Erin helped her brother Drew create the business and has kept the company running while he has kept the cider flowing. We talk all about building a cider company, building a brand, and building your village. Special Mentions: Cider Summit @cidersummit Castro Valley Natural Grocery - @castrovalleynaturalgrocery And that’s a wrap! If you’ve enjoyed this...
Mar 28, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 33
Send us a text The Delta, just east of San Francisco Bay is home to one of the more unique alcohol producers in the area, Hemly Cider. And for this episode I dive back into our cider community and catch up with Sarah Hemly. She joins me to share her cider journey and all about how to get a business off the ground, what it takes to keep it going, how awesome pears really are in case you didn’t already know, and what she’s learned from being a woman at the helm. It has been quite an adventure and ...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 32
Send us a text The downfall of cider in this country is a multi-pronged sword with reasons ranging from temperance evangelists to federal legislation to immigration to harvest timing. It’s not just one chop of the axe. We have seen a rise, a fall, and new rise of cider in the US and for this episode I finish out the story. Please subscribe, rate, and review to help out this podcast! 5 stars goes a long long way and I so appreciate your support. I know it says write a review and that can be daunt...
Feb 28, 2022•23 min•Ep. 31
Send us a text Cider has a Looooooooong history in this country, basically as old as the Mayflower itself. You may have heard it was North America’s number one drink at the start of our colonial colonies and on into the 1800s. And you would have heard right. Here is part one of a special history segment showcasing how cider has helped keep people healthy and sane and won elections well up until its tragic downfall and fabulous rebirth. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and ...
Feb 14, 2022•23 min•Ep. 30
Send us a text It’s been 9 months since I’ve talked about the pandemic. But this past weekend, COVID finally came to the cidery. So here’s the small business take on how this pandemic is hitting us from our team testing positive, hiring, to prices and supply, to general morale. It’s unavoidable. It’s everywhere we turn. So here’s an update now that we’re two years into this thing. Is COVID impacting your business in ways you couldn’t imagine? Would love to hear your perspective! Email me at jenn...
Jan 24, 2022•30 min•Ep. 29
Send us a text It is not often that you meet someone who has served the beer, ordered the beer, distributed the beer, and also sold the beer. And today we have one of those power house ladies from the Bay Area. Lola has a vast experience from almost every angle of the craft beer world and today I sat down with her to hear her journey, share lessons from her experiences, and give a behind the scenes view of how the tap list at your local bar takes shape. And trust me, it doesn't happen on its own...
Jan 04, 2022•1 hr 17 min
Send us a text Being behind the bar and keeping a restaurant or bar fully stocked with inventory and organized with a menu is hard work. And super time consuming. A lot goes into that tap list that you see when you sit down at the bar. And for the women in this world, they deal with a lot of other crap as well. So I interrupt this buyer series to do a quick reflection on the women who I am talking to and why they are amazing... Even if they don’t always feel amazing. Are you behind the bar day a...
Dec 13, 2021•14 min•Ep. 27
Send us a text I’ve talked with producers, I’ve talked with distributors, now I’m shifting gears to showcase the buyers. These are the women behind the bar who are making the decisions and keeping the cider and beer flowing. For this episode I sit down with Isabel who has a great story to tell as she’s moved from bar, to taproom, to brewery, building her own wealth of knowledge and sharing that education with the masses. This is a start to a longer series about women behind the bar and how they’...
Nov 22, 2021•58 min•Ep. 26
Send us a text Big beer has a lot of resources to help boost their sales and keep the little guys down. But we have some tricks of our own and some aspects of being small that work in our favor. I cover some of those sales strategies that have helped us over the years. They might be pretty common sense but hey, they work! And that’s what matters. Any particular strategies work in your favor? Any particular sales victories you’d like to share? I’d love to hear all about it! Email me at info@other...
Nov 08, 2021•27 min•Ep. 25
