From Beer to Big Ideas: Why Guest Experience & Storytelling Build Beloved Brands

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025 in Calgary, this special episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features a conversation with Joshua Counsil, Co-Founder of Good Robot Brewing and guest host Meredith McKeough.

Joshua shares candid lessons from building a multi-dimensional hospitality and beverage business spanning beer, non-alcoholic drinks, events, and co-packing for major retailers like Costco. The conversation explores why guest experience is one of the most powerful marketing tools available, how storytelling influences customers, employees, and even lenders, and why scrappy, generous marketing often outperforms big-budget campaigns.

From navigating PR crises to designing small moments that create outsized word-of-mouth, this episode is packed with practical insights for marketers, founders, and brand leaders looking to build trust, loyalty, and long-term growth.