Craft Beer Professionals

Based in Williamsburg, the Virginia Beer Company was started by two William and Mary alumni who wanted to create a force for good in the form of a brewery. Their company slogan is 'Beer - People - Purpose' and they actively work with dozens of nonprofits and support charities that are close to their team and communities. They recently finished a rebrand that was over a year in the making, and includes the addition of a new flagship beer. The rebrand comes not too long after officially expanding distribution to touch every part of the state of Virginia. They truly want to be known as Virginia's craft brewery. In this session, we will be joined by co-founders Chris Smith and Robby Wiley to discuss their evolution, need for constant innovation, and future. Chris and Robby met while attending The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. After several years of post-graduation corporate drudgery they took fate into their own hands by returning to their college roots and co-founding The Virginia Beer Company. Over the past seven years the brewery has become a mainstay across Virginia through steadfast dedication to their three core tenets: Beer • People • Purpose. Robby oversees sales and marketing efforts, taproom operations, and community partnerships, while Chris handles operations, finance and accounting, and export sales. Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097 [Stay up to date with CBP] https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/kgRIXUf/cbp

Small town doesn't have to mean small profits. In this conversation, we will be joined by representatives from small town breweries from across the country. From customer preferences to events to marketing, we will discuss strategies our guests have used to build relationships and grow their bottom line. This conversation features: Briana Doyle (Microbrasserie Cardinal) Douglas Toth (Rendezvous Brewing) Dylan Badger (Ausable Brewing Co) Rick Horton (The Outlaw Brewing Company) Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097

In this talk, we will discuss the wide range of benefits for both breweries and brewers, when brewhouse staff creates video content for Youtube and other social media platforms. Creating video content for YouTube is a great way for brewers to connect with their customers, build their personal brand, and differentiate the company's brand from the competition. Launching this type of initiative does not require significant capital expenditure, and the rewards can be significant. I will explain the path I took in my content creation journey, and present the blueprint I used to grow my online presence. Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097

Join us for a conversation with Tyler Wille (CEO, Iron Heart Canning) to discuss the evolution of mobile canning over the last decade. We will speak with Tyler about his entrepreneurial journey, insight and knowledge, and look at what he predicts for the future of canning. Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097 [Stay up to date with CBP]

This presentation is about helping ‘craft owners/operators' accomplish two things, 1) creating a purchasing playbook for their business and 2) developing clear near-term actions they can take back to their brewery/distillery/etc. The discussion starts with outlining how organizations can use a few simple documents to create the necessary data to drive a procurement process. Specifically, starting to outline their current state of costs; what are they buying, from who, per unit cost, etc. (Free downloadable template to be provided) With both a playbook and content/data established – Negotiating is the next topic. Many people are uncomfortable with negotiating. This presentation will touch on reframing this approach to working with your suppliers. Less on either, ‘us vs them’ or the ‘supplier friendship’ issue and more on approaching negotiation with transparency. Also, we’ll review a host of things that a small craft business can negotiate on besides just price. Lastly, rounding out the purchasing playbook discussion is how to think of cost savings exercises as important as increasing sales. Now, more than ever, it’s critical for the craft industry to realize that the challenges of supply chain, inflation, and increased competition aren’t going away. But cost reduction measures can help organizations avoid the trap of working harder for less money. A purchasing playbook can be a great tool to help you do more in years to come without impacting your craft. We’ll share benchmark percentages for running a lean operation that creates a foundation to build on. Who should attend? New craft owners, those thinking to start a business, or legacy craft experts - all could find a tip or two on how to create/update their playbook to address the challenges ahead for 2023. My name is Dan Klasen and I’m the Founder and President of the Beer & Wine Federation (BWF). The BWF is a Group Purchasing Organization that provides procurement services to its craft members, focused heavily on cost savings measures. Starting the BWF has combined my passion for meeting new small business owners, negotiation, and cost-saving programs. I have worked with every size organization in my career, from small family-run companies to fortune 500 businesses. As I moved from a technology firm, to sales, to project management, to purchasing in a large manufacturing company – I was continually drawn to talking to people about what it would take to get the project done right and on budget. Specifically, how could I share best practices and improve the outcomes. I recently completed my MBA with a focus on negotiation and finance. And when I’m not meeting new breweries and wineries to discuss purchasing strategies on running lean, I spend my weekends trying to convince my two little girls that Mario Kart (N64) is the best video game ever created. Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097

Is now the time to sell your brewery? What is a buyer going to be looking at when they evaluate your brewery for a potential purchase? In this panel discussion, we will be joined by some experts who can tell you about what makes a brewery attractive to a buyer, what you should be doing if you want to sell and how profitability and key drivers will determine what you will ultimately walk away with. Panelists: Jason Sleeman (United Community Bank, Brewery Lender), David Lentz (Saucy Brew Works, Controller), Jeff Adam (Adam Noble Group, President) Moderator: Andrew Coplon (Craft Beer Professionals/Secret Hopper) Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097

We can't wait to share beers and see you in-person in Nashville. We kickoff CBC Week with our Welcome Party on May 7 at Jackalope Brewing Company. RSVP: https://craftbeerprofessionals.org/nashville-rsvp/ In this conversation, we will be joined by several of our event partners to discuss current industry challenges, strategies for success, general observations, and the importance of in-person events. This conversation features: Bryant Vander Weerd (Full Pour Media) Lisa Noyes (Jackalope Brewing Company) Loren Bendele (Arryved POS) Pulkit K. Agrawal (Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient) Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097 [Stay up to date with CBP] https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/kgRIXUf/cbp

At some point in time you, as a brewery owner, realize that whether it’s a few years or 10+ years away, you won’t be involved in the business forever. Every day you think about how to set up your business for a successful exit that’s good for all stakeholders – employees, customers, other investors, and you. One day you discover open-book management and its potential to grow your people and your business at the same time. Because of that you begin implementing what is really a people operating system where your employees think, act, and feel like owners. Because of that your business develops an ownership culture with increased trust and high employee engagement along with the positive financial impacts of consistent performance and profit growth. Until finally your brewery is a business of business people and you can feel confident exiting when the time is right for you. When companies want an ownership culture that includes trust and engagement along with positive financial impact, Larry helps them make it happen. He coaches them in building an Open-Book Management system. In reality, it’s a people operating system that leads to growth for both individuals and the business. Prior to being a Great Game of Business Certified Coach®, Larry was a professional brewer for 23 years. He’s been a frequent speaker at the Craft Brewers Conference including a panel discussion of brewpubs using open-book management. He served on the Brewers Association Board of Directors from 2013-2021. During 6 of those years he was the Board Treasurer and chair of the BA Finance Committee. Beyond beer and business coaching you'll find him vying for ""Dog Dad of the Year"" and filling Chief Support Officer duties for his wife's professional speaking business. Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097

Too often we are presented with formulas for success and that if we only follow them that our businesses will be successful. That is not always the case as sometimes even small decisions can have a huge negative impact later on. This panel session is an examination of such decisions, unmet challenges, or other situations that have put some brewery owners in the position of closing operations. Join us for a frank discussion on making the decision to pull the plug and what comes after that. Panelists: Bob Sylvester (St. Somewhere), Dean Brundage (New Republic), Kelly Meyer (How Not to Start A Damn Brewery Podcast & Book) Moderator: William Teasley (Khonso Brewing) Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097

We can't wait to share beers and see you in-person in Nashville. We kickoff CBC Week with our Welcome Party on May 7 at Jackalope Brewing Company. RSVP: https://craftbeerprofessionals.org/nashville-rsvp/ In this conversation, we will be joined by several of our event partners to discuss how to best plan for CBC, the importance of in-person events, and how to make it a success. This conversation features: Ara Jahn (Pro Brew Supply) Bailey Spaulding (Jackalope Brewing Company) Dan Hornbrook (MarketMyBrewery) Kyle Rheiner (Craft Brewing Insurance) Paal Ingebrigtsen (Plaato) Join us in-person for CBP Connects | Half workshop, half networking Milwaukee, WI | June 19-21, 2023 Grab your spot now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cbp-connects-milwaukee-presented-by-arryved-pos-june-19-21-2023-tickets-420534529097