Beer School Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery

by Hindy, Steve; Potter, Tom; Bloomberg, Michael R.

• ISBN13: 9780471735120
• ISBN10: 0471735124
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-09-21
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

What do you get when you cross a journalist and a banker? A brewery, of course."A great city should have great beer. New York finally has, thanks to Brooklyn. Steve Hindy and Tom Potter provided it. Beer School explains how they did it: their mistakes as well as their triumphs. Steve writes with a journalist's skepticism-as though he has forgotten that he is reporting on himself. Tom is even less forgiving-he's a banker, after all. The inside story reads at times like a cautionary tale, but it is an account of a great and welcome achievement." -Michael Jackson, The Beer Hunter(r)"An accessible and insightful case study with terrific insight for aspiring entrepreneurs. And if that's not enough, it is all about beer!" -Professor Murray Low, Executive Director, Lang Center for Entrepreneurship, Columbia Business School"Great lessons on what every first-time entrepreneur will experience. Being down the block from the Brooklyn Brewery, I had firsthand witness to their positive impact on our community. I give Steve and Tom's book an A++!" -Norm Brodsky, Senior Contributing Editor, Inc. magazine"Beer School is a useful and entertaining book. In essence, this is the story of starting a beer business from scratch in New York City. The product is one readers can relate to, and the market is as tough as they get. What a fun challenge! The book can help not only those entrepreneurs who are starting a business but also those trying to grow one once it is established. Steve and Tom write with enthusiasm and insight about building their business. It is clear that they learned a lot along the way. Readers can learn from these lessons too." -Michael Preston, Adjunct Professor, Lang Center for Entrepreneurship, Columbia Business School, and coauthor, The Road to Success: How to Manage Growth"Although we (thankfully!) never had to deal with the Mob, being held up at gunpoint, or having our beer and equipment ripped off, we definitely identified with the challenges faced in those early days of cobbling a brewery together. The revealing story Steve and Tom tell about two partners entering a business out of passion, in an industry they knew little about, being seriously undercapitalized, with an overly naive business plan, and their ultimate success, is an inspiring tale." -Ken Grossman, founder, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Author Biography

STEVE HINDY is President and cofounder of the Brooklyn Brewery. A former Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, he is also a director of Brooklyn's Prospect Park Alliance and the Brewers Association. Hindy has a master's in teaching English from Cornell.

TOM POTTER cofounded the Brooklyn Brewery in 1987. He served as its CEO and chairman until retirement in 2004. Previously, he was an assistant vice president at Chemical Bank, where he financed the acquisition of assets valued in excess of $1.5 billion. Potter graduated from Yale and has an MBA from Columbia.

Table of Contents

 Preface: Steve and Tom Introduce The Brooklyn Brewery.

Chapter 1. Steve Tells How Choosing a Partner is Like a Second Marriage.

Lesson One:  Even a Dog Can Shake Hands.

Chapter 2. Steve Discusses the Importance of Building a Solid Team.

Lesson Two:  Is it a Business or a Family Business?

Chapter 3.Tom Talks about Creating the Business Plan – a Money Raising Tool, and More.

Lesson Three:  The Business Plan Won't Be Graded on a Curve.

Chapter 4. Tom Asks, “What’s the True Mission of the Business?”

Lesson Four: Being Flexible if the Mission Becomes ‘Mission Impossible’.

Chapter 5. Steve Discusses the Keys to Success in Motivating Employees.

Lesson Five:  Feel Good is No Substitute for Prudent Controls.

Chapter 6. Tom Tells the Story about Their Dot Com Revolution – Fishing for Finance, and Failing.

Lesson Six: Chasing Money is Not a Business Strategy.

Chapter 7.  Steve Talks about Building a Brewery in Brooklyn.

Lesson Seven:  Sometimes, You Stand Alone.

Chapter 8.  Steve Discusses Publicity – The Press Wants You!

Lesson Eight:  A News Release Can Go A Long Way.

Chapter 9. Steve Reveals How the Revolution Kills Its Leaders First.

Lesson Nine:  Hiring and Firing.

Chapter 10. Tom Talks about Cashing Out and Reinventing Their Business Plan, Again.

Lesson Ten:  Only You Will Know When it’s Time to Sell.

Chapter 11. Tom Wants to Know if You Have What it Takes?

Lesson Eleven:  There Are No Entrance Exams for Entrepreneurs.

Timeline.