Founder of New Braunfels Brewing Company
Episode page: https://www.markgraban.com/mistake133
My guest for Episode #133 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Kelly Meyer, the author of How NOT to start a Damn Brewery: Ten Business Lessons From The Front Lines of The Craft Beer Industry — and a podcast of that same name.
In today’s episode, Kelly shares his “favorite mistake” story about starting a brewery (New Braunfels Brewing Company) at the wrong time — and how he sold that brewery ten years later. His book talks about 10 major mistakes that he made… it’s a fun read, even if you’re not interested in starting a damn brewery.
We talk about that story and other topics including:
- Not getting out – 3 moments of insolvency… How close were you to getting out?
- Had sold a chain of fitness centers — what made that successful? Did you think that would be transferrable?
- 2022 – when the EIDL funds run out…
- Why write the book? Cathartic? Warning for others?
- Are you working as an advisor to others?
- Was it a mistake to curse in the book?
- “Most people… don’t want to hear the truth” — Magazines don’t want to print anything negative
- “Mistakes are just weaknesses leaving your business”
- Would you ever start another brewery based on what you learned the first time?
- Tell us more about the podcast — No shortage of guests?
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