This blog site is about my pursuit to start a brewery. It’s about entrepreneurship, beer, leadership, and productivity. It’s a place to gather my thoughts and cast a vision about the brewery I want to create. It’s also about sharing the experience with you and helping others.
Below are resources that I use or recommend.
Books for starting a brewery
Knowledge is key to starting a brewery! Check out the Book Recommendations at MicroBrewr podcast for books recommended by brewers and brewery owners. I ask every guest of the podcast to recommend a book that will help me succeed in opening a brewery. I’ve listed the book recommendations from the answers shared and the number of times each book was suggested.
MicroBrewr craft beer podcast
MicroBrewer is everything craft beer related, with a focus for people looking at starting their own microbrewery or wanting to take their existing brewery to the next level. If you want to know how to start a brewery, MicroBrewr is the place to go.
The craft beer beer podcast has weekly episodes interviewing brewers and brewery owners. There are also guests from other sectors of the industry like distributors, retailers, and marketers. We go deep to get inside the industry and inside the heads of people who work there.
Blogging resources
WordPress: Bloggers use special platforms because they don’t want to learn HTML or web design, they want to easily and quickly add content to the site, and because of the comments section. WordPress has been a much steeper learning curve than I expected. It has also been way easier than if I had done it any other way that I know. It is the most popular blogging system on the web.
The link above goes to WordPress.com for free blog hosting, with a “yourdomain.wordpress.com” URL. I recommend self-hosting your blog because you can get a custom URL and you can control the ads on your site.
To host your own blog, go to WordPress.org.
InMotion Hosting: URL registration and web hosting service. This is the one that I use for this site and 2 others. It’s inexpensive and they have great customer service–way better than other web hosts I’ve tried. They’ve always been super patient with my lack of expertise. If you purchase through the affiliate link above, you can choose the option that’s best for you. They have tutorial videos on the InMotion YouTube channel… so why not go with them!
WP Engine: URL registration and [super fast] web hosting service. This one comes up a lot. Experts have told me that I should switch to WP Engine soon. WP Engine speeds up WordPress with super fast servers and amazing load time.
OptinMonster: This is that [not so] annoying popup asking you to join my email lists. This WordPress plugin does so much more than that. I examined this article about popup plugins with a fine-toothed comb. Then I researched a bunch myself. OptinMonster is the only one with all the features that I knew I wanted–especially “exit intent” to show the popup when the visitor is about to leave the site. 😉 It’s also the opt-in plugin that’s used by Michael Hyatt and Entrepreneur On Fire. UPDATE: I just learned how to do split tests and it was so easy, I set them up on all my sites. I highly recommend this plugin!
Podcasting resources
Skype: When most people think of Skype, they think of video calls. I use Skype to record all my interviews for MicroBrewr podcast. The sound quality is clearer and it’s more dependable than cell reception. It doesn’t use minutes on my cell phone. It’s free! (I also got an additional Skype Number that allows people to call a regular phone number which rings into my Skype account. It’s really inexpensive.)
Ecamm Call Recorder for Skype: This is the Skype plugin that allows me to record Skype calls onto my computer. It’s super easy. I’ve never had any trouble with it. It comes with super easy software to convert the .mov files to .mp3, and to split the conversation into 2 tracks for better editing in GarageBand.
They also make Call Recorder for FaceTime, if you’re interested in that. I tried it and it works well. The initial version doesn’t have the ability to split the call into 2 tracks, but they told me that they are planning to include that feature in an upcoming version.
Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone: This microphone is recommended by Pat Flynn and a couple other podcasters recommend it too. (Perhaps the others recommend it because Pat Flynn recommends it.) It’s inexpensive, it sounds great, and it plugs into the USB port on my computer. It comes with a little tripod stand. Get a foam ball windscreen with it too.
GarageBand for Mac: Apple’s audio recording and editing software is pretty easy. It’s inexpensive. I like it.
Design resources
Rob Martin Graphic & Web Design: I’m really pleased with the design work that Rob did for Beer Exam School and for MicroBrewr coasters. I’ve seen other work that he’s done and it looked really good. Rob is great at getting down to the essence of a concept and coming up with a good, unique design.
Upwork (formerly Elance): This is a great resource for all sorts of design work and other freelance work. Scotty Melvin was commissioned from Elance (now Upwork) to do the announcer’s voice in MicroBrewr podcast. It was a really easy process and I got the finished product with a super fast turnaround.
Reminders
Video by Bryan Harris, VideoFruit blog Figure it Out
Video by Gary Turk Look Up
Video by palebluefilms We Are Here: The Pale Blue Dot
A film by David Wu www.palebluefilms.com
Read by Carl Sagan, “You are Here” from the book “Pale Blue Dot.”
Music by Mogwai “Stop Coming to my House” from the album Happy Songs for Happy People.
TED Talks Derek Sivers: How to start a movement
Get ready… Dramatic Look
Graydiggity’s post on Vine. (It loops better when viewed on the Vine app. Quote by Elbert Hubbard.) “Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, & every day do what should be done, & every sunset will bring you closer to your goal.”
“For although these men were singular and extraordinary, after all they were but men, not one of whom had so great an opportunity as now presents itself to you. For their undertakings were not more just than this, nor more easy, nor was God more their friend than yours…
What remains to be done must be done by you; since in order not to deprive us of our free will and such share of glory as belongs to us, God will not do everything himself.”
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)
The Prince (Il principe; 1513)
Some of the links above are “affiliate links.” If you click the link and buy something, I will receive some money from the purchase. It doesn’t add anything to your purchase price. While I have not personally used all of the resources listed here, based on others’ recommendations, I feel that these resources will truly provide value to you. Please do not purchase any of these products unless you feel that you need it or that it will help you achieve your goals. Read more at the Affiliate Disclaimer.