Beer with Fred

In this episode of Having a Beer with Fred, we visit the team at Sea Dog Brewing Co. in North Conway to chat about what makes this mountain town pub such a beloved local spot. General Manager Heather Milbourne and Head Chef Adam Hiles share insights on seasonal challenges, community favorites like fish tacos and Cajun pasta, and exciting summer updates including outdoor dining and live music. We also talk Mug Club loyalty, Shipyard Radio 207, and the push to bring back the business lunch. It’s a down-to-earth conversation about passion, people, and pouring the perfect pint.

What started as a simple $2 bill turned into a personal brand, a sales strategy, and a way to give back. Steve Rehman, a national window executive with a passion for connection, shares how a quirky idea became a calling card in business and philanthropy. From sauna meetings to surprise donations, this conversation is full of unexpected ways relationships can scale impact. If you care about personal branding, smart sales tactics, or purpose-driven business, this one’s for you.

How do you actually get a city to back your business? In this episode, former Portland mayor George Campbell shares the real strategies that open doors at city hall. From navigating local politics to reshaping entire communities, George breaks down what works, what fails, and why relationships matter more than ever. Entrepreneurs, developers, and public leaders will get a rare look into the playbook used to unlock major urban projects.

Ex-Navy captain Dean DeMont lost his marriage, properties, and fledgling hospitality empire when divorce and a Gulf-coast hurricane struck in the same year. Camping on a 13-berth charter boat, he clawed back—quitting cigarettes, rebuilding docks, and transforming Marine 13 into Treasure Island’s go-to outfit for dolphin cruises, offshore fishing, and sunset hops. Dean shares how birdsong, loyal friends, and relentless kindness revived his mental health, why captains make unlikely therapists, and how he now mentors others fighting depression—with salt water, small goals, and second chances.

Former Maine Governor Brennan’s appointee to the Board of Environmental Protection outlines a three-bucket model: collaborative rule-making, customer-oriented permitting, and evenhanded enforcement. He recalls BEP reforms—delegating major site reviews to “qualified cities” and creating a “permit-by-rule” path where applicants self-certify minor work and face random audits—and urges Portland to adopt the same system to clear staff bottlenecks and unblock housing approvals. The real barrier, he argues, is not headcount but common-sense governance: regulators must swap red-tape walls for transparent windows.

Third-generation restaurateur Matt Loder Sr. (Krabby Bill’s, Bonefish Grill, Jake’s Coastal Cantina) joins Fred to ask a blunt question: can tiny Gulf-coast cities still run themselves? Post-pandemic labor shortages and back-to-back hurricanes have erased workforce housing, snarled permits, and left mayors pleading for county takeovers of planning, inspections, and transit. Loder details how one storm could wipe out his 42-year flagship in Indian Rocks Beach—then warns that “no parking, no bathrooms” drives visitors and staff away. A candid look at zoning fixes, density, driverless shuttles, and why preserving family businesses means rethinking small-town government.

Former college football All-American Frank Curran grabs a pint with mentor Fred to share how a cold call and relentless follow-ups turned a wooded Arundel lot into industrial gold and a long-shot Bar Harbor bike-shop sale into a seven-figure win. The 27-year-old broker walks through his four-property Sebago Lake portfolio, explains why persistence beats interest-rate swings, and reveals how running Portland’s Shipyard Tasting Room sharpens his deal instincts. Location, timing, people, and hustle—all packed into one accidental real-estate mogul’s playbook.

Ben Lord tells Uncle Fred why he fired every client to thru-hike the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail. They track the five-month grind: “Virginia Blues,” bears in Shenandoah, hostel trail-families, and an ice-blasted Katahdin summit. Back home, Ben flips 30 Maine acres into a sports complex, joins Federal Jacks as head brewer, and launches the Katahdin beer line—all while raising kids and keeping two trail-tested dogs happy. A tale of timing, persistence, and passion—plus a pizza strapped to a pack and six pairs of destroyed boots.

Hungry Chicago-born videographer Justin Roseman clinks a Sea Dog brew with Fred and explains why he left a safe city job, scrapped fifteen startup attempts, and moved to Florida to “do it the hard way.” He recounts the cold email that scored his first bar promo reel, the bartending and production gigs funding his dream, and the power of asking—again and again—until “yes” finally sticks. Fred counters with his three-part playbook—timing, people, persistence—and the “six-nos” sales test. Rejection, relentless networking, and blockbuster ambitions collide in this candid blueprint for creative risk-takers who refuse the easy route.

Entrepreneur and benefits broker Ethan Croson joins Fred for a morning “beer” to discuss legacy-driven entrepreneurship, the power of giving first, and Tampa’s open-armed business scene. Inside: Ethan’s role on the University of Tampa Board of Counselors, signature charity mixers like “Cigars & Mojitos” and the Fellows Forum, plus his work with Meals on Wheels and Project Focus. Riffing on Patriots collectibles, shuffleboard, and deals struck on Florida fairways, this episode shows how passion and persistence build community—and business.