Sharad Chadha is the CEO of Sprecher Brewing Company and through hard work, risk-taking, and out-of-the-box thinking, he’s living the American dream. Originally an engineering major, Sharad topped that with an MBA and used his skill and business acumen to rise through the ranks at renowned companies like GE Healthcare, Electrolux, and Samsung. Now he’s pouring all his business acumen into running Sprecher, Wisconsin’s first craft brewery.

In this episode, Sharad gives us some insights into his diverse career and how it prepared him for his role as the CEO of Sprecher. He discusses some of the highs and lows of running a company as opposed to working for someone else.

Sharad also shares a few decision-making tips for manufacturing leaders, talks about what makes Sprecher stand out from the competition, and reveals his future plans.

In this episode, find out:

• What makes Sprecher special
• Sharad shares insights into his diverse career
• How Sharad’s numerous roles prepared him for Sprecher
• What inspired Sharad to buy a brewery
• What it’s like purchasing and running a company
• Why Sprecher produces sodas as opposed to spirits and hard seltzers
• Making decisions as a manufacturing leader
• Why Sprecher made the switch from beer bottles to cans
• Why looking at trends is vital before making big decisions
• How to manage and plan for big changes
• Sprecher’s progress during the pandemic
• The importance of hiring good leaders
• Sharad’s five year vision for Sprecher

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “Challenging experiences teach you resilience and how to look at things from a different angle — and as long as you have that attitude, you can make it through anything.”
• “Working in a big company is great, but it's not as satisfying as working in a small company where when you do something, you can see the fruits of your labor.”
• “Running a plant is completely different from knowing about a plant or working with a plant to get your product."

Links & mentions:

• Sprecher Brewing Company Wisconsin’s first craft brewery since prohibition, specializing in the production of beers, flavored malt beverages, and sodas.
• Green River Soda A classic Chicago soda developed over a century ago, presently brewed by Sprecher Brewing Company

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.