We’ve all set professional goals at one point or another, even if it’s just thinking back to the time as a kid you wanted to be an astronaut or athlete or president of the United States. For us adults, some of that imaginative whimsy fades once we actually start our working lives, but the desire to find something special isn’t ever fully lost. In this episode, we’re going to talk hopes and dreams, and how for one brewer, a drive to learn also meant opportunities to excel.

Dashawn Agbonze is head brewer at Florida’s Mastry’s Brewing and despite more than a decade of experience in the industry, never received formal education to pair with years of training. That’s changing as a recipient of the Sir Geoff Palmer Scholarship Award for Brewing from the Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling, which has him back in the classroom to enhance his brewing knowledge as he continues to hone his craft.

Throughout our conversation, Dashawn will describe what led him to this moment, which started in a dishpit at a brewpub and took him across the country in search of new experiences that would get him brewing and also some awards along the way. With discipline from time in the Navy, Dashawn is focused on fine tuning his skills and—above all—keep learning. This is a chance for you to hear the personal history of what it takes to chase a dream and find it, but never settle with the knowledge you have.