Most small craft beverage brands are either paying for too much software, paying for the wrong software, or paying for software they signed up for once and never actually used. The comment section on Facebook is great for vibes, terrible for tech advice. The tool that works for the brand triple your size is almost never the right tool for you.

In this follow-up to last week's AI episode, Julie lays out the four-layer framework for building a craft beverage tech stack that actually serves your business — and walks through how to evaluate any new tool before you buy it. Plus the homework assignment every small brand needs to do this month: the software audit.

Best For:

Small to mid-sized craft beverage brand owners and operators who suspect they're spending too much on the wrong tools and want a clear framework for what they actually need.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The four-layer tech stack framework — foundation, revenue-touching, marketing, and optimization
• What every brand needs at Layer 1, and why nothing else matters until that's in place
• How to right-size your POS, production, and wholesale tools to your actual operation
• Where most brands over-invest in marketing tools they don't need
• Why a lot of Layer 4 tools are being replaced by AI capabilities
• The seven-question filter for evaluating any new piece of software before you buy it
• Your homework: the three-month software audit that will probably save you hundreds a month

Mentioned in this episode:

Episode 19 — Use AI Like a Grown-Up

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