Start Local

With winter weather fast approaching, we know that the local restaurant and hospitality sector is facing an even more precarious position because of the ongoing challenges of COVID-19. We sat down with Bill Covaleski, a Co-Founder and Brewmaster at Victory Brewing Company, and the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA). Bill shared his experience of learning from and with his local business community through the PRLA, and how local restaurants, event companies, and businesses across the hospitality sector can work together to support their companies, staff, and customers.

Links

• Hospitality Assistance Response of Pennsylvania (HARP): parelief.org
• Buy a Victory Brewing Company t-shirt in support of H.A.R.P. (100% proceeds to cause!)
• Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA) membership: prla.org/whyjoin.html

Notes

What does a brewmaster do?

• Bill Covaleski and his friend and co-founder, Ron Barchet, graduated from the Doemens Institute in Munich, Germany.
• Bill and Ron had very hands-on roles in the early days of making beer with Victory Brewing Company; overtime, they transitioned to growing a talented team of brewers to take over leading the creation of the beer.
• Now, Bill and Ron now advise, guide, set targets and monitor the results of the brewing team.

How has the PRLA responded to COVID-19?

• Being the chairman of the PRLA in 2020 has been like sitting in the front seat of a fast paced roller coaster.
• Bill began 2020 as the co-chair; on March 14, Bill became chairman when the co-chair moved out of state with his work; on March 17, lockdown orders came to Pennsylvania.
• In the immediate wake of lockdown orders, Bill and the entire team at PRLA worked to switch its focus and business model.
• The PRLA revamped its membership model, which reduced the staffing numbers of at the organization; the PRLA was forced to furlough its sales team and some of its administrative team.
• In pivoting its membership, the PRLA moved to be the essential hub for important, relevant information for the restaurant and hospitality sectors across the state.
• The PRLA began sharing its bulletins and updates with all, regardless of membership: the information was too critical not to share.
• The PRLA began detailed daily news bulletins and updates, and increased the number and frequency of its informational webinars.
• The organization looked at its role as operators in public health and worked to empower restaurants, event venues, and the entire hospitality and lodging sector to keep their local communities healthy and safe.
• In changing its membership model, the PRLA pivoted its membership dues structure, charging restaurants $1 per day for membership.
• Since March 15, the PRLA has seen 150 new members join its ranks.

How does advocacy figure in the PRLA’s work?

• Many of the PRLA members express frustration with hearing new ideas from state and local government that may or may not suit their respective business models.
• By aggregating the voices of its members, the PRLA has grown a stronger, louder voice that is more readily heard by government and other leaders. 
• Lobbying always felt like a dirty word to Bill, but he now understands that elected officials do need education about the folks and sectors which they represent.
• Advocacy is an important task for any membership organization, and in fact, of any business owner.

How did you come to join the PRLA?

• In 2006, Bill realized that as a brewmaster, he had no experience running a restaurant or taproom. So, Bill joined to the PRLA to turn from his peers and colleagues in the organization.
• Overtime, Bill learned enough to be asked to serve as the chairman of the PRLA.
• As beverage manufacturers (like wineries and breweries) turn to retail to support their businesses in COVID-19, Bill’s role in the PRLA has afforded him the opportunity to support and nurture those manufacturers.
• Bill considers joining a trade association (like the PRLA) as an opportunity rather than as an obligation.
• The PRLA has launched a program called HARP – Hospitality Assistance Response of Pennsylvania – which aims to support the hospitality across the state.
• Through HARP, businesses like Victory Brewing Company and 135 other donors have donated more than 257,627, awarding grants to 848 hospitality workers in need of financial assistance.
• Victory Brewing Company donated t-shirts with an updated design of its keg man artwork – now available for sale on the Victory Brewing website, with all proceeds going to HARP.

The post Crafting Support for the Hospitality + Restaurant Sectors with Bill Covaleski appeared first on Start Local.

With Chester County and much of the nation facing what might be a second wave of COVID-19, we turned to Cheryl Kuhn to understand how businesses in southern Chester County are faring and how local chambers of commerce are helping those companies navigate the coronavirus economy. Cheryl is the President & CEO of the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce.

Links

• Restore Chester County: https://restorechestercounty.org/
• SCCCC LinkedIn
• SCCCC Facebook
• SCCCC Instagram

Main Street organizations:

• Historic Kennett Square (HKS)
• Oxford Mainstreet (OMI)

Notes

What are businesses in southern Chester County experiencing as we appear to be approaching a second wave of the coronavirus?

• Overall, businesses are experiencing a cautious optimism about the future.
• While some businesses are in the extreme of “for” and “against” meeting in person again, most businesses are focused on sensibly trying to return to as much business normalcy as safely possible.
• While the cases of COVID-19 are spiking, the rates of death are decreasing, which seems to indicate that medical and health professionals are better treating patients with the virus.
• Some businesses in southern Chester County are thriving: accounting firms and landscapers, for example.
• Anecdotally, landscapers are busier because home owners are home when the landscapers are working so those owners are asking for more services and upgrades to their yards.
• Accountants are also likely busy because of the pandemic loan and grant programs.

How are restaurants preparing for the colder, winter months?

• COVID-19 has been terrible for restaurants and events spaces.
• Early in the lockdown periods, farmers had to destroy crops and produce because they could not sell to the closed restaurants and event venues.
• Some local restaurants have purchased tents, heaters, and tables and chairs – expenses that the owners had not predicated or saved for.
• Indoor seating will be limited to 20% of capacity, so the winter months are likely to be very hard for the restaurant, event, and hospitality sector.
• The Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce is launching a campaign to support local restaurants: The campaign will feature four restaurants per week and will be focused on a “support local” theme.
• The former owner of the Dillworth Inn is working with local restaurant owners to help them make sure that their venues are in compliance with local and state COVID-19 health guidelines.
• Restaurant owners interested in taking advantage of this service should contact Cheryl directly at the SCCCC.

How has the SCCCC pivoted to serve members and business community during COVID-19?

• Since mid-March, the chamber of commerce has been working remotely.
• The team was two full-time employees (including Cheryl) and a single part-time employee; the part-time employee was laid-off during to the coronavirus.
• The SCCCC team quickly realized that COVID-19 would prove a long-term challenge – and so connected with the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., and the PA Chamber of Business and Industry in Harrisburg to partner, and to make sure that the voice of businesses in southern Chester County was being heard.
• The SCCCC opened up its communications beyond its members and close prospects – it shared information with everyone in the local business community.
• The SCCCC has worked alongside federal, state, and local government.
• There are nine chambers of commerce in Chester County, representing 5,000 businesses.
• The SCCCC has hosted virtual town halls, informative webinars and other meetings.
• The SCCCC is on Chester County Commissioners’ Business Taskforce – which created restorechestercounty.org.
• The SCCCC partnered with local Main Street organizations in Kennett Square and Oxford.

The post Supporting Our Local Businesses with Cheryl Kuhn appeared first on Start Local.

Running an essential business during COVID-19 presents its own challenges to business owners – especially for brick-and-mortar businesses. We spoke with Patrice Banks, the Chief #sheCANic and Founder of Girls Auto Clinic. Girls Auto Clinic is a full service auto repair shop which caters to women.

Links

• girlsautoclinic.com
• instagram.com/girlsautoclinic
• facebook.com/girlsautoclinic
• Twitter: @girlsautoclinic
• Patrice’s book: Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide

NOTES

How has COVID-19 affected your ability to find skilled mechanics?

• In March, as COVID-19 lockdown orders were being rolled out, Patrice Banks shut her business (even though Girls Auto Clinic is an essential business) down for a month to give herself time to learn how to keep her staff and customers safe.
• During lockdowns, some of Patrice’s staff, most of whom are women mechanics, could not come back to work because they had young children at home – and those women were primary care providers for their children.
• There is a 78,000% shortage of skilled mechanics in Pennsylvania.
• Patrice has since hired new mechanics, but they lack the experience of her previous staff. 

How has having your finances up-to-date made a difference to Girls Auto Clinic?

• When PPP loans were made available, Patrice was able to submit an application on the very first day because her business financials were very much in order.
• Patrice secured a PPP loan in April.
• Patrice was then able to get the Economic Disaster grant funding in May.
• To get finances organized correctly, Patrice recommended consulting with an accountant to set bank accounts and finance software (like QuickBooks) up correctly.
• Patrice then allocates up to 3 hours per week to keep an eye on her finances; it does not always take that long.
• Regularly digging into the business finances will reduce the fear factor many business owners and leaders may experience.

How has your salon been affected by COVID-19?

• The salon is not an essential business, and so was shut down during the lockdown orders.
• Patrice had to lay off employees during those lockdowns.
• Patrice had to figure out how to re-open safely and what new systems were needed to keep everyone safe: new appointment systems, cleaning procedures, and more.
• Patrice is considering how best to use the salon space in a way that will generate the most money as the salon’s earnings are not what they were before COVID-19.
• Patrice is trying to figure out what services she can provide to her auto clinic customers once they bring their cars into the repair shop.

What was preparing to re-open an essential business like?

• It is hard being a small business owner; March was very busy for Patrice and her business before COVID-19 hit.
• When lockdown orders hit, it gave Patrice a break from all the many tasks of growing her business, including finding investors in the shop.
• Patrice pivoted to focus her energy and attention keeping her auto clinic in business.
• There were struggles learning about best safety practices and securing sufficient PPE for her team.
• After re-opening, coronavirus testing has forced Patrice to run the auto repair shop with lower staff levels.

How have you pivoted to online training and offerings?

• Patrice was focused on saving her brick-and-mortar repair shop, so transitioning to online offering is proving a real struggle.
• She now realizes that delivering online training and other services via the internet could be a reliable revenue stream in a COVID-19 economy. Patrice recently hired a digital marketing manager.
• Patrice is now very excited about creating new revenue streams to keep her business afloat and successful.

The post Running an Essential Business with Patrice Banks appeared first on Start Local.

Chester County boasts an amazingly diverse economy with strong, vibrant businesses ranging from pharma and medical technology to manufacturing, and from world class professional services to farming. We sat down with Joy Beam and Gareth Yoder of Cedar Meadow Meats to hear how they are harnessing technology to pivot their beef farm to a COVID-19 economy.

Links

• Cedar Meadow Meats website
• Facebook: facebook.com/CedarMeadowMeats
• Penn State Berks TestLab
• National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Notes

How did you start your business?

• Joy’s grandfather started the farm back in the 1950s with beef and pork. 
• The backstory to Cedar Meadow Meats is interesting: Gareth and Joy had an idea to predict the health of cattle based on real time sensor information which would collect data to be fed into an algorithm.
• They strapped a smartphone around the neck of one of the steers to track movements – and discovered that the concept was worthy of further exploration.
• So, Joy and Gareth created a business plan and worked with Penn State Berks to pursue the idea.
• They secured grant funding to conduct a client discovery study.
• As they explored the product idea, their research revealed that that the hardware development would be costly and time consuming.
• At an industry conference in February 2019, they had two realizations:
  • There were already well-funded companies and organizations pursuing the smart data product idea for managing the health of a herd.
  • Consumers were increasingly eager to know the provenance of their food: farm-to-table is a growing industry.
• Those two understandings encouraged Joy and Gareth to pivot their business model.
• Gareth built a website around that concept in late February/early March.

How did you pivot to a direct-to-consumer sales of beef?

• The company booked slots with local butchers to prepare a number of steers for Spring 2020.
• The challenge of wholesale beef sales is that it’s an all-or-nothing business: it’s not possible to butch 1/2 a steer. So, Joy and Gareth had to figure out how to sell the entire animal or risk losing money.
• They started marketing on Facebook with a video about the new product.
• Sales started locally with friends and family; after the sale of its first steer, COVID-19 hit.
• Joy placed a big sign out front of the farm with “Beef” in big letters and the business phone number. That drew interest to the site.
• Local word of mouth. Sold first quarter to family friend. Selling rest of it was harder.
• Joy created a sign that said, “BEEF” + phone number that did a world of difference. People called and then went to website

How did you manage running the business as you got started?

• Between the video on Facebook and the sign on the farm property, word of mouth referrals began to build interest in the direct-to-consumer steers.
• When potential customers called the business phone, Joy and Gareth used a Google Sheet (spreadsheet) to capture data like the customer’s name, phone number, and where that customer was in the buying decision process.
• Joy and Gareth use Google Docs and text messaging with each other to run the business.
• Financial details are recorded in a shared Google Sheet.

How are you handling payments for your products?

• Currently, Cedar Meadow Meats avoids credit card payments to avoid service fees.
• Cedar Meadow Meats accepts Venmo (personal), PayPal (linked up with business email), check, or cash.

What are your plans for further growth?

• Gareth and Joy will spend the winter months planning for the future – an e-commerce site might be on the horizon.
• They will survey existing customers during the off-selling season to better understand their customers needs and wishes.
• The current setup of the business is very informal, but as the idea proves successful, Joy and Gareth plan to iterate on their approach.
• For the meat industry, summer is a busy period.
• They hope to use Christmas as a marketing strategy – filling a loved one’s freezer with locally grown beef is a wonderful gift idea.
• One misconception for consumers: US is known for premium beef on the world market; however the best meat products are sold overseas. At our grocery stores, we get a stepped down quality beef, so buying directly from farmers is a great way to get the best meat.
• Customers can choose their own cutting instructions for how the beef is to be butchered.

The post Harnessing Tech to Grow a Business with Joy Beam and Gareth Yoder appeared first on Start Local.

As the challenging effects of COVID-19 continue across southeast Pennsylvania and beyond, many businesses and non-profits are still struggle to cope. We sat down with Josh Maxwell, one of three Chester County Commissioners, to talk about what the county government is doing to support the local business economy.

LINKS

• Josh Maxwell, Chester County Commissioner
• Twitter: @maxwelljosh
• Facebook: facebook.com/commissionerjoshmaxwell
• Chester County’s Restore Business Dashboard
• Chester County Voter Information Portal
• Chester County COVID-19 Cases Tracking

NOTES

How has Chester County supported local businesses and non-profits during COVID-19?

• The County government appreciates the value that the business. 
• First COVID-19 case hit Chester County as early as March 13.
• The County ran an emergency business grant scheme for small businesses:
  • Grants were for up to $25,000 per business
  • The County allocated $5 million for the program
  • The program was focused on supporting businesses who could not pay their bills, like rent.
• The grant plan was support local area small businesses to get them through the early stages of lockdowns – and to re-assess needs mid-summer.
• The County understands that the restaurant and hospitality sectors still need significant help.
• Chester County as a region received $225 million in grant funding from the State of Pennsylvania – the most in the state.
• The County launched a website to provide relevant and up-to-date information for local businesses at restorechestercounty.org.
• The County partnered with the Chester County Economic Development Council to deliver the grant scheme and Restore Chester County website.

How has Chester County prioritized communication?

• “Culture is everything.”
• The three County Commissioners collectively committed to transparency for their office.
• The County wanted to open source as much information as possible – and to then trust the public to make the best decisions moving forward.
• The County distributes information via websites and social media.
• Chester County has experienced some of the lowest spread rates of COVID-19 in Southeast Pennsylvania.
• The County government works to share both “good” and “bad” numbers and information as part of its commitment to transparency.

How does Chester County manage its communication efforts?

• The County declared a state of emergency in March 2020; following that declaration, the County Health Dept. took over the emergency management response room to direct the local response.
• The County had to produce the websites to share data – and then double-check the data to make sure that it is accurate.
• Accurate data is hugely important to Chester County to ensure that the public trust the data and information that the County shares.

In light of virtual learning, how is Chester County supporting parents and families with children?

• Chester County has a population the size of Wyoming in a land area the size of Rhode Island.
• There are hundreds of schools across the county: public, private, charter, online, and more.
• It is a challenge to create county-wide policies for such a diverse range of school sizes and formats.
• The County set out recommendations, but did not set guidelines or rules on schools opening or not.
• The County is working to produce guidelines and programs to support parents and schools as schools begin to consider re-opening.
• The County is working to deliver programs for both the short term needs, but also for longer term growth and stability of the local business economy.

The post A Commitment to Information Communication with Josh Maxwell appeared first on Start Local.

As COVID-19 continues to have a significant effect on the local economy in Chester County, Pennsylvania, businesses and organizations are still in need of options to address revenue shortfalls and cashflow challenges. We turned to Rebecca Worthington from Benchmark Federal Credit Union to chat about the local economy and how that financial institution is supporting folks in Chester County.

LINKS

• Benchmark Federal Credit Union’s website: benchmarkfcu.org
• Benchmark Cares Loan Program
• Benchmark FCU’s 5 Financial Solutions During Coronavirus Crisis
• Ultimate Home Equity Line of Credit
• Facebook: facebook.com/benchmarkfcu
• Twitter: @benchmarkfcu
• Instagram: instagram.com/benchmarkfcu
• Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce

NOTES

What is the difference between a credit union and a bank?

• A credit union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative.
• Members pay a $5 member fee, but then become an owner of the credit union.
• Members share in the credit union’s profits with higher interest and better loan rates.
• Most credit unions offer the same services as big banks.

What is the credit union seeing in the economy in Chester County?

• Many businesses were hurt in the late spring and early summer when lockdown orders were in place.
• Those small business owners were worried that they would not survive the lockdown period – but many have since reopened.
• Some local businesses laid off staff, but have since brought some of their people back to work.
• Many local business owners and leaders are hopeful for a return to full business in the next few months.
• At Benchmark FCU, there is an emphasis on encouraging folks to shop locally to support the local economy.
• Lots of businesses across the county have been forced to pivot to engage and serve customers in new ways.
• Restaurants and hair salons were very adversely affected by COVID-19.

How is Benchmark offering support during COVID-19?

• As the only credit union to exclusively serve Chester County, Benchmark gives all of its sponsorship funds to Chester County businesses and residents.
• Benchmark continued to provide event sponsorship and support for local community programs and events during COVID-19 – “If we had it available to give back, we gave it.”

What is the Benchmark Cares Loan Program?

• Benchmark FCU set aside $1 million for the loan program. 
• Chester County businesses can apply for a loan of up to $50,000 – that is interest-free, due of 10 years, and with the first payment not due until January 2021.
• The loan program gained momentum in late June and July, once businesses were allowed to reopen.
• As of the posting of this show, there is still just under $300,000 available in the loan program.

How can local chambers of commerce deliver value to businesses?

• A local Chamber of Commerce provides businesses with important news, connection to local government, information, and networks for supporting and growing their business.
• The local Chamber provides a strong connection to the local business community.
• Benchmark supported the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce by covering the membership fees for 2020 for existing members, so that those local businesses could continue to leverage the power of the chamber.

How can credit unions meet the banking needs of local businesses?

• Credit unions often deliver exactly the same business services as bigger banks – but often at less costly rates or with lower fees.
• Credit unions are often hyper-focused on their local area, which can translate to a closer working relationship with business owners and leaders.

The post Financial Help for Local Businesses with Rebecca Worthington appeared first on Start Local.

With all the economy turmoil caused by COVID-19, many folks are considering taking their careers in new directions. We caught up with Yardell Perkins to talk about how he started his own business. Through Perkitech, Yardell helps businesses and individuals establish or re-establish their digital presence.

Links

• Main website: perkitech.com
• Links landing page: landing.perkitech.com
• Telephone number: 215-325-0403
• Video camera: Panasonic HC-V770
• Catchafire (Volunteer Job Board): catchafire.org
• Yardell’s Catchafire profile: catchafire.org/profiles/167053/
• Episodes mentioned in the show:
  • Focusing on Customers Relationships with Mark Avery
  • Building Revenue Streams with Don Reid, Jr.

Notes

What did you do to start your business? 

• Yardell was working as a Sysadmin at MCLINC, a no-profit providing IT systems and support for the library system of Montgomery County, Pa.
• While Yardell was happy with his boss and colleagues, he was getting burnt out on the work. It wasn’t what he really wanted to do. He wanted to start his own business.
• Yardell came across Rob Cubbon on the internet; Rob was coaching people to save 6 months of income so that they can launch their own business.
• Yardell decided to invest his $1900 tax refund into Bitcoin – and his invest took off! He ultimately $30,000, which is what he needed to take the leap to start his own business.

What steps did you take to get your business off the ground? 

• Yardell established his LLC company before he left his job with MCLINC.
• While still employed, Yardell used Udemy to learn about running his business; he obtained work through Catchifier. 
• While at MCLINC, Yardell had a lot of support for starting his own business from his current boss.

How are you managing your business during COVID-19? 

• Through Perkitech, Yardell fell into a niche of helping realtors and real estate investors.
• When COVID-19 hit, the reality industry became to do more virtual events that they were going to ease into it. 
• Because COVID-19 forced businesses to pivot very quickly, Perkitech got very business as lockdown orders came about.

How has your business pivoted during COVID-19?

• Following lockdown orders and social distancing, Perkitech has been pivoting to a more comprehensive video and social media services.
• One of the most valuable shares on social media is video.
• Yardell is candid about his early video work: He told customers that it was not his strength, but that he could provide it. The lesson was get something online. Something is always better than nothing.
• On managing expectations of prospective clients: In his first year of business, a prospective client came to Yardell seeking a website and was offering a blank check. Yardell knew he wasn’t the person for the job. As he learned more about the client’s needs, Yardell helped that client get set up on Wix. 
• Yardell’s business lesson: “We have to consider our reputations and our consciences.”
• In time, Yardell has upgraded his video equipment setup:
  • Panasonic HC-V770 camera
  • Boom microphone with stands
  • Teleprompt app
  • Camtasia for video editing

The post Starting + Building Your Own Business with Yardell Perkins appeared first on Start Local.

As salons and barbershops across Pennsylvania try to keep up with changing safety guidelines, we sat down with a local shop owner to chat through his experience. A Kennett Square native, Mark Avery, aka Juice the Barber, opened his own shop in November 2019. Mark’s shop is the KSQ Barber Lounge and offers everything from haircuts to hot lather shaves. In our conversation, Mark shared great insight around the value of building relationships with customers.

Links

• Shop website: vagaro.com/ksqbarberlounge
• facebook.com/ksqbarberlounge 
• facebook.com/juicethebarber610
• Instagram: @ksqbarberlounge
• Instagram: @_juicethebarber
• Twitter: @_juicethebarber
• Email: [email protected]

Notes

What was it like opening a few months before the pandemic?

• When he launched his own barbershop, Mark was excited when both existing customers (from his previous job) and new customers began to fill his book of business.
• The shop was doing well, with 5–10 new customers coming in every week.
• Mark was serving 40-60 customers per week before the COVID-19 shutdown hit.
• The KSQ Barber Lounge offers a new experience with the one-on-one barbershop.

What happened during the COVID-19 lockdowns?

• When COVID-19 lockdowns hit, Mark couldn’t do anything. He had to close.
• Yet, the first year of a business is so vital to its success, to have it all to a complete halt was tough. Mark needed to turn to family for help.
• Getting economic relief from the government was tough because he opened in November 2019. He only had five weeks of a tax return to use as evidence of earning.
• Eventually, Mark was able to secure a grant for his business.

How do you manage having folks in the barbershop?

• The safety measures require additional tasks to keep the barber lounge clean, and both himself and customers safe.
• Mark has stretched all of his appointments to 45 minutes, even if the service provided takes less time.
• Between each appointment, Mark cleans the shop and his tools, and the extra time between appointments gives him the time to be thorough.
• For his business, it’s not as bad since he already focuses 1-on-1. Stretched his time slots a bit to give him a chance to wipe down everything – any surface that gets touched by the client gets wiped down. 

How’s business since brick-n-mortar shops were allowed to reopen?

• As of late August, it’s hit or miss.
• It’s a mix; a lot of people have seen a drop-off because customers don’t feel comfortable; especially at bigger shops.
• Mark limits the amount of people in the shop – i.e., who can be in the shop in addition to the customer in the barber chair – so customers feel comfortable. 

How are you communicating to your base? 

• Mark admitted that he has slacked on reaching a wider audience.
• For current customers, Mark regularly sends email and texts – especially after he reopened.
• Mark made it clear that he needs to do more on social media.
  • He wants to create a video documenting his cleaning procedures and practices.
  • But he needs to take more pictures and post more regularly. 
• Mark tells everyone who owns a business that social media is free marketing. He knows he needs to up his work there.
• For booking appointments and full business details, the barber lounge uses a site called Vagaro: https://www.vagaro.com/ksqbarberlounge
• Mark uses social media to build relationships with customers.

What are you hearing in the “barbershop talk”?

• When it comes to talking about the economy, Mark is hearing every end of the spectrum.
• Clients and friends are worried about jobs and businesses.
• Restaurant owners might not be able to open safely, especially outside the summer season.
• There are also people who are taking the opportunity to try something new or open a new business.
• Mark closed out the show with an eloquent monologue on how if we focus more on the relationships, the money will come. He explained that everyone comes from different experiences and we can learn from all of those experiences.

The post Focusing on Customers Relationships with Mark Avery appeared first on Start Local.

With restaurants, bars, and taprooms reopening across the State of Pennsylvania, we caught up with Jim Adams to chat about what he and his team at Levante Brewing Company are doing to navigate the COVID-19 economy. Jim Adams is a co-founder and co-owner of Levante Brewing Company. Within the company, Jim focuses on the customer experience for the West Chester based brewing company.

Links

• Levante Brewing
  • levantebrewing.com
  • Facebook: facebook.com/levantebrewing
  • Twitter: @levantebrewing
  • Instagram: @levantebrewing
• Levante Stables
  • Facebook: @levantestables
  • Twitter: @levantestables
• ReVIBEseltzer
  • Facebook: facebook.com/revibeseltzer
  • Instagram: @revibeseltzer
• Black is Beautiful imperial stout: levantebrewing.com/collections/buy-cans-online/products/black-is-beautiful-imperial-stout 

Notes

What is Mercury at Levante Brewing Company?

• Mercury is Levante Brewing Company’s system for shipping beer and products anywhere in the State of PA; the company is licensed to ship beer anywhere in the state.
• By and large, Mercury relies on UPS to deliver any product within 3 days.
• For local order (within 10-12 miles of the brewery), Levante Brewing Company delivers those itself.
• Mercury was launched in 2019 – well ahead of COVID-19.
• When COVID-19 lockdown orders happened, Mercury became a hugely popular and commercially successful system.
• Levante Brewing Company pays a lot of attention to the presentation of its beer delivers:
  • Every beer delivery contains a letter from the staffer who packed the beer into the box.
  • Levante Brewing Company sends stickers and other bits of swag.
  • The company gets positive feedback over social media from the attention it gives to presentation.

What was your collaboration with Weathered Souls Brewery?

• In light of growing demands for social justice, the Weathered Souls brewery publicly shared a base recipe for an imperial stout called Black is Beautiful. Weathered Souls invited other craft brewers to brew their own versions and to donate 100% of proceeds from the sales of the Black is Beautiful imperial stout to organizations that to support Black Lives Matter, under privileged or underrepresented people of color.
• In PA, 25 or 26 craft breweries supported the campaign, all using the same base recipe, packaging, and artwork.
• Levante Brewing Company supported the campaign because it was the right thing to do.
• The brewery donated the proceeds from the sale of Black is Beautiful to the Juvenile Law Center.
• Levante Brewing Company produced its version of Black is Beautiful about 3 to 4 weeks after making the decision to support the campaign.
• A base recipe is exactly that – a listing of ingredients and the process of making the beer. Breweries were invited to do something different or add something special to the base recipe to make it unique to that brewery.

How has Levante Brewing Company approached re-opening its taprooms?

• After the initial shock of lockdown orders – which immediately closed the taprooms – Levante Brewing Company was able to bring people back quickly by pivoting to a curbside format at the West Chester brewery.
• With Mercury becoming very popular, the brewing company’s delivery service took off, which enabled the company to bringing back more staff. This service is still very popular.
• Levante Brewing Company has not yet opened either of its taprooms; they only operate curbside sales. Levante Brewing Company chooses this route to keep its staff safe.
• The popularity of its curbside service and Mercury has allowed the company not to re-open its taprooms as it is still profitable.
• The company shifted its focus away from wholesale and kegs. It now packages 100% of its beer in cans. This supports both wholesalers and bars and restaurants.
• The West Chester tap room (called “Carter”) has been converted into a fulfillment center. There is no room for customers.
• With the Stables in Eagle, Levante Brewing Company did not open because of concerns over the optics of having 200 people gathering in a single place.
• The company takes colder weather into its planning. Levante Brewing Company does not offer food, so it is reluctant to bring staff on for summer months only.
• The key factor of Levante Brewing Company’s approach is safety over profits.
• The brewery will soon open a third location for curbside pickup!

The post Creating Great Customer Experiences with Jim Adams appeared first on Start Local.

As businesses in Chester County and greater Philadelphia continue to pivot to online marketing and sales, many owners and leaders are exploring starting a podcast. We spoke with Kyle Rheiner to talk about how he started his own podcast, Beer Mighty Things, which is focused on the craft beverage industry.

Links

• ArthurHall.com
• craftbrewinginsurance.com
• instagram.com/beermightythingspodcast
• facebook.com/kylerheinerinsurance
• Anchor podcast hosting
• Libsyn podcast hosting
• Pat Flynn

Notes

What drove you to start your own podcast?

• Kyle has worked in the insurance industry since college and has developed a niche in the craft beverage sector.
• Kyle launched a podcast for a number of reasons:
  • While attending brewers’ guild meetings in PA in January 2020, Kyle realized that the presentations were sharing really great content – but none of the talks were being recorded.
  • As COVID-19 lockdowns began, Kyle had a webcam and microphone for Zoom meetings, and he realized that he had the tools he needed to start a podcast.
  • On April 7, he launched the show.
  • As of mid July (when we recorded this show), Kyle had 44 episodes and 2300 downloads.
• Kyle turned to his business industry for guests

How did you get the podcast off the ground?

• Start with “Why?” – Why are we even starting a podcast?
• Kyle is a firm believer in “niching” – do one thing and do it well
• Podcasting goals:
  • Be a better speaker
  • Become a better listener
  • Get better at asking questions, i.e., to be a better interview
• Kyle had to learn the basics of podcasting:
  • Where are podcast episodes hosted?
  • What sort of equipment is needed?
  • How should an episode be structured?
  • How should a show open?
  • How should a show close?
• Kyle researched average commute-to-work times, and made sure that his show would be either that time or twice as long as that (to cover the commute home.)
• Kyle made sure that he recorded a number of episodes before launching the podcast to make running it smoother.

Has there been a payoff with clients since starting a podcast?

• Kyle has grown a personal and professional network in new areas of the country.
• The podcast has given him a non-sales reason to reach out to different craft beverage makers.
• Through the podcast, Kyle has developed a better understanding of his clients needs, and those of the industry that he serves.
• Becoming a better listener who asks better questions has helped both in the office and at home.

How do you promote the show?

• A podcast library does not expire, so if listeners catch episodes well after those shows are published, the content is still valuable.
• Kyle has relied on his show’s guests to promote and share each episodes.
• He promotes the show on Instagram.
• The show’s audience has grown to about 50 downloads per episode.
• It’s important to make sure that episodes are properly feeding into the different podcast listening apps: iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more.

What other goals have you achieved through the podcast?

• Kyle is garnering positive feedback about his podcasting style, which reflects Kyle’s goals for starting the show.

What challenges have you faced with podcast?

• It’s tough to find the time to make the show on a regular basis as he doesn’t work on it during business hours, and does not want to take away from family time.
• Editing shows in Garage Band (for Apple) is laborious for Kyle.
• Kyle is considering outsourcing the editing of his shows.

The post Starting Your Own Podcast with Kyle C. Rheiner appeared first on Start Local.