As a woman entrepreneur, Jen Rogers has established herself as an accomplished brewer and co-owner of Wild Winds Brewery, which she started with her husband Tim. With a passion for craft beer, Jen has established herself as the Chief Awesome Officer of Wild Winds Brewery, where she handles various roles such as brewer, website designer, social media, sales rep, and can label designer.
Brewing-Up a Business
Jen’s story began when she and her husband were sitting on their patio drinking craft beer and contemplating starting their own business. After exploring various business options, they decided to start a brewery. However, neither of them knew how to brew beer, so they enrolled in the Olds College Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management Program. Jen’s decision to pursue brewing education was beneficial as it provided her with valuable technical knowledge, practical experience, industry relationships, and lasting friendships.
During her first semester at Olds College, Jen purchased a Sabco Brew Magic brewing system and set it up in her garage to gain further practical experience. She also worked at Village Brewery, where she honed her skills in brewery quality assurance and quality control, brewed small-scale pilot batches, and developed a sense of community.
After completing her studies, Jen found full-time employment at Last Best Brewing & Distilling, where she learned to brew on a large-scale system and gained valuable experience. She also pursued obtaining her Certified Cicerone designation. Later, she was hired as a Brewers position at Railyard Brewing, where she developed and brewed over 20 recipes and was promoted to Production Manager. Fast-forward to now where Jen is taking her business full-time and looking to expand the business in big ways! One of the key elements to Wild Winds Brewery has been their many successful business collaborations.
Benefits of Business Collaborations
Collaborating with other businesses can have numerous benefits that can help your company grow and expand.
Dual marketing
One major advantage is dual marketing – when two companies collaborate, they can combine their marketing efforts, reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness.
New customers
Collaboration also allows businesses to tap into new customer bases that they may not have been able to reach on their own.
Using our business and platforms for good and giving back
Moreover, when businesses collaborate, they have the opportunity to use their platforms for good and give back to the community. By joining forces, companies can create meaningful social impact and work towards shared causes that align with their values.
So, if you’re looking to take your business to the next level, consider the many benefits of collaborating with like-minded businesses.
Tips for Collaborations
Collaboration is an essential aspect of entrepreneurship because it allows you to build relationships, share resources, and leverage each other’s strengths to achieve common goals. In the craft beer industry, collaboration is heavily focused on community building. They believe that by working together, they can make the industry better, and everyone benefits. When new breweries move into town, it draws more people to the neighboring brewery, and businesses thrive by sharing a piece of the pie. If you’re looking to grow your business, collaborations can be a great way to do it. But finding the right partner can be a challenge, so, Jen shares a few tips on collaborating with other businesses, questions to ask, and how to approach them:
Shared Values
One important tip is to look for businesses that share your values. This can help ensure a successful collaboration that benefits both parties.
Think Outside the Box
Another tip is to think outside the box when it comes to collaboration opportunities. Look for unique and fun projects that will excite both you and your potential partner.
Just Ask
Don’t be afraid to ask, even if the timing isn’t quite right. Plant the seed for future collaboration and keep an open mind.
“You have to really believe in what you’re giving back to. That’s really important to us and why we’ve entered into the collaborations that we have.” – Jen Rogers
Collaborating with other businesses can be a powerful tool for growth, so it’s important to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to explore new opportunities. By keeping these tips in mind, you can find the right collaborators and create exciting new projects that benefit everyone involved.
Jen’s success story is inspiring and demonstrates that with passion, dedication, and a willingness to learn, women can break into the male-dominated craft beer industry and succeed. Jen’s journey highlights the importance of pursuing education and building strong relationships within the industry to thrive. Women entrepreneurs can learn from Jen’s example and apply her principles to their own ventures, whatever they may be.
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