News
Press releases, media, upcoming events and more; tune in here for a collection of news about the knowledge sharing community at Crafting A Strategy.
We are thrilled to announce a continuation of our partnership with the Oregon Brewers Guild. The OBG has partnered with CAS again this year to offer all OBG members 50% off an annual "Wisdom" membership at CAS to all who join in the month of November, 2017. Additionally, all OBG members will receive a perpetual 20% off all CAS membership levels after November 30, 2017.
Here’s a quote from a couple of current CAS Members who took advantage of the promotion last year:
"The kind of industry insight and perspective shared in the CAS forums and community has played an important role in how we make big decisions at Baerlic—we're very lucky to have the ability to learn from other people's experience and mistakes!" - Ben Parsons, Baerlic Brewing
"To have two great organizations like OBG and CAS partner again is awesome. I can't say enough good things about both. The CAS membership has allowed me to reach out to a number of industry veterans and gain invaluable insight that has helped LGM grow. It's the equivalent of a digital happy hour." - Adam Steffen, LGM Distributing
"Crafting a Strategy (CAS) is the perfect compliment to our OBG membership! It's awesome to be able to connect with other independent brewers on a wide variety of forum discussions. The Migration team also really enjoys the weekly 15 minutes of inspiration emails! I would highly recommend being a part of this community to anyone that wants to be active in our industry." - McKean Banzer-Lausberg, Migration Brewing
CAS is the professional development tool of choice at craft breweries on four continents, plus it is increasingly used in business schools across the USA to teach strategic thinking. When registering, please use the coupon code OREGONGUILD at checkout.
"Chinese entrepreneurs - Sam Holloway, a beer industry expert and an Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the University of Portland, says all three elements are good for Widmer...."
For the entire article, CLICK HERE
Professors from multiple universities across the USA are using Crating A Strategy as a dynamic multimedia alternative to a textbook.
For more information including a brief video on pedagogical features, example syllabi and how easy it is to convert from your old textbook to a better solution, CLICK HERE
Every brewery hits a plateau where they need to bring in experts in various fields to help them continue growing, whether you're brewing 3000 barrels per year or 4 million. Sam Holloway, President of Crafting A Strategy, will speak to start-ups, brewpubs, and microbreweries on the trade-offs between scale, creativity, happiness and profitability.
Check out other industry experts scheduled to show you how to get the financing and investment you need to build/expand your business! FOR PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE AGENDA, CLICK HERE
August 24-25, 2016 in San Diego, CA. REGISTER HERE
Craft beer is growing rapidly in China. So much so, that the China Beer Conference and Exhibition (CBCE) is taking place next week in Shanghai. An all-star list of speakers includes Steve Hindy, founder and CEO of Brooklyn Brewery, Matthew Brynildson, Brewmaster at Firestone Walker Brewery, Michael Jordan, Brewmaster at BoxingCat Brewery, and also industry leaders from Germany, Brazil, and China.
CAS Founders Sam Holloway and Mark Meckler are featured speakers. Sam will be speaking to the smaller craft breweries in Asia about business models that allow for fragmented and local breweries to thrive, no matter their location or infrastructure. Meckler will be talking about Chinese culture, and how the ethos of craft fits nicely with Chinese food and beverage traditions. China has always consumed vast amounts of beer, it is great to see the Chinese people can now have more choices and more flavorable beer to consume.
Sam Holloway speaks at 11:30am on May 26 in Subsession 1: "How Small Breweries Can Compete in the Global Market Place"
Mark Meckler speaks at 3:30pm on May 26 in Subsession 2: "Connection Between Cultural Values and Craft Breweries"
Check out the full program, here.
Once again, the Co-Founders of CRAFTING A STRATEGY are leading the conversation in the craft beer business arena. Sam Holloway and Mark Meckler suggest that AB InBev continues to chase higher profitability through lower-quality products and acquisitions at the expense of finding new customers. While these actions might please shareholders in the short term, they also fit nicely into disruption theory’s playbook where new technologies, laws, consumer awareness and business models actively work against the long-held advantages of incumbents.
In 20 years, will cracking open a Budweiser on a summer day still be commonplace? Or will it be a relic of times past? If AB InBev stays on its current strategic course, the latter, while tough to imagine now, is the more plausible scenario.
Read the full story: “Can you imagine a world without Budweiser? We can” – The Conversation, May 2016
Curated by professional editors, The Conversation offers informed commentary and debate on the issues affecting our world. An independent source of news and views from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public. Their team of professional editors worked with publishers, Sam Holloway, Ph.D., Mark Meckler, Ph.D. and Rhett Brymer, Ph.D. to unlock their knowledge for use by the wider public through TheConversation.com.
Each morning from 11am-noon at the Craft Brewers Conference (May 4-6), University of Portland booth 2162, industry experts from across the country will be joining to 'hold class'. Relaxed and informal, these sessions will allow anyone to ask questions of experts in construction, architecture, financing, restaurant operations, brewery operations, mobile marketing, and more. The schedule and details are as folllows:
WEDNESDAY: Brewpub Operations with Mark Meckler & Sam Holloway from Crafting A Strategy
THURSDAY: Brewery Design with Mark Moore from FMD Architects and Randall Behrens from Live Oak Bank
FRIDAY: Mobile Marketing with Jay Reilly and Mike Boult from Craft Nation
Tim Hohl, The Beer Geek, interviews Sam Holloway on his radio segment on AM 860 KPAM about big beer making moves to consolidate, suggesting the decline of big beer is upon us. Sparked by Sam's blog, The End of Big Beer, Tim asks Sam about the puzzle of craft beer mergers and acquisitions and what it means for the 4,000+ small craft breweries in America.
Most craft brewing entrepreneurs think growing up means growing big – we disagree! Craft breweries are a driving force for societal change because they give anyone the chance to create a beautiful life while creating good, local jobs. Small breweries need the same detailed attention and strategic advice as large breweries, but business schools and the popular press ignore them! Our panel will speak to these 3,300+ small breweries and offer strategies to stay small, profitable and beautiful.
FOR PDF OF CBC 2016 SEMINAR SCHEDULE, AS OF DECEMBER 15, CLICK HERE
Portland Tribune reaches out to CAS Community in this article about uncovering a new model for wealth sharing; craft breweries are (literally) an economic engine that betters people's lives. Members Jeff Althouse (Oakshire), Steve Waters (Backwoods), Sam Holloway (CAS) and Mark Meckler (CAS) are all interviewed.
Peter Korn is a well-known investigative reporter for the Tribune, tackling tough issues including public housing, for profit universities and student debt.
For the entire article, CLICK HERE