Beer Industry
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Friday Buzz: Brewing Good Business, Together

Despite being a part of a rapidly growing, competitive industry, brewers have learned to appreciate the value of cooperation. Plus: What's in store for Food Safety Awareness Month!

When Half Moon Bay Brewing Company Founder Lenny Mendonca used a name for his beer that was already owned, he was sure that a formal letter he received would mark the start of a long legal process. What he got instead was a personal message from the owner of the other brewery asking him to switch the name and wishing him luck in the business.

It turns out that this community spirit is not uncommon in the booming craft beer market, where the secret to success in the industry may be to not have any secrets.

Entrepreneur contributor Corie Brown explores the benefits that come from such openness between competitors and how other groups can learn from the trade.

Bob Sutton, a management science and engineering professor at Stanford University, told Brown the reason this model works so well for breweries is because of their need to unify against larger companies.

“A segment needs to share knowledge to legitimize itself and increase sales in a battle against a common enemy,” Sutton said. “With a named enemy, an industry segment becomes a social movement.”

Quiz of the day

How well can you distinguish between a rented conference exhibit and a custom-built one? Even the most hardened event planner may find this quiz from Exhibitor a little tricky.

Other Good Reads

What are the roadblocks facing associations looking to grow globally? What sorts of research and governance should they be exploring? Find these answers and more with this interview between MCI Group’s Vice President of Global Association Management and Consulting Nikki Walker and its Senior Global Development Strategy Advisor Peter Turner.

September is Food Safety Awareness Month, and the National Restaurant Association will be celebrating by focusing on the flow of food through restaurants. The organization will offer food-service-industry professionals tips for safely handling food; from receiving ingredients to serving the plate. Check out more details here.

Need some help with your organization’s leadership? Then read this interview with Michelle Czosek, the new president/CEO of the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives. Czosek calls upon her nearly 25 years of experience in association management to provide insights on best practices for operating an organization.

(Joel Olives/ThinkStock)

Eli Zimmerman

By Eli Zimmerman

Eli is studying Journalism at the University of Maryland. When not studying, he likes to relax with a nice book or a couple rounds at the local boxing gym. MORE

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