Bill Shufelt - How to Build a $800M+ Non-Alcoholic Beer Brand
In this episode, I sit down with Bill Shufelt, co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing, to discuss his journey from Wall Street to redefining non-alcoholic beer. Athletic Brewing has grown from an idea to a $800M valuation, disrupting an industry and carving out a new market in craft brewing.We talk about:- The bold decision to leave a lucrative hedge fund career for entrepreneurship.- The science and innovation behind brewing non-alcoholic beer.- Overcoming early rejection and building a loyal community.- Lessons on scaling, fundraising, and maintaining a strong company culture.Bill’s story is an inspiring testament to taking calculated risks and staying true to a mission. Whether you're an entrepreneur, craft beer enthusiast, or just curious about the non-alcoholic beverage revolution, this episode has something for you.Tune in to hear how Athletic Brewing is making waves while staying grounded in community impact.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:32 Leaving Wall Street02:12 Discovering the Need for Non-Alcoholic Beer07:28 The Importance of a Strong Support System10:30 Quitting a Stable Job15:09 Finding the Right Co-Founder: John Walker19:11 Launching the First Product23:55 Crafting Company Culture26:14 Working With the Right People27:50 Meeting Investors31:40 Launching, E-Commerce and Retail Distribution33:02 The Keys to Building Community36:40 Sober October, Dry January, Market Timing41:00 Navigating Fundraising42:52 Mistakes While Raising45:29 Scaling Manufacturing49:38 Advantages of Vertical Integration51:23 Tackling Supply Chain Issues53:25 Communicating Effectively With Investors55:03 Evolving as a CEO56:20 Hiring the Right People01:00:06 Expanding Internationally01:06:28 Giving Back Through Two for the Trails01:11:13 Evaluating Investments01:12:32 The Name01:13:36 Lightning Round01:18:28 Reflections / Learnings as CEO01:20:47 Best Advice01:21:35 Favorite Podcast01:23:35 Giving Flowers to an Entrepreneur01:25:11 How Big Can Athletic Be?Guest: Bill ShufeltInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/athleticbrewing/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-shufelt-650059138/ / https://www.linkedin.com/company/athletic-brewing-company-llc/Website: https://athleticbrewing.com/Get in touch in the comments below or head to:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Contact: info@openresidency.comPowered by IKONICKGet a 30% discount on the best motivational art from IKONICK at https://ikonick.com/openresidency (use code: OPENRESIDENCY30)