Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sara Kazmer, Co-Founder of Elsewhere Brewing, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I opened Elsewhere Brewing in Grant Park, Atlanta, with my husband, Sam, in 2020. This project resulted from some of our favorite experiences and places at breweries from around the world. Without good people, delicious food, and welcoming spaces, beer lost much of its beauty. In other words, a beer alone can be tasty; however, a beer alongside a wholesome plate of food, enjoyed while sitting in a comfortable seat next to a friendly neighbor and helpful bartender, is a memorable experience. We found a major need for this in Atlanta. With that said, our number one focus is customer experience. Our brewmaster and partner, from the start of our kickoff in Atlanta, has created a beer program that offers a diverse portfolio of beers. From European-style light lagers to West Coast-style IPAS, to wine like Sours and dark rich ales, we really try and offer something for all demographics and pallets. Don't like any beer? We also have a limited cocktail program that features classic cocktails like dirty martinis and old-fashioned (must try our killer G&T) to please other pallets and people that can't have gluten. We also have a killer food menu as well that is a mix of pub fare and dishes inspired by other places.
Outside of food and beverage, we have a lot of Events to cater to neighborhood folks and people that step out primarily for live entertainment. We are frequently partnering with local nonprofits to raise money through events like Bingo, Drag Brunches, artist showcases, and other fun seasonal events. We have bluegrass, funk, R&B/soul, and jazz bands on Saturday Nights. We also throw a handful of late-night dance parties each year that – most recently, we had a themed Studio 54 Night and a Halloween anniversary party. We host a lot of educational workshops like mushroom foraging events, beer study groups, and mead fermentation. We always have something going on! We are also taking a group of guests to Patagonia, Argentina, in February – to carry our values of curiosity and travel outside of Atlanta.
It was crucial to design an open-air and cozy space that felt different than your traditional brewery. We wanted to attract more women and make it feel welcoming to all people. We sourced furniture and tile through mutual friends in Oaxaca and also worked with local wood makers and plasterers to create our bar. I get a lot of comments that it has a New Mexico vibe. I believe all these components come together to really set us apart from every other brewery, not just in GA but across the country. To bring all these components together and form an organic cohesion really makes me proud of our team. It could have easily become eclectic and overwhelming, but with all the thought and effort involved, it came together beautifully.
Tell us about yourself
My connection to hospitality began in high school: one of my first jobs was hosting and bussing tables at a small-town restaurant on the Chain of Lakes in Illinois. I worked in different roles in the industry through high school and started bartending during college. Just before my last year of college in Chicago, I met my husband at a bar in Florence, Italy. Needless to say, my life started to accelerate in a new direction. After graduating college with a degree in marketing, I moved out to Tacoma, WA, to be with him and begin my career in marketing. After several months of struggling, I found a job in Seattle at a firm specializing in branding. I learned so much about the importance of a strong brand: the story, meaning behind the name, look and feel, and messaging. I started to think more about why I dined at certain restaurants and gravitated toward certain beer brands. The Pacific Northwest has an incredible craft beer scene, and I naturally fell in love with beer. That being said, I couldn't help noticing how male-dominated the industry was in its branding, beer styles, and taproom design. It didn't take long to realize that office life was not for me, and I was tired of spending four hours a day commuting by bus to Seattle from Tacoma. I noticed that a local brewery was opening a second location across the street from us. I told my husband, Sam, I was going to apply for a management job there and that I was ready to get back into the industry. I had worked in almost every type of bar/restaurant but not a brewery. I wanted to see if the culture was any different.
One month later, I was walking across the street to my new job – the best commute ever. I learned quickly just how different the beer industry was. It attracted down-to-earth people who connected over an enjoyable product to share at any time of the day. Unlike wine or whiskey, an average-strength beer can be enjoyably consumed at lunch, dinner, or even breakfast: it's just a more social beverage. The customers were all warm and friendly, and the brewery attracted similar people for its staff. Meanwhile, my husband was recovering from a parachuting accident sustained while training with the 2nd Ranger Battalion. After that, we questioned what to do with our future together. My wanderlust was strong, and I felt confident that the craft beer industry could benefit from a female-driven brewery. I thought, 'why not travel the world to learn about beer and come back to open a brewery!'
Starting in the Summer of 2017, we traveled through South America and Europe, interviewing brewers and brewery owners and learning about new businesses and ones that have been open for centuries. I started to see what contributes to a pub's cozy aesthetic and what food pairs well with beer without being too filling. We tasted some of the best beer in the world and discovered how it is that some breweries make beers that remain popular for centuries. We took notes every day and arrived in Atlanta at the end of 2018. Sam, my husband, grew up in Gwinnett County. When we would visit his parents prior to 2017, we noticed that the Georgia craft beer scene was still in its infancy. After spending eight months in Sam's parent's basement writing up a business plan and making several attempts at unsuccessful partnerships, we decided to just do it all ourselves! After spending about six months looking for prospective locations, we fell in love with the Grant Park neighborhood because it had a similar vibe to our favorite neighborhoods in Seattle, Portland, and Tacoma. Eventually, the stars aligned: we received an SBA bank loan, found the perfect space in Grant Park in May 2019, and signed a lease! Fast forward two years after that, and we are about to build our second location in West Midtown.
Currently, I am motivated to continue fighting for the importance of hospitality. It has been nothing but a struggle since our doors have opened. Pandemic, inflation, staff retention, guest lifestyle changes - we have truly not gotten a break. I opened this business to give back to my industry folks by providing a healthy, enjoyable, and lucrative place to work; in return, it would be providing an enjoyable place for guests to be. The pandemic resulted in people spending more time at home and was less encouraging to get people to connect in public. I believe the pendulum will swing back, but in the meantime, we'll keep grinding and figuring out how to cut costs, keep money in our employee's pockets, and will do our best to give each person that walks through our door a memorable experience.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Hanging on through 2020, 21, and 22. These have been mentally the hardest years of my life. When you come home to your spouse, who is also your business partner, it's hard to hang your hat on the hook and leave your emotions and worries and the door. The resilience, continuous hope, and belief that these last few years have required are more than I ever thought I had within me.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Right now, we live in a cancel culture, and there are a lot of people out there looking to point at employers for any mistake. It's impossible to pay your team a livable wage and not raise prices. It seems impossible to be inclusive of everyone and not offend someone. Sometimes the majority of your team is hurting from a system that only one or two folks benefit from, and that requires changing. Those folks might just leave and write some really nasty things about you for everyone to see. At the end of the day, we are human and are far from perfect. Stick true to your values and beliefs that support the notion that you are benefiting the majority of the people. Not everyone is going to like you, and that's okay. I'm a people pleaser, so that's been a hard pill to swallow.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Hire a life/business coach from the START. There will be many times when you won't know what to do or know how to respond, and you have nobody in the company above you to consult with. An objective third party to weigh in goes a long way. I can't recommend virtual coach Neon Cardigan/Sarah Price enough!
- Don't ever become complacent - with anything: your team, your systems, your strategy. If you're going to survive and grow, you need to be constantly tweaking, and the majority of the hires you make won't be a long-term match. Let go of attachment to all things and ideas. You will start so many projects and will figure out they aren't working - realize that's okay, and change course. If you keep doing the same thing, you'll never find a better opportunity. Remain confident that the right systems and folks will eventually fall into place and align with your values. But the doors gotta remain open for those things to find you.
- Turn OFF email notifications. Batch your emails, do not let them interrupt you and run your life. If it's urgent enough, you're already aware of it, and you'll be checking your messages. If you are not aware and it is urgent, someone will call you.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://elsewherebrewing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsewherebrewingco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsewherebrewing/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-kazmer-86b46b60/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.