Connecting People to Nature & Each Other

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brady Duncan, Founder of MadTree Brewing, located in Cincinnati, OH, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

On the surface, we are a craft brewery, but once you get to know us, we are so much more than that. We are a group of 180 proud employees who want to plant a better community, grow every day, and connect with those we serve. As we say at MadTree, we give a f*ck. We operate a large taproom in the beautiful neighborhood of Oakley in Cincinnati, where we passionately make craft beer, cider, sodas, cocktails, and canned vodka. We recently opened Alcove, a nook of nature in the heart of historic OTR - a bar/restaurant featuring our beers, homemade cocktails, and farm-to-table dishes. We make and distribute canned beer and kegs to Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee through all of your favorite retailers. We are proud of 1% of the Planet members giving back 1% of revenue to local non-profits we work with to improve our community. Alcove is Leed Gold certified, and we will work on B-Corp certification next year. Our customers and community partners work side by side with us, volunteering, giving back, and having a good time while doing it. Put more simply, we have fun and give a f#ck about what we are doing.

Tell us about yourself

I was raised in Massillon, Ohio, and did my undergrad at the University of Dayton. Post-college, I was looking to move to Chicago with many of my roommates (college 2.0 and all), but my girlfriend, now wife, had other ideas. I followed her to Alabama as she pursued her Ph.D. in Psychology (side note - she named our most popular beer, PsycHOPathy). I worked for two years and then returned to school to get my MBA. I was recruited to Procter and Gamble, where I worked with some of the most amazing people for four years in the analytics space. I left P&G to start the brewery with Kenny McNutt; we've been at it for ten years. Our passion was and continues to be growing this business and being where employees can find a fulfilling home. The people here at MadTree are what motivate and inspire me and keep me up at night. Our business has evolved and is ever-changing, which is fun and challenging.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

There are so many it's hard to narrow just to one. It's special seeing long-time employees start families, buy homes, and take vacations - creating life from this little idea. When you start a business, you are focused on being relevant - with a love of the product and a bit of disregard for your wellbeing. So to see this business take care of folks, including my family, is special.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Creating meaningful differentiation in our category is tough. When we started, there were 2,000 craft breweries and a few in our area. Now there are over 9,000 and over 60 in our area. The space is crowded, and the big guys (AB, Miller-Coors, Gallo, etc.) will protect what they've built.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Know who you are. It's okay for that to morph a bit, but you must be steadfast in why you exist, who you are as a company, and what differentiates you.
Take "me time." If you are running yourself into the ground, only give your employees and business 80% of yourself 100% of the time. In that case, you are not doing anyone a favor. Giving your employees and business 100% of yourself 80% of the time is better than the reverse.
Get a coach, mentor, or networking group to challenge you. Personal growth and stretch are necessary.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.madtreebrewing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadTree/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madtreebrewing/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadTreeBrewing
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nl50R3

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.