Building In Public

Founding Fathers Brewing (Part 2)

We know, we know...it's been a minute. What can we say, Fathers has been BUSY! In Part 2 of Fathers’ launch story, Conor picks up where we left off: the scramble into Whole Foods and a wild Super Bowl push. From landing beers in players’ hands (hi, Gronk 👋) to raising additional capital, kicking off bottle runs, and learning the chaotic joy of selling IRL — things have escalated quickly. So crack one open and get caught up, because we're not slowing down any time soon 🍻 Chapters: 00:00 — Previously on Fathers... 00:36 — Networking in New Orleans + Early NFL Exposure 02:28 — Transparent Look at Funding and Startup Spending 04:19 — Realizing Beer Is a B2B Business 06:16 — Building Credibility Through Owned Events and Content 09:17 — Choosing Manufacturing Partners With an Eye on Scale 11:04 — Bottles, Brewer Expansion, and Relationship Building 17:24 — Defining Fathers’ Brand: Clean Beer Tastes Better 23:50 — Fast Forward: Rapid Retail Growth and Hyper-Local Distribution Strategy 25:56 — Preparing for a Bigger, Home-Turf Super Bowl Activation 27:08 — Scaling Production, Strengthening Marketing, and Eyeing Grocery More to come — thanks for tuning in! Learn more about Fathers Brewing here: https://www.fathersbrewing.com/ Connect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/

Founding Fathers Brewing (Part 1)

What happens when a titan of the tech industry decides to clean up the beer aisle? In the premiere episode of Building in Public, host Conor Begley chronicles the whirlwind early days of co-founding Fathers, a clean beer brand reinventing the American lager. The idea for Fathers was born after Conor and his co-founder Joe Cloyes (who previously founded the cult-favorite clean skincare brand Youth to the People) discovered the toxins lurking in mass-market brews—think glyphosate, lead, arsenic, even plastic. Now, Conor's offering an unfiltered look into the creation of Fathers' double-filtered beer. From sleepless nights and cross-country flights to recipe testing and chaotic Super Bowl pitches, Conor shares both the grit and exhilaration of navigating the beverage industry and bringing Fathers to life. Tune in for candid insights, lessons learned, and the highs and lows of building a business in real time. Whether you’re an aspiring founder or just curious about what it takes to bring a new idea to fruition, this episode offers a real-life look at entrepreneurship in action. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon! Chapters: 00:00 The Journey Begins: Launching a New Brand 02:04 The Entrepreneurial Hustle: A Day in the Life 07:47 Building the Brand: Early Wins and Challenges 12:52 Strategizing for Success: Partnerships and Branding 17:59 Navigating Risks: The Super Bowl Project 23:57 Refining the Vision: Product Development and Feedback 30:49 Testing the Waters: Market Feedback and Adjustments 32:17 Building Community in the Alcohol Industry 34:33 Super Bowl Activation and Brand Exposure 38:54 Go-to-Market Strategy and Whole Foods Distribution Learn more about Fathers Brewing here: https://www.fathersbrewing.com/ Connect with Conor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conormbegley/