Episode 55 - Mark Edelson | Iron Hill Brewery
In this episode, Brian has a beer with Mark Edelson, co-founder and owner of Iron Hill Brewery. Mark shares his entrepreneurial journey, and how it all started with his friend, and eventual partner, home brewing beer in 1989 as a hobby.
From working for “the man” to becoming The Man, Mark walks us through the highs and lows of being a restaurant owner during the pandemic, with over 1600 employees to under 200 employees in 10 days.
Listen in on Mark’s experience working with private equity, the curse of being a midsize business, his favorite and not so favorite beers, and why it’s so important to have your spouse on board before committing to the restaurant business.
Key takeaways:
Opening a 2nd location is harder than opening your 20th
Entrepreneurs succeed by pure force of will
If you want to quit your day job to become an entrepreneur, make sure your family and support system are on board
If you only have 10 minutes:
2:00 - Learn about the business, which just hit its 26th year!
6:00 - It all started with a home-brewing kit
11:40 - The challenges of working with a business partner
14:37 - The “iceberg” view of owing a restaurant
16:40 - The effects of the pandemic on the hospitality industry, plus the importance of pivoting, and taking care of your employees
22:00 - What happens when you’re in the middle of construction on 4 new restaurants and a pandemic hits?
30:20 - The evolution of a business
36:00 - A round of rapid-fire beer questions
Mark, thanks for joining us, it was a great show! Cheers! 🍻
HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS:
Inkredibly Juicy by Iron Hill Brewery - Brian gave it a 4.5 out of 5
Learn more about Mark
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