Podcast appearances and mentions of dave thibodeau

It doesn't get much better than a Colorado-meets-New York show. For this week's episode, Jimmy is diving into IPAs from two spectacular beer states with a couple special guests. Joining Jimmy are Geoff Wenzel, R&D brewer at Industrial Arts Brewing Co in Beacon, NY, and Dave Thibodeau, president and co-founder of Ska Brewing in Durango, Colorado.Great brewers and great guests, Geoff and Dave have sent Jimmy some awesome beers for a remote, coast-to-coast tasting. Each brewer will introduce their beers, starting with IPAs, and then get down to brass tacks regarding hops, brewing methods, and the stories behind the brews.Sip along with this episode of BSR! Photo courtesy of @skabrewingHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.

This special business-focused edition of the podcast is brought to you interruption-free by the transformational beverage-industry technologists at Encompass (https://www.encompasstech.com). As we head into 2024, the brewing industry is facing serious headwinds that have limited growth for many breweries and accelerated the closure of others. Consumer patterns are changing, product preferences continue to evolve, drinking occasions shift as our rhythms of work and life find different beats, and the playbook on which many businesses relied on no longer produces the same results. However, necessity has always been the mother of invention for craft brewers, and today's challenges feel a bit familiar to those who experienced a similar contraction in the late '90s or massive price increases due to the hop shortage of the late '00s. To explore how brewers are facing these challenges head-on today—and working to “future-proof” their breweries—we tapped three industry pros to share their viewpoints—Patrick Tickle, CEO of Encompass (https://www.encompasstech.com), Cole Hackbarth, VP of brewing operations for Cincinnati's Rhinegeist (https://rhinegeist.com), and Dave Thibodeau, president and cofounder of Ska Brewing (https://www.skabrewing.com) in Durango, Colorado. Through the conversation, they discuss: major challenges for breweries today, such as increasing COGS, lower consumer-pricing thresholds, and the diminishing returns from innovation strategizing around today's generational shift in drinkers developing organic and authentic innovation within the beer space differences between craft beer and flavored malt beverage (FMB) consumers focusing innovation around brand strengths rather than untested categories supporting innovation while maintaining profitability through blended margins the increasing impact of cash flow on business decision making changing hospitality habits developed by customers during the pandemic managing labor costs through cross-training and active owner-operators And more. This special industry spotlight episode is brought to you by Encompass The Encompass (https://www.encompasstech.com) digital platform is designed to connect everyone across the supply chain, from producers to distributors and retailers, so that you have clear real-time visibility into your brewing business with powerful analytics to support your decision making. Collaborate to maximize sales, minimize empty shelves, and eliminate product waste. Visit Encompasstech.com (https://www.encompasstech.com) to learn more about how they can help future-proof your business with modern technology.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy tunes into the Ska network with co-founders Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau from Ska Brewing in Durango, Colorado. The gang will listen to Dave's and Bill's latest album about their brewing, growing, and drinking process.For the first track, we have the story of Bill and Dave. Growing up together by the Front Range of Colorado, the duo started home-brewing to Ska music in high school. They then moved to Durango partly to create the Ska Brewing Co. we now know, but mostly to ski. The second track is an intro to the three waves of Ska and their favorite bands like The Toasters and The Pietasters, who might be performing at their 27th anniversary this Labor Day Weekend.Track three and four are more complex, with Bill and Dave diving deeper into the company and their beers, as well as weed legalization in Colorado and the challenges it creates for local growers and brewers. Track five increases in tempo as the gang talks about home-brewing and the importance of enjoying the process. They also touch briefly on the words written on the lips of the cans with Jimmy's challenge for their next one. To end the show, track six takes us gardening and into Dave's backyard for a mini-lecture on how to grow carrots.No wonder this album is top 1 on Billboard right now!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.

“There is the fallacy that you can outgrow any problem.  (You think) I’ll just sell more – that will solve the problem.  Well, that’s not true.”  Matt Cutter, Co-founder & President, Upslope Brewing Company Many of us are familiar with the stories of our favorite small microbreweries and of the huge Colorado successes like New Belgium Brewing which was acquired by Kirin.  Regional beer makers (starting at 15,000 barrels a year) have their own niche – big enough that we know their brand and big enough to be in stores, and small enough to still feel like the term “craft beer” still fits.  I love Matt’s comment that “Good brewers dump beer!“ referring to the need to throw out beer that doesn’t meet their standards.  About a year ago, I interviewed Dave Thibodeau, Founder and CEO of Ska Brewing in Durango (episode) – it’s fun for me to contrast the style and the story of this week’s featured guest, Matt Cutter of Upslope Brewing. 

“The beer business is not glamour, it’s not all beer drinking.  It’s a giant dishwashing job!”  Dave Thibodeau, Founder and CEO, Ska Brewing  I had a great time with Dave Thibodeau, founder of Ska Brewing.  We laughed a lot while we talked about the business of building a Top 100 brewery.  Spoiler Alert:  Ska is named for their favorite beer-making music!   

Ever dreamt about getting paid to sit back and drink delicious beer all day? Well, keep dreaming. Yes, the beer industry is a lot of fun. But as you may have guessed, it’s hyper-competitive and demands a LOT of hard work! In today’s episode, Dave Thibodeau traces Ska Brewing’s evolution from scrappy underdog to top-100 brewery, competing against international conglomerates (all while keeping its edgy sense of humor). You’ll learn how Dave stumbled upon his passion in a book, how he and his partners bootstrapped the business by buying used equipment and sleeping in a Volkswagen bus, and how they marketed their brand’s “David vs. Goliath” attitude in a comic book. You’ll also hear how Dave and his partners expanded internationally, built a distribution arm to help other brewers (“coopetition,” he calls it), eventually scaled to 70 employees, and embraced the pain of a bad hops contract by releasing a limited-run, very hoppy brew called Bad Hop Contract. Don’t miss Dave’s advice for how to split up responsibilities among partners, and be sure to listen through to the end to hear him explain the big advantage smaller, more locally-minded businesses have when competing with international giants. Dave is a laid-back guy, who has managed to build a massive business while still remaining true to himself—so check him out in this episode, and subscribe so you won’t miss the next one! In This Episode We Cover: Why Dave looks at other craft brewers as “coopetition” How Ska Brewing expanded into overseas markets (They’re big in Sweden!) How a real estate investment made the company a ton of money What the “mom-and-pop” game is, and how to avoid it in your business Why Dave tries to hire people smarter than him Why he doesn’t blindly follow trends Why doing business locally helps his profit margins How diversifying into other products made his business stronger Why it’s so vital to make each employee feel important And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets BiggerPockets Business Podcast 03: How to Attract Media Attention and Turn Publicity Into Profit with Brent Underwood

The Modern Drinker Show Dave Thibodeau, owner of Ska Brewing talks to us about craft beer culture these days, and it's a lot different than it was twenty two years ago when they started brewing beer! Yes they're part of Micro Brew Fest too!

The Modern Drinker Show Ben Unkles from Renegade brewing is in studio with six different styles of delicious craft beer! They're also pouring at Micro Brew Fest, find out what they're bringing on September 23rd! Here's a hint, you haven't tried it before! Dave Thibodeau, owner of Ska Brewing talks to us about craft beer culture these days, and it's a lot different than it was twenty two years ago when they started brewing beer! Yes they're part of Micro Brew Fest too! Did you know Brest France is one of Denver's Sister Cities? Did you know that Brest France has only one craft brewery? Meet Sacha Heppell and mom Laurette Heppell from the sister city committee! The craft beer connection with France might surprise you!

“We have that motivation behind us because we have this ridiculous force in front of us that’s trying to squash us all.” - Dave Thibodeau Dave Thibodeau joins us today to discuss the journey of his business, Ska Brewing, and all the awesome beer they brew in Colorado. Dave’s journey is one radical ride into the brewing industry, which started back in the early 80’s, all while underage! On this episode of “Take me Outdoors,” we discuss the product, brand, and experience of Ska Brewery. Dave Thibodeau is the co-founder and president of Ska Brewing, a company located in Durango, Colorado, where Ska Brewing has been successfully in business for the last 21 years. Bulletpoints Ska Brewing started with Dave and Bill making beer in Dave’s living room! Bill and Dave moved to Durango in 1993. They got their first warehouse in 1995, where Ska Brewing was born! Their competition offered to put them on tap, which came to a big surprise for them. Every time they learned something new, they became more aware how much more they needed to learn! In order to improve their business, they had to be willing to give up as much information as they were seeking. Ska Brewery creates an experience through their brand. Ska’s marketing platform came out of comic books. The Ska brand is a direct reflection of what Dave, Bill, and Matt like to do. Ska does not want to create a factory-like atmosphere for their workers. Ska is partnering with Race Across America. Links Ska Brewing: http://skabrewing.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skabrewing/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/skabrewing @SkaBrewing https://www.instagram.com/skabrewing/

Meet the awesome co-founder of SKA Brewing in Durango, Colorado, Dave Thibodeau (tib - uh- doh!). He got his start in home brewing beer before he was actually of legal drinking age!

There are a lot of things to think about when you start a business. Location, markets, consumers, branding, budgeting, the list can be overwhelming.  But what we're talking about today on the Intrepid Entrepreneur Podcast is passion! Consumers can tell when you have it, and they most certainly can tell when you don't. Today, I have the honor to interview Dave Thibodeau, co-owner of a path-burning, stalwartly independent craft brewing company, Ska Brewing, which is located in my hometown of Durango Colorado. Dave and one of his co-founders, Bill Graham, got into homebrewing as young adults and laid out their business plan on the back of a bar napkin. When they went to the bank with their idea, no one was interested in funding them. But hearing that no one believed their company could work only made Dave even more determined to be successful. Twenty one years later, Ska Brewing Company is growing on its own terms, keeping creativity, independence and their vision crystal clear as they continue to knock down the success milestones. What makes them so successful? Dave says it's their authenticity. It's something national companies can't replicate, and consumers not only notice, but revere. Back when Ska was founded, Dave says he had no specific consumer type in mind mostly because back then, there barely was a consumer type for craft beer! They just tried to appeal people who wanted to be a part of their story, and share in the experience. Little did he know that he was on to the success formula for any passion-driven entrepreneurial business. It just came naturally to them. Let's be honest. … Craft beer is an experience! Ska does a masterful job offering the experience of creativity without rules or boundaries, and the experience of location - there's a reason the company has dropped the clutch on its growth and reach right from its founding in Durango. Ska's all about being at the outdoor festival listening to music, doing epic outdoor endurance sports, sitting at the local brewery where your beer was made and surprising and delighting the customer with a true, creative craft experience.   Bravery in Business Quote “Whenever you're talking about craft brewing or entrepreneurs, passion is the term that gets thrown around like crazy. But I really stand behind that.” - Dave Thibodeau (click to tweet)   Cliff Notes: Early support and assistance from other local brewers set a precedent for how they would treat other brewers and businesses, with a lot of camaraderie. There is so much to learn about the business and the product, that it takes a lot of collaboration and sharing of knowledge to be successful and get the information you need. Craft brewers are just 10% of the entire beer market in the U.S. Like some outdoor lifestyle markets, craft brewers are motivated to work together because they are all facing off against the same mega companies, Anheuser Busch,  MillerCoors, etc. Corporate competition gives craft brewers a common cause. Dave's passionate about the authenticity of Ska. It's something that really shows, that consumers notice in craft breweries that national companies can't replicate. Craft beer is offering an experience to the customer. Extending the experience of being in their brewery, at a mountain festival in Colo., etc, to people who don't live there or can't come. Had no “consumer type” in mind when they started the company. Twenty years ago, there barely was a consumer type for craft beer. Ska just wanted to appeal to the type of person who wants to be a part of their story, and share in the experience. Slow growth as a smart strategy to build a strong foundation. Recently looking for way to expand but decided not to borrow a lot of money to open another facility/ building/restaurant.  Instead, they started “Mod Brewery,” a second brewery inside of their current facility completely dedicated to creating artful brews in small batches. The Mod Brewery enables Ska's artisan brewers have some fun and experiment with brewing techniques, 14 kegs at time.   “You can't replicate it if it's not genuine” - Dave Thibodeau (click to tweet)   Resources: SkaBrewing.com   Show Notes: IntrepidEntrepreneur.net/Dave-Thibodeau

Dave Thibodeau and Bill Graham, 2/3 of the Ska Brewing Company trio, are our guests. We hear how the guys parlayed what was initially a clever scheme to circumvent underage drinking laws into successful careers in the craft beer and spirits industry. We also talk about canning beers, collaborations, and Ska's newest release - seasonal stouts. Find Ska online: http://www.skabrewing.com Music: Juice - Keep It Moving