2 Days to the Congressional Showcase!
State/Region: California, Northeastern California SBDC
SBDC: Northeastern California SBDC at Shasta-Cascade
SBDC Advisor: Susan Wright
SBDC Client: Wildcard Brewing Company
It started when Jeff and Jenny brewed two beers to give away as wedding favors at a brewery in San Luis Obispo, where they went to college. Homebrew projects and burst bottle explosions ensued in the years after. But a casual passion soon turned career as Jeff announced to Jenny that he had quit his job and had been accepted off a wait-list to brew school. You’d call them crazy, adventurous, unpredictable… a wildcard. Their story is one of the unexpected; a place where there are no limits, where perseverance and a free spirit will turn dreams into reality.
Wildcard Brewing Company opened its doors in November of 2012, with 4200 square feet of open warehouse space, a 10-gallon pilot system and a small, bare bones tasting room. For a year, the brewery serviced local accounts through a contract brewing relationship. It wasn’t until September of 2013 that they revealed a 15-barrel production brewery at the location off Crossroads Drive.
Once 100% of the production was in-house, Wildcard Brewing Co. was able to expand to other surrounding counties and begin bottling and canning product. Growth has continued at a rapid pace, adding to the chaos and Wildcard spirit.
“We discovered SBDC in a search for funding for our start-up company. Although SBDC did not provide actual funds, it was the mentoring we received there that directly benefited us during the loan process at our local bank. I believe we were successful in getting an SBA loan because of the professional way our business finances were presented to the bank and the confidence we had when speaking to them. The skills we gained from SBDC were invaluable and have been put to use time and again.” — Jenny Hansen, Co-Founder, Wildcard Brewing Company
Read more about the Wildcard Brewing Company here. Follow Wildcard Brewing Company on Twitter @WildcardBrewCo.
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The America’s SBDC 2017 Client Showcase Reception will be at 5:30 pm on Monday, February 6, 2017, at the Rayburn House Office Building. Invite your Members of Congress now!
For more information about America’s SBDC or to find an SBDC near you, go to www.AmericasSBDC.org.