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As America prepares for its 250th birthday, I could think of no other person (besides maybe Superman?) who embodies the spirit of independence and has done more for our collective pursuit of happiness. This week on How Success Happens, I sat down with Jim Koch, brewer, founder, and CEO of the Boston Beer Company. Jim is the guiding force and taste buds behind Samuel Adams, Truly, Angry Orchard, and a whole lot of groundbreaking brews. Jim walked away from a cushy consulting career to start a brewery in his kitchen and never looked back, sparking an entire craft beer movement in the process.
Listen or watch, and read on for takeaways to help you brew your own plan for success in three, two, one — cheers!
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Three Key Insights
1. The Safe Route Can Be the Riskiest
At 34, Jim was a successful management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group—but he realized the “secure” path might be the most dangerous one. He told me that the thought of staying put in an okay job and reaching retirement age, thinking, “Damn, I wasted my life” scared him more than leaving. So he raised money from friends and family in a single weekend, started brewing Sam Adams in his kitchen, and massively “failed” his own modest business plan in the best possible way—hitting 5,000 barrels in five months and winning Best Beer in America just six weeks after launch. As he put it, “The really dangerous thing here is to not do the scary thing.”
Takeaway: When you weigh your next big move, ask which choice you’ll regret not making when you’re 65 — and do that one now.
2. Make Something Better (or Cheaper)
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