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How One Craft Brewery Scaled to 50 States Without a Sales Team
Season 1
Episode 18
Published 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Description
Episode 18 of Scaling Up with Fexingo tells the story of Great Lakes Brewing Company, a Cleveland-based craft brewery that grew from a single brewpub in 1988 to distribution in 50 states and Washington D.C. by 2026 — all without a dedicated sales team. Lucas walks through how they built a network of local brand ambassadors, relied on distributor relationships, and prioritized community over cold calls. Luna pushes back on the replicability of their model, pointing to the rise of influencer marketing as a modern shortcut. Together they explore what scrappy founders can learn from a three-decade-old playbook. No ads, just the story.