causenation

I recently had the privilege of volunteering along with the employees of our client, Samuel Adams, at their “Speed Coaching” event. Speed Coaching is an integral part of Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, the company’s signature philanthropy program that helps lower-income food and beverage microentrepreneurs build and strengthen their small businesses, realize their dreams, and achieve economic independence. The program offers microloans, and other hard-to-come-by resources, through the Samuel Adams Microloan Fund with nonprofit partner ACCION USA.

Speed Coaching is cool! Building off the idea of Speed Dating (which I’ve only heard about, never experienced) Boston Beer staff, and other volunteers, meet with microentrepreneurs in short, spirited sessions offering their expertise in package design, branding, PR, finance, legal, sales and distribution, and marketing to entrepreneurs who often lack access to networks and mentors who can help them with these aspects of running a small business. Entrepreneurs spend the evening rotating through the discipline specific stations for 20 minutes each – getting practical tips, directional advice and ideas. Some entrepreneurs brought their food, others brought logos and package concepts, yet others came with a specific business problem they needed help solving. (more…)