From Wall Street to Craft Beer to THC: Building the Saucy Empire

Brent Zimmerman didn't take the typical path into craft beer. After years in finance on Wall Street, he walked away from an investment opportunity in 2013, and decided to build his own brewery instead. What followed is one of Cleveland's most interesting brand-building stories: Saucy Brew Works, launched in Hingetown in 2017, has grown into a multi-location hospitality company through organic growth, crowdfunding, and strategic acquisitions. Brent has raised over $20 million through crowdfunding and has continued to expand the Saucy brand into new categories, including Saucy Seltzer, a premium hemp-derived THC beverage line navigating a rapidly evolving and highly regulated market. In this episode, host Ashtyn Morris sits down with Brent to talk about: — Why he passed on investing in a brewery to start his own — How internal culture became the foundation for scaling across locations — The brand architecture behind Saucy Brew Works, Saucy Seltzer, Saucy Coffee, Urban Meyer's Pint House & Cartridge Brewing — What crowdfunding $20M actually taught him about community-building as a marketing strategy — Navigating THC beverage marketing amid evolving regulations, including the recent Ohio hemp-derived THC legislation that has put brands like his in limbo — Why he's still betting on Cleveland! Whether you're building a brand, scaling a business, or just trying to figure out what's actually working in marketing right now, this one's worth your time.

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