Technical skills may get you started in brewing, but leadership skills take you further. As breweries grow, the ability to lead, coach, and support people becomes just as critical as knowing the science of beer. This panel brings together four industry professionals from breweries of different sizes to share how embracing leadership shaped their careers. Facilitated by a 15-year industry expert in leadership development, the conversation explores the realities of moving from peer to manager, the challenges of balancing technical expertise with team leadership, and the opportunities that come from investing in people. Walk away with insights and strategies to accelerate your own professional growth by mastering the “management” side of the craft.

• Recognize why leadership skills fuel professional acceleration and are just as critical as brewing expertise
• Identify common challenges in transitioning into management roles within breweries and strategies to overcome them
• Apply real-world lessons from industry peers to strengthen your own approach to leading and developing teams
• Explore the core leadership practices that drive career growth—including coaching, delegation, conflict resolution, accountability, communication, team building, and developing others