Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Montabone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I believe I got my work ethic from a few different things, but it first came from how I was raised. I was fortunate enough to be raised by two incredibly amazing, hardworking people who showed me firsthand what hard work can get you in life. My father stayed with the same company from his first job out of college, till the day he retired and had an amazing, successful career. I followed in his footsteps staying with the same company through college, until I left to open the brewpub with my dad. By working hard, I was able to earn several promotions and learn what I needed to know to open my own business. That leads me to my second item where I got my work ethic from; seeing myself grow, get promotions, and be successful in each role gave me a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. That feeling of accomplishment and doing that I never thought I could drove me to keep working hard. My last item is now having my own business, my strong work ethic comes from wanting to see what I started and created be successful, not only for myself but for my team and customers. It drives me every day to do the best I can!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
What I love most about what we have created at Sky Bear is how inclusive it is. We created a menu, food and beverage, where anyone is sure to find something, they love. This is why we decided to have a full bar, knowing that even though we love beer, not everyone does! We also tea, coffee, sodas, wine, seltzers and a lot of non-alcoholic options as well. Along with that, we wanted to make sure all ages are welcome in our space. We have a corner for games for families, coloring options for little ones, and a dog-friendly patio. All ages come in and have a great time at our brewpub! At our bar, your bound to meet other people and possibly make new friends too! Its’ been special to watch.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first skill that was impactful for my journey was my background in hospitality and running a restaurant. Although I did not have much bartending experience, having the other skills helped me go in with a good understanding of how to run our brewpub. The second item that has helped us in our journey is embracing and looking for people who know more than you do. Some people are afraid to hire people who may know more, but it will only help your business be successful! I strive to surround myself with people who help me fill in the gaps for where I may have weaknesses. I also think we have been successful from being positive and resilient. Opening our own business was hard. It is not a smooth road. It takes patience when issues come up, a lot of time, and can be mentally tough. But if you stay positive, work hard, and don’t give up, every hard minute is worth it!
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
Our toughest challenge currently is inflation. It is tough to keep our prices where they are and provide a service that is affordable for anyone. People I think are also a bit more apprehensive about spending money. We continue to work hard to make great drinks and food and provide guest service, so we are the place people choose to spend their money. And we are so grateful to all of our customers who continue to come in and support us!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.skybearbrewery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skybearbreweryandpub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Skybearbreweryandpub/
