Meet Craig Altobello

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Craig Altobello. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Craig, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I am often in a position where my anxieties creep up and I feel like I have hit a wall. I build my confidence by telling myself that there is nothing that can stop me but me. That my anxiety is only because I am challenging myself and accomplishing hard things. That my anxiety is my weapon that tells me I should be scared because I am attacking the challenges in front of me and I am about to break through a wall.

My confidence does not come from my own determination alone either. I have an amazing wife and network that have helped me become successful and have pushed me when I have felt the presence of a wall. Knowing that my team is behind ne and that I am the only obstacle to my success, they help me with the confidence to move forward time and again.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am the owner and operator of Magic Bear Beer Cellar. A beer store and tasting bar focused on the elevation and education of beer. I provide a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere that brings good people together with great beer. At Magic Bear, I offer beer classes for enthusiasts. This is our main differentiator from similar concepts. I sough my Cicerone® certification to ensure that I was more than qualified to provide the elevated approach to a beer store and tasting bar and offer a variety of intriguing classes for guests to further enjoy craft beer.

At Magic Bear, I have also secured monthly collaboration beverages since we opened 2.5 years ago. We do not brew anything onsite, but we provide our guests with an exclusive and unique option each month and have the collaborating brewery, cidery, or meadery – sampling and discussing their own brand when we launch our collaboration. Amongst many other events, I feel that this is another unique offering that elevates the beer experience and differentiates from others in our area.

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?

I was a high school teacher previously. This has helped with my ability to train as well as with my classes. Teaching high school also helped me with my patience and understanding when it comes to learning, training, and education.
When I transitioned from teaching to hospitality, I was eventually recruited to help open a bunch of new restaurants. Opening a brand new concept provides an amazing amount of experience that has helped me with my business. Building a concept from the ground up and laying the foundation to ensure operational success has been paramount for Magic Bear Beer Cellar.
I have also had the opportunity to be a business administrator. This role helped me with the accounting, procurement, and relationship building side of things. I was able to develop how the administration and organization of our operations looked like and it was a key to our success then and now with Magic Bear Beer Cellar.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Currently there is both a trend in declined spending and going out amongst guests for us and in general as well as an increase of local options and events for people when they do choose to go out. Owning a new business can never be about just opening the doors and see what happens. The “build it and they will come” mentality no longer exists when options are vast. We overcome this challenge by sticking to our position as the elevation and education of beer. It is what sets us a apart and gives people a reason to come back. We focus on driving traffic through collaboration and events. We give our guests a reason to visit us more frequently and our commitment to our brand is what brings back our regulars even when we are not hosting an event.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.magicbearbeer.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magicbearbeer/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagicBearBeer/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-altobello/