We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adriane Hodges a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Adriane, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
The brewing industry prides itself on it’s progressiveness, yet when you put a room full of brewers and owners together it still remains starkly male. As a woman, it is easy to find a setting like this incredibly intimidating, and overwhelming. So the question is “how do you become effective and successful when you are not like everyone else in the room?” First of all, find people just like you. Your tribe is out there, I promise. For me, the tribe I found was the Pink Boots Society a non profit that supports women in brewing, through scholarships and more. I joined 2 chapters in Texas where I met amazing mentors. This group provided a multitude of opportunities for me to grow within my industry and learn from peers.
Secondly, work hard! No one can argue with results. If you dedicate yourself to your industry and stay a lifelong learner, the results with speak for themselves. People will know who you are before you walk into that room. Creating a good reputation through hard work will never fail you. The growth my company has seen in the last 5 1/2 years speaks for itself.
Third, network and volunteer. Get involved in your community’s and industry’s trade groups. Take on leadership roles and meet people in smaller groups. You will develop not only meaningful business relationships, but in my experience some fantastic friendships as well.
Lastly, be the change you want to see. Hire more people like you and take people like you under your wing. Be a mentor to the you of 5 years ago. You can’t change the world overnight, and you can’t expect the world to change for just you so do what you can on a small scale and it will add up. Change starts with you.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I came into the brewing industry after leaving teaching. I learned about the industry from the ground up and have worn every hat imaginable in our business, be it cook, brewer, procurement, accounting, marketing and so on. I currently serve on the Texas Craft Brewers Guild Board of Directors and on the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce as Treasurer. My focus is sustainable growth in our industry and understanding and developing a business model to achieve this goal. Along with growth is a continual commitment to give back to the community that supports us.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Being a lifelong learner is of the utmost importance, you can always learn something from everyone you meet. You need to seek out fresh ideas, stay current with industry trends, and use that information to create a unique voice. Don’t ever be a follower, blaze your own trail.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
I make a list and look at everything that I need to do. Once I see it all spelled out, I can then tackle the small stuff and remove it from my list. Then I prioritize what I can delegate, what I need in order to move on to next steps, and what I have to shelf for the time being. I cannot emphasize enough how visually seeing my tasks helps me to complete them. My husband and I daily send text messages with lists to each other so we can help each other tackle projects and divide and conquer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.boldrepublicbrewing.com
- Instagram: @boldrepublicbrewing
- Facebook: @boldrepublicbrewing
Image Credits
no image credits I own these pictures
