From Pitching at Idea Expo to Product Launch

Masthead Member, Caleb Drown’s Journey into Entrepreneurship

Be careful what you wish for! Last year I decided to dip my toe into entrepreneurship by joining the Idea Expo through the Masthead and within a matter of months I found myself in the deep end launching a full-scale enterprise. It’s an exhilarating place to be and much of my gratitude goes to the team at the Masthead and the Wilkes/Boone community cheerleaders that have come alongside me and helped me get to where I’m at now.

After a series of Tuesday night classes over the summer I decided to give it my all and pitch my business idea at a pitch night at Talia’s. I went in with two ideas only to find out I had to choose one. While the first few pitches started, I hammered out additional details on the PowerPoint presentation, and when I got up on stage I found myself pitching a still-forming idea focused on non-alcoholic beer. I won a $1,000 cash prize at the pitch competition and decided with that money to launch my business.

Just about 7 months from that night I am in the final stages of customer discovery and about to launch my first non-alcoholic beer, a craft “Appalachian Pale” enhanced with Lion’s Mane. My primary customers are life’s adventurers and I’ve built relationships with several brewery, restaurant, and independent grocery store owners in Wilkes and Boone who are open to selling our product. Over the next two months, I will be bringing my “Minimum Viable Product” around to more business owners with the goal of getting orders placed for my commercial product, which will be ready in early June.

If you would like a demo of our product or are interested in placing an order please contact me at caleb@bright-barrel.com or follow us on our website at www.bright-barrel.com