Siouxland Magazine - May 2019

people just by becoming friends with one new person. I also learned that’s how you
will find the right people to invest and also, you will lose others that aren’t a good
match. That’s ok. We could have been open a year or so earlier if I would have gave
into a partnership that wouldn’t have been a good match. Having patience to wait
for the right people is also a lesson I had to learn throughout this process.
SM: What experiences have you had that have made you a better business owner?
We have had many ups and downs. Many lessons learned. Things don’t always
work like you plan. You adjust and do what you need to make it work. That has
helped me learn a lot and made me more persistent. I remember making a few
beers that ended up very bad. I was so discouraged that I wanted to quit brewing
sometimes. But I kept working to figure out what caused the bad outcome and I
changed my process to improve.
Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /33
SM: It’s easy to lose motivation, especially when it became a hurry up and wait
game or when things were moving forward sooo slowly. How do you get yourself
back on track?
Having a good team and supporters helped a lot. To just visualize the end goal and
to keep doing the things that will get you there was all we had some days. We could
see it. We just had to push to make that happen. Being obsessed with your product
or business helps you have the passion to not quit.
SM: Can you share a time when you just wanted to quit and give up? Share how
you moved past this point.
We had many ups and downs trying to find a location while trying to raise money. It
was a balancing act of, “Can I raise money without a building and a clear end goal...
or can I find a spot without investors.” Not finding investors for a long time was very
discouraging. I knew we had a great product and vision. But I needed to meet the
right people.
SM: Is there any advice that you have received over the years that you think is
worth passing along to others?
Let the haters be your motivation. Surround yourself with people that are good at
things you are not the best at. Treat your customers like people. Be yourself. Early
on, I was obsessed with being the best and learning more. When I wasn’t working
my day job, I was learning more. Listening to other brewers talk, reading articles,
listening to podcasts, and experimenting. I still do it today, I have just expanded
beyond brewing. Topics like general business, marketing, restaurants and creating
a great working culture are in my daily listening line-up.
SM: How has being a business owner changed you?
It has made me admire other business owners a lot more. It takes a lot of work to
make a business operate. Big business owners often get bashed in the media and
by the general public... but 99% of them have worked their butt off to get there.
It has also made me realize that it is impossible to make a business run without a
good team and other support.
“
One of my major drives is not
wanting to live with regret. I would
hate to look back and know I could
have done it, but did not. I also
know we have a good product
and a concept that will be a unique
experience for the area.
”
SM: Tell us how you feel when you walk through the restaurant. Is it what you
pictured in your head all these years?
Everything has happened in stages and it has been a slow progression, so I don’t
think it has quite hit me yet. It has been exciting to see the property transform from
a dirt floor to an awesome restaurant and brewery. Both the brewery and taproom
have been thought out thoroughly. The decor is a bit more modern than I originally
thought, but I love what it has transformed into. I don’t see it being a place to just
eat and drink, but it’s an overall experience. World class craft beer, high quality
wood fired food, an interactive open kitchen and great customer service.
Erik Martin, partner and creator at Marto Brewing.
Photo credit Becca Feauto.