Beyond the Beer: Founder Lessons from Alberta’s Brewing Industry

From local taprooms to nationally recognized brands, Alberta’s brewing industry has become a powerful example of entrepreneurship, community building, and resilient company growth.

Join us for the next Founders Lunch as we bring together founders and leaders from Alberta’s brewing ecosystem for a candid conversation about building and scaling businesses in a highly competitive industry.

This special edition of Founders Lunch, in collaboration with the Alumni Built Business (ABB) program, puts the spotlight on some of the businesses owned by incredible UCalgary alumni.

This discussion will explore the realities of the founder journey including early stage uncertainty, building a strong brand, growing teams and operations, and staying grounded through periods of rapid growth and change.

Inspired by the strong audience response to previous conversations with founders in the coffee space, this session will offer valuable lessons not only for brewery founders, but for entrepreneurs across industries looking to build companies with strong customer loyalty and long term value.

What to expect:

• Honest founder stories and lessons learned
• Building a distinctive and scalable brand
• Growth, resilience, and navigating operational challenges
• Community building and the role of local ecosystems

Whether you are building a startup, scaling a company, or simply curious about the entrepreneurial journey behind Alberta’s craft brewing industry, this conversation will provide practical insights and real world perspectives from founders who have lived it.

Panelists:

• Brett Ireland, CEO at Bearhill Brewing
• Christina Owczarek, Founder at XhAle Brew Co
• Blake Belding BComm'10, Co-Founder & Head Brewer at Cold Garden Beverage Company
• Bill Robinson BEd'98, CMO at Tuesday Brewing
• Nick Fylstra, Founder at TurnCO2 (moderator)

This event is part of the monthly Founders Lunch Series, which aims to empower and support entrepreneurs. Organized by Innovate Calgary and supported by Alberta Innovates, ElevateIP Alberta, and the TD Ready Commitment Program, this dynamic platform connects entrepreneurs, fosters knowledge sharing, and inspires collaboration. Be a part of this transformative experience to expand your network, learn from industry leaders, and confidently navigate your entrepreneurial journey.

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Lunch will be provided.
Parking is limited. Please Park only in designated public parking spots. Do not park in Lot 81 or 82, as it is reserved for our tenants only and you will be ticketed/towed.

Parking is $1.50 /every 30m or $10/day, and the building is accessible by transit. The Brentwood Train station is about a 10-minute walk away.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Innovate Calgary