Jan 18, 2017
Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview
John Brumer, Jason Ginos, and Micah Niebauer, founders of Southern
Pines Brewing. The three entrepreneurs first met while serving in
the 3rd Special Forces Group. John enlisted right into the Special
Forces qualification course. Jason went to Millikin University, and
was a psychological operations specialist before heading into the
3rd Group. Micah attended Wheaton College in the ROTC Program, and
went to the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, joined
the 82nd Airborne, and then joined the 3rd Special Forces
Group.
These men served with distinction, with multiple
active-duty tours. John, or Juan Peligro, as the Patagonia
crew referred to him, has been a GORUCK Cadre since 2014. Jason and
his wife, Aleah, have been married nine years, and have three young
children, Tanner, Luke, and Charlotte. Micah and his wife, Patricia
have been married for 10 years, and have three young children, Eva,
Claudia, and Wyatt. Micah is the CEO, Jason is the CFO, and John is
the COO of Southern Pines Brewing, in Southern Pines, North
Carolina, where they all reside.
Jan and Jim speak with John, Jason, and Micah about
how disciplines learned through their Special Forces service helped
them unite in a business partnership, and how they chose to advance
a home-brewing passion they shared into a viable business. They
also discuss how identifying with a community, and participating in
community programs lends purpose to the enterprise. They discuss
the company's mission and values individually, and how these
statements of purpose keep them going despite inevitable
challenges. There is also a segment about John’s participation in
the Crucible in Patagonia, and how he is applying the lessons into
the business on a daily basis.
Listen in to learn more about turning a shared
passion into a dynamic business partnership.
Key Takeaways
[2:00] John, Jason, and Micah all served in the 3rd
Special Forces Group, an airborne unit of the Green Berets. Their
common bond, and strong teamwork, allowed them to enter head first
into the entrepreneurial world as the Co-Founders of Southern Pines
Brewing.
[4:27] As the Co-Founders developed the slogan and
mission statement for Southern Pines Brewing, they focused on the
community aspect of craft brewing, with the art, history and
tradition behind it. They visited many craft breweries to find
inspiration for starting Southern Pines Brewing. They adopted some
ideas they saw, and suggestions they received.
[6:08] Southern Pines Brewing makes a huge impact on
the local community. They participate in Boys and Girls clubs, and
the Walter Moss Foundation, and retirement homes. They take their
military community sense of belonging with them. Everybody
understands beer.
[7:33] Southern PInes Values: The customer is the
focus of everything we do. We provide the highest quality products
for our customers. We are a professional organization,
demonstrating this in everything we do. We are constantly learning
and growing. We are good citizens in the community. Fear will not
drive decision-making. We are aggressive. Nothing is
impossible.
[8:58] Jason explains that their ambition to venture
into brewing led them to be aggressive. First, they needed
aggressive growth. In the second year they needed growth and
financial efficiency. They will aggressively reach for their full
effective production capacity, and eliminate choke points. In 2017,
they will grow, but aggressively pay down debt and become a better
business.
[11:23] Micah talks about overcoming fear, by being
proactive in their decisions. Their military experience leads them
to take measured risks daily, not for their lives, but for their
livelihood.
[15:18] John speaks on how nothing is impossible
became one of their values. He recalls a race car course in Special
Ops. The lesson he learned was to look where you’re going. Don’t
worry about all of the things that could possibly happen. Worry
about the outcomes that you’re trying to accomplish. John speaks of
his support from his partners to turn a hobby into a viable
business. [21:33] Jason recommends, The Intelligent
Investor, by Benjamin Graham, and the Berkshire Hathaway
books. He also recommends Teddy Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena”
speech. Micah recommends two books, Built to Sell, by John
Warrillow, and Scaling Up, by Verne Harnish. John
recommends, Tribe, by Sebastian Junger, and Nassim
Taleb’s, The Black Swan.
[28:53] Micah notes John’s interactions with
executives on the Crucible opened opportunities. Jason comments how
John was so alive when he got back from being in beautiful
landscapes with awesome leaders. The team problem-solving was
impactful. John says the biggest thing was the day-to-day training
through personal interaction with executives and veterans.
[35:20] The partners finally have the time to look
forward five to ten years. What are the best tools to get there?
It’s another world from three Army guys making beer in a garage.
There are opportunities and responsibilities not available
before.
[37:46] John speaks on how difficult it was to get
financing. Jason says eight banks rejected them. The local PNC
branch backed them, just when they were ready to go to Plan B.
Micah adds they are so successful together because they are equally
yoked to the success of the business. No one is going home. The
business has to succeed. They are past the point of no-return.
Books Mentioned in This Episode
The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value
Investing, by Benjamin Graham
“Citizenship in a Republic (The Man in the Arena),” by Theodore
Roosevelt
Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without
You, by John Warrillow
Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest
Don't, by Verne Harnish
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian
Junger
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, by
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Bios
MICAH NIEBAUER, Co-founder & CEO
Micah Niebauer is originally from Superior,
Wisconsin. He attended college at Wheaton College, IL, majored in
Political Science, and was a member of the ROTC program. Upon
graduation in 2003, he worked at both the U.S. Department of State
and the U.S. Department of Commerce prior to beginning service in
the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer in the 82d Airborne Division.
He later joined Special Forces and served in 3rd Special Forces
Group (Airborne). Micah completed multiple tours in support of the
Global War on Terror before resigning his commission in June of
2013. He is currently the CEO and co-founder of Southern Pines
Brewing Company. Micah completed the Siebel Institute of
Technology’s Concise Course in Brewing Technology as well as the
Essential Quality Control Course at White Labs, San Diego. Micah
and his wife Patricia have been married for 10 years and have three
children, Eva (7), and Claudia (3), and Wyatt (1). Patricia works
as an attorney at Robins, May, and Rich in Pinehurst, and they
reside in Southern Pines.
JOHN BRUMER, Co-founder & COO
John Brumer is originally from Houston, Texas. He
enlisted in the Army after high school and joined Special Forces
through the 18X-ray program. John served as a Special Forces
Weapons Sergeant in 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), completing
multiple overseas tours. John was later chosen to serve as an
instructor in the 1st Special Warfare Training Group
(Airborne).
John turned down a promotion in early 2013 and separated from the
Army in June of 2014. He is currently the COO and co-founder of
Southern Pines Brewing Company. John completed the Siebel Institute
of Technology’s Concise Course in Brewing Technology as well as the
Essential Quality Control Course at White Labs, San Diego. He has
been a GoRuck Cadre since 2014. John resides in Southern Pines.
JASON GINOS, Co-founder and CFO
Jason Ginos is originally from Hillsboro, Illinois.
Jason completed two years of college at Millikin University, IL,
before enlisting in the Army as a Psychological Operations
Specialist in 2003. Jason later joined Special Forces and was
assigned as a Special Forces Engineer Sergeant to 3rd Special
Forces Group (Airborne). Jason completed numerous overseas tours in
support of the Global War on Terror. He was later selected to serve
as a Small Unit Tactics Instructor in the Special Warfare Center
and School. After completing 10 years of service, Jason separated
from the Army in June of 2014. He is currently the CFO and
co-founder of Southern Pines Brewing Company. Jason and his wife
Aleah have been married for 9 years and have three children, Tanner
(6), Luke (3), and Charlotte (6 mo). Aleah serves as a First
Sergeant in Military Information Support Operations on Fort Bragg,
and they reside in Southern Pines.
Website: southernpinesbrewing.com