Meet the Brewery That Hangs Its P&L on the Wall

Thor Cheston shares the remarkable journey of Right Proper Brewing Company, from its successful 2013 brew pub opening to the challenges of expansion and the transformative power of implementing open book management. His candid insights reveal how focusing on core products, financial transparency, and efficient operations turned their struggling production facility into a thriving business with healthy EBITDA.• Starting as a Georgetown student who fell in love with craft beer while working at a pizzeria• Opening Right Proper Brewing in 2013 as a neighborhood hub with immediate success• Expanding too quickly in 2015 with a production facility that struggled for years• Pivoting in 2019 from creative-driven to leadership-focused business model• Implementing open book management with full financial transparency• Reducing product line to focus on consistent, marketable core beers• Displaying financial statements on 8x16 foot whiteboards for all employees to see• Creating incentive programs where employees share in profits when goals are met• Understanding that profit enables purpose rather than being the purpose itself• Building a business model specific to Right Proper rather than copying other breweriesYou can reach Thor Cheston at Right Proper's Brookland facility at 202-247-6274. He welcomes text messages and is always happy to talk with fellow brewery professionals.Today’s episode is brought to you by BevCap. At Beer Business Finance, we talk a lot about installing systems that improve profitability and health insurance should be no exception. BevCap helps beverage companies apply the same discipline they use across the rest of the P&L to employee benefits, helping create smarter plans, more visibility into costs, and significant savings over time. To learn more visit BevCapManagement.com. Ready to transform financial results in your beer business? Learn more about the Beer Business Finance Association, a network of owners and managers working together to build more profitable companies.