Off Route

BEV eduBuilt for distributors, emerging brands, CPG professionals, and individuals ready to level up their careers. Training, coaching, and consulting built specifically for the beverage industry.BEVedu.coConnect With NateNate Fochtman is a beverage industry veteran, entrepreneur, consultant, and host of the Ready to Drink Podcast.Ready to Drink PodcastThe Leaders Arena PodcastSocial: @FreeMindNate / Nate FochtmanYouTube: The Free Mind GroupShow NotesNate Fochtman has spent more than 20 years in beverage, but his story goes far beyond the industry. We talk about starting at the bottom, entrepreneurship, why distributors can't build your brand for you, and Nate's battle with alcohol while working in the adult beverage business. He shares his path to sobriety, rebuilding his life and business, and why there are no guarantees. Sometimes when life gets hard, the answer isn't to back away. It's to lean in.Chapters00:00 – 02:07 Meet Nate Fochtman02:07 – 08:01 Starting at the Bottom08:01 – 12:16 Building a Business Before Social Media12:16 – 17:18 Learning Every Side of Beverage17:18 – 23:28 Betting on Yourself23:28 – 28:16 There Are No Guarantees28:16 – 32:59 Your Distributor Won't Build Your Brand32:59 – 40:42 Sobriety in the Adult Beverage Industry40:42 – 45:48 Rehab, Relapse & Making the Decision45:48 – 50:05 Finding Out Who Your Real Friends Are50:05 – 53:23 Rebuilding From Zero53:23 – 57:21 When It Gets Hard, Lean In57:21 – 59:51 Build Your Brand Before You Need It

🚀 BEV edu: BEVedu.coWhether you're a distributor or emerging brand looking to scale, a CPG professional who deserves better onboarding and coaching, or you're ready to take the next step in your career, BEV edu gives you the systems, tools, and guidance to help you get there.🎤 Follow Ryan Ahern: TikTok @ryanjamesahern📺 Ryan on YouTube: @rjstandsupRyan Ahern walked away from corporate sales to pursue stand-up comedy. Along the way, he discovered that building an audience online had become part of the business.In this episode of Off Route, we talk bad bosses, golden handcuffs, betting on yourself, finding a repeatable content formula, and turning years of corporate sales experience into relatable comedy and a growing personal brand.More importantly, this conversation gets into what Off Route is really about: learning from people who took control of their own path so others can see what's possible.Chapters00:00-02:02 — Meet Ryan Ahern: Corporate Sales to Comedy02:03-03:44 — Finding the Content Formula That Worked03:45-06:48 — Bad Bosses & Lessons From Bad Leadership06:49-09:22 — Consistency, Hooks & Building an Audience09:23-11:24 — Turning Stand-Up Ideas Into Social Content11:25-14:47 — Golden Handcuffs & Finding What You Actually Want14:48-18:16 — Ryan's Daily Content Creation System18:17-21:43 — Why Talking-Head Videos Beat Stage Clips21:44-24:47 — Hecklers, Hate Comments & Not Taking the Bait24:48-30:44 — Landman, Viral Takes & Developing a Signature Style30:45-34:29 — The Moment Ryan Realized Comedy Was His Thing34:30-38:07 — Social Media Is Breaking Down the Gatekeepers38:08-41:12 — Ryan's Advice for Anyone Stuck in Corporate41:13-42:33 — Find Your Angle, Start Now & Where to Follow Ryan

🚀 Become an Elite Vendor🌐 Display Support Concepts🔗 Connect with Glenn NiezgodaWhat separates an average display from one that actually drives sales?In this episode of Off Route, I sit down with Glenn Niezgoda, founder of Display Support Concepts, to talk about over 40 years in the beverage industry, the philosophy behind "Detail at Retail," and how one simple idea evolved into a patented point-of-sale solution. We dive into display execution, cross merchandising, coaching, entrepreneurship, and why your reputation is still your greatest asset as a vendor.Chapters00:00-02:31 — Meet Glenn & Display Support Concepts02:32-06:18 — The umbrella that started a business06:19-09:08 — From beer driver to sales leader09:09-13:34 — Learning from the ground up & building your reputation13:35-16:06 — The philosophy of "Detail at Retail"16:07-21:53 — Creativity, execution & why displays matter21:54-24:06 — MacGyvering solutions in the field24:07-30:35 — Cross merchandising & building displays that sell30:36-34:52 — Creating Display Support Concepts & becoming an entrepreneur34:53-41:17 — The challenges of launching a new product41:18-45:06 — The future of POS & reducing waste in retail45:07-49:42 — Reputation, craftsmanship & final thoughts

🌐 ECM Media: https://ecmmediallc.com/🔗 Connect with Mat O'Brien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathewobrien/🚀 Become an Elite Vendor: https://BEVedu.coTraditional product sampling is evolving. In this episode of Off Route, I sit down with Mat O'Brien, President of ECM Media, to discuss how targeted sampling, verified consumer data, and user-generated content are changing the way emerging brands drive awareness and trial. We also cover why sampling should be treated as a strategic marketing investment, how brands can gather meaningful consumer insights, and where the future of experiential marketing is headed.Chapters00:00-01:13 — Meet Mat O'Brien & ECM Media01:14-02:41 — From charging stations to targeted sampling02:42-04:10 — Why sampling is more than free product04:11-06:07 — Using consumer data to improve products06:08-07:33 — Why emerging brands need to sample more07:34-09:34 — Geotargeting consumers near retail stores09:35-11:04 — Real-world sampling success stories11:05-12:38 — How consumer feedback shapes innovation12:39-14:18 — The future of targeted sampling14:19-15:45 — Building long-term consumer relationships15:46-16:48 — Final thoughts & where to find ECM Media

The conversation covers the journey of Chad Huss, founder of fermentedcuriosities.com, from healthcare to the beverage industry. It explores his transition, challenges in sales and distribution, competing with larger brands, and market strategies and insights. Additionally, it delves into the concept of fermentation beyond beer, showcasing a diverse range of fermented products. The conversation covers unexpected sales in coffee shops, the importance of recipe ideas for on-premise sales, and the challenge of balancing content creation and a side hustle. Chad shares insights on the success of wine sales in small cafes, the value of providing recipe ideas to customers, and the need to manage time effectively when juggling multiple projects.TakeawaysFermentation Beyond BeerTransition from Healthcare to Beverage Industry Unexpected sales in coffee shopsRecipe ideas for on-premise salesBalancing content creation and side hustleChapters00:00 Introduction to Fermentedcuriosities.com08:01 Entry into Beverage Industry17:26 Competing with Larger Brands24:24 Unexpected Sales in Coffee Shops32:59 Balancing Content Creation and Side Hustle

🎙️ Connect with Crystal Petroski:https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalpetroski/🚀 Explore Skill Resy:https://skillresy.com💼 Build Your Personal Brand:https://BEVedu.cohttps://BEVedu.co/brandbuildersIn this episode of Off Route, I sit down with Crystal Petroski, founder of Skill Resy, to talk about AI, hiring, ATS systems, resume customization, interview preparation, LinkedIn networking, and what it really takes to stand out in today's job market. We also discuss the role AI should play in career development, why confidence matters as much as skill, and how professionals can use technology without losing the human touch. Based on the conversation, Crystal explains how Skill Resy helps candidates customize resumes, prepare for interviews, and improve their chances of landing dream roles while helping employers make smarter hiring decisions.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00-01:13 — Introduction to Crystal Petroski & Skill Resy01:14-03:11 — What Skill Resy does for job seekers and employers03:12-05:16 — Why every resume should be customized05:17-06:03 — The difference between Skill Resy and ChatGPT06:04-09:00 — Building resumes around value, achievements, and KPIs09:01-11:01 — ATS systems and why recruiters move so fast11:02-13:26 — AI vs. human creativity and judgment13:27-15:51 — Why ChatGPT can create resume problems15:52-17:18 — References, credibility, and proving your accomplishments17:19-20:44 — Skill Resy success stories and interview confidence20:45-22:44 — Interview preparation and practicing with AI22:45-24:37 — College degrees vs. experience and networking24:38-26:10 — Why LinkedIn matters more than ever26:11-28:58 — Building a professional network early28:59-33:21 — Personal branding, content creation, and standing out33:22-35:12 — Crystal's biggest takeaway for job seekers35:13-37:42 — AI adoption, resistance, and the future of work37:43-39:45 — Where to find Crystal and Skill Resy39:46-40:19 — Final advice for anyone feeling discouraged💬 What's your biggest challenge right now: finding interviews, building your resume, or standing out online?🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on career growth, personal branding, sales, leadership, and becoming an elite professional.

🎥 Follow Steven Harris “That Walmart Guy”https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-harris-that-walmart-guy/💼 Build your personal brand:https://BEVedu.cohttps://BEVedu.co/brandbuildersIn this episode of Off Route, I sit down with Steven Harris — better known online as “That Walmart Guy” — to talk about retail leadership, Walmart culture, building a personal brand inside a massive company, content creation, customer service, and how social media can open unexpected doors.We also talk about:• Building a brand within a brand• Walmart Plus + social champion roles• Leadership on the front end• Retail culture and customer psychology• Using LinkedIn to create opportunities• Why authenticity matters online• And how consistency builds credibility over time⏱️ Chapters00:00-01:10 — Intro + meeting “That Walmart Guy”01:11-03:15 — Steven’s role inside Walmart03:16-05:30 — Walmart Plus + social champion explained05:31-08:15 — Building a personal brand inside a corporation08:16-11:00 — Customer service + retail leadership11:01-14:20 — Content creation and social media growth14:21-18:00 — Authenticity online + building trust18:01-22:30 — Walmart culture + employee engagement22:31-27:10 — Leadership lessons from retail27:11-31:45 — Networking through LinkedIn31:46-36:00 — Opportunities created through content36:01-40:20 — Advice for people starting their brand40:21-45:44 — Final thoughts + consistency wins💬 If there was something we should expand on, drop it in the comments.🔔 Subscribe for more Off Route interviews, retail insights, beverage industry conversations, and personal brand strategy.

🎥 Follow Bri on TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@bribuilds456?lang=en💼 Build your personal brand:https://BEVedu.cohttps://BEVedu.co/brandbuildersMost people aren’t losing jobs because they lack talent… they’re losing because they don’t know how to package themselves.In this first interview-style episode of Off Route, I sit down with Bri — former tech recruiter turned content creator — to break down resumes, interviews, ATS systems, personal branding, confidence, content creation, and how to actually stand out online and in the corporate world.We get into:• The “6 second resume scan”• Why bullet points matter• ATS systems explained simply• Interview confidence + controlling conversations• The 3 P’s method for interviews• Building a brand within a brand• Why most people overcomplicate personal branding• And how creating content helped both of us discover our niche⏱️ Chapters00:00-02:10 — Intro + meeting Bri02:11-05:20 — Resume bullet points + standing out05:21-07:35 — The 6 second resume scan07:36-09:15 — Employment gaps explained09:16-12:25 — Interview prep + avoiding rambling12:26-15:35 — STAR method vs the 3 P’s15:36-18:15 — Empathy, personality, and archetypes18:16-21:30 — Self discovery + aligning your career21:31-24:05 — Building a niche online24:06-28:30 — ATS systems explained simply28:31-31:55 — Tailoring resumes + career pivots31:56-35:20 — Cover letters + personal branding35:21-39:00 — Confidence, content, and interview prep39:01-42:40 — Finding your niche through content42:41-45:20 — Why most people overcomplicate branding45:21-47:01 — Final thoughts + getting started