Just making beer

I was always intrigued by this sign outside my local bottleo (AKA liquor store or offie, depending on where you live).

“Serve the People”

Surely it means more than "give people beer", or it would be no different than 700 other breweries. To find out, I took the obvious man-in-tech path and invited a Young Henrys co-founder onto my podcast to talk about it¹. 

So in the latest episode of The Supportive, out now in your podcast feed or on the web, I talk with Oscar McMahon. Former rocker, current brewery founder and also, unexpectedly, an algae nerd. We get into all of that and more. 

(Some of) my favourite moments

• (06:01) How the Inner West of Sydney shaped the values of the company
• (11:04) What touring in a hard rock band taught Oscar about dealing with people
• (14:09) Why every touchpoint, in every team, matters in good service
• (15:36) Why the founders talk through company values with every single new team member
• (22:26) How challenging company norms can create growth
• (34:11) Sustainability, B Corp and the innovative algae project

Finally, here are 3 things any support team can learn from Young Henrys (apart from “man, that was a delicious beer”):

3 Lessons from this Episode

1. Values Create Consistency: Oscar explains how regularly sharing, discussing and living your values creates alignment across teams and builds trust with customers.
2. Put Humans First: Building strong relationships within the company and in the wider community pays off in customer loyalty and genuine support.
3. Embrace Challenge: Inviting people, especially younger people, to challenge processes ensures your brand stays relevant and authentic for your chosen audience, even as the company ages.

And if you're starting to think "this all sounds a bit too self-important for a brewery," then don't worry. Oscar's got you covered.

"Serve the People. It's actually that simple.You don't need to get on your high horse about it. You don't need to overthink it. Sometimes it is just about 'no one's gonna die on the operating table today'. Just making beer. It's alright."

¹ If it’s not recorded and published as a podcast episode, is it even a conversation?