EPISODE SUMMARY

Brady Duncan, co-founder of MadTree Brewing, and newly appointed CEO Rhiannon Hoeweler unpack how the company evolved from a local craft brewery into a broader hospitality platform with restaurants, family-focused experiences, and a canned cocktail brand.

At the center of the conversation is a question many growth-stage companies face: how do you scale without diluting what made the business meaningful in the first place? Brady and Rhiannon explain how MadTree uses long-term goals to guide decisions, why they became more disciplined about what they say no to, and how purpose became embedded into the company’s operating systems — from hiring and incentives to capital allocation and expansion strategy. They also discuss the operational realities behind sustainability initiatives, the risks they took entering hospitality, and why they believe stability matters more than growth for growth’s sake.

KEY INSIGHTS

• Why MadTree shifted from a distribution-first brewery model into hospitality and destination spaces
• How 10-year goals became a decision-making filter for growth, hiring, and investment
• The operational tradeoffs behind protecting sustainability initiatives during cash constraints
• Why the company narrowed its community impact focus instead of supporting every cause
• How MadTree uses incentives and accountability systems to reinforce company values internally
• The decision to retract geographically and “win locally” before expanding again
• Why opening a standalone restaurant felt strategically risky — but aligned with the long-term vision
• How partnerships became a core growth lever across community impact and business development
• The difference between “purpose as messaging” and purpose embedded into operational systems
• What Brady learned from waiting too long to formalize the company’s vision and purpose
• Why the company now prioritizes operational stability and efficiency alongside revenue growth
• How MadTree thinks about expansion differently now that it can replicate existing concepts instead of reinventing each new location

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – MadTree’s evolution beyond craft beer
02:02 – Why MadTree hired its first CEO from impact leadership
04:40 – The original vision behind MadTree
07:15 – How the company rethought hospitality and customer experience
09:05 – Connecting people to nature and each other
14:10 – Balancing profitability with sustainability commitments
16:30 – Protecting composting despite financial pressure
18:00 – Why MadTree became more disciplined about saying no
22:00 – Using 10-year goals to guide decisions
25:05 – Major inflection points in MadTree’s growth
28:45 – Launching Sway and expanding beyond beer
31:35 – How MadTree evaluates new growth opportunities
34:40 – Embedding purpose into hiring, incentives, and operations
38:30 – Advice for founders building purpose-driven companies

RESOURCES & LINKS

• MadTree Brewing
• MadTree LinkedIn
• Sway Cocktails
• Alcove by MadTree
• Core Impact Strategy
• Anne Oudersluys LinkedIn 
• Core Impact Newsletter 
• Email Anne - anne@coreimpactstrategy.com