Samuel Adams Brewing The American Dream Hosts Pitch Room Competition & Speed Coaching Event In San Diego On June 15

June 6, 2015

Samuel Adams is coming to San Diego and is inviting food and beverage small businesses to Brewing the American Dream on Monday, June 15, from 5-9pm. This free-to-attend, micro-lending and coaching program for epicurean entrepreneurs returns to San Diego for the the first Pitch Room competition and signature Speed Coaching event where food and beverage small business owners will be able to learn how to perfect the art of the sales pitch while competing for $10,000 business grant and extended mentoring from Samuel Adams - the country's largest craft beer brewery.

Created by Samuel Adams brewer and founder Jim Koch, Brewing the American Dream provides the two important things Jim couldn’t get when starting Sam Adams 31 years ago - access to financing and nuts-and-bolts business advice. Since the program began in 2008, Brewing the American Dream has provided millions of dollars in micro-loans to hundreds of entrepreneurs nationwide, coached 4,000+ small business owners, and helped create or retain more than 2,000 jobs.

The Pitch Room Competition will give selected small food and beverage business owners the opportunity to perfect their sales pitch in front of a panel of expert judges, including Jennifer Glanville, brewer at Samuel Adams. The judges will offer critical, real-world advice on each participant’s sales pitch, and then choose a winner based on quality of presentation, creativity, passion, and product viability, who will be invited to join competitors from Boston, New York and San Diego at the finals in New York City this December, where they will compete for a $10,000 business grant and a year of extended coaching and mentoring from Samuel Adams.

Speed Coaching will follow, where food and beverage entrepreneurs have the opportunity to participate in up to six 20-minute, one-on-one, high-impact sessions. Coaches will include Samuel Adams professionals, and topics covered will range from sales, distribution, and packaging to finance, e-commerce, and marketing.

Participants are also encouraged to bring samples of product, packaging, and other items that they want feedback on, and should come prepared with questions regarding specific challenges their businesses are facing. For example, a small business owner may want to ask a finance professional for advice on how to competitively price his/her product.

The Pitch Room will take place from 5-6:30pm and the speed coaching from 6:30-9pm. The event will be located at the Energy Innovation Center at 4760 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Small food and beverage business owners and entrepreneurs interested in participating in the Pitch Room must submit an application at btad.samueladams.com/about/pitch-room.aspx. Those interested in participating in the Brewing the American Dream signature Speed Coaching event can register for free at bit.ly/1KaQdQp.