This Is Not Your Hobby

Julie Rhodes

This Is Not Your Hobby is the no-fluff podcast for independent beverage brands that want to scale smarter, not just hustle harder. Hosted by Julie Rhodes - beverage business consultant, educator, journalist, and brand co-founder - this podcast dives into the real-world sales, marketing, and distribution strategies that small craft beverage companies actually need. Each episode tackles common business bottlenecks with practical solutions, straight talk, and the occasional guest expert. Stop winging it and start building something sustainable. Because your business? It’s not your hobby.

Episodes

  1. 12/16/2025

    Episode 8: One of these things is NOT like the other - Distribution Edition

    Shelf space is brutal. Your branding has to work overtime. In Episode 8 of This Is Not Your Hobby, Julie shifts the differentiation lens to wholesale. You don’t get a taproom vibe to tell your story anymore— you get three seconds in a walk-in cooler. This episode breaks down how to stand out in the minds of retail buyers and customers alike. Julie unpacks why “great beer” isn’t a brand, why your sell sheet isn’t a resume, and how to use visual storytelling and value-adds to make your product undeniable on the shelf. What you’ll learn in this episode: The difference between a product and a brand in wholesaleHow to craft your unique selling propositions (USPs) for distribution buyersWhat retail buyers actually care about (hint: not your origin story alone)What makes packaging and sell sheets work, or flopA checklist of value-adds that can tip the sale in your favor Best For: Any craft beverage producer— beer, cider, spirits, THC, kombucha, NA— who’s actively selling or preparing to sell into on or off-premise distribution. Submit your bottlenecks ⁠here⁠. Referenced in this episode: Kick Fizz (Julie’s brand) // @kickbeverages Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller Watch for Episode 9 with a surprise branding expert guest!

    26 min

  2. 12/03/2025

    Episode 7: One of These Things is Not Like The Other – Taproom Edition

    Differentiation isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s survival. In Episode 7 of This Is Not Your Hobby, Julie tackles one of the most common bottlenecks in craft beverage: brands that blend in. You say you’re local, high quality, community-focused, and approachable— guess what? So does everyone else. This episode is your taproom reality check. If your physical space doesn’t feel meaningfully different, your customers won’t remember it—and they definitely won’t tell their friends about it. Julie walks you through how to audit your space, define your vibe, craft three strong USPs, and communicate them everywhere. This is Part 1 of a 2-part series on brand differentiation. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why “craft,” “local,” and “friendly” are not real differentiatorsHow to audit your taproom experience like a customer (not an owner)What a real unique selling proposition (USP) looks like for a taproom— using a craft beer exampleWhere to communicate your USPs so customers remember youHow to align your physical space with your brand identity Best For: Owners and operators of tasting rooms, taprooms, and brick-and-mortar beverage spaces who are struggling to define their unique identity in a saturated market. Referenced in this episode: Free Brand Archetype Quiz Kick Fizz (Julie’s low-dose hemp beverage brand): www.kickfizz.com // @kickbeverages Submit your bottlenecks here.

    20 min

  3. 11/18/2025

    Episode 6: Communicate Intentionally with Wholesalers for Sales Success with Michelle Forester

    This is Julie's second interview episode, and it's a must-listen for any beverage alcohol brand working with wholesalers. Her guest is Michelle Forster, Director of Sales at Black Tooth Brewing. As per usual in This Is Not Your Hobby, guests glean insight in this episode on how to do more with less— in this case widen your sales reach and boost profit, without expanding your sales team. What you’ll learn in this episode: Soft skills vs. hard skills and why you need both on your sales teamThe value of sales training for your teamBest practices for communicating with your largest customer: your wholesale partner(s)Tools & tech for streamlined communication with wholesale partners Best For: Owners and operators of beer, cider, seltzer, kombucha, spirits, THC, and non-alc brands with distribution partners. Submit your bottlnecks here.

    43 min

  4. 11/04/2025

    Episode 5: Treat Your Website Like An Employee To Optimize Purchase Intent

    Your website is not a brochure. It is not a digital placeholder. It is not a project to annoy you. It is a 24-7 salesperson for your brand, and it is one of your best tools to generate revenue for your business. If you're neglecting it, you're literally leaving money on the table. In episode 5 of THis Is Not Your Hobby, Julie personifies your business website and convincingly explains why we shouldn't ignore it. What you’ll learn in this episode: Shift your mindset to view your website as a salesperson, customer service rep, marketing team, and even a cash register A six-point checklist for a website that actually worksSEO building blocks Best For: Owners and operators of beer, cider, seltzer, kombucha, spirits, THC, and non-alc brands who want to use their website to drive (more) revenue. Referenced in the episode: Emotional Targeting: Win hearts. Boost sales. Own the market. by Talia Wolf Submit your bottlenecks here.

    46 min

  5. 10/23/2025

    Episode 4: Prioritize Sales Training For Your Bottom Line

    Sales down? That’s not your wholesaler’s problem. Julie tackles this episode’s bottlenecks with two specific scenarios in mind: an owner-driven sales approach scrappy— but not in a good way— and, having a sales representative but not a sales plan. Both lack strategy, and you can’t sell anything without strategy. Tune in for a dose of Julie’s tough love and sound advice on training your sales team, a non negotiable. Instead of sitting around and commiserating about the beverage alcohol category down, let’s get to work on sales training! What you’ll learn in this episode: Julie's 20 hour a week rule of thumbThe value of engagement with accounts that fosters relationships and promotes reordering Tactics for identifying and building relationships with key accountsA checklist of quick wins for your sales department Best For: Owners and operators of beer, cider, seltzer, kombucha, spirits, THC, and non-alc brands who want to drive revenue... so, every one of them. Submit your bottlenecks here.

    49 min

  6. 10/07/2025

    Episode 3: Do More With Less Featuring Hunter Oetinger of Reuben’s Brews

    Beverage marketers increasingly need to do more with less. Not to mention every department in the company relies on the materials they create. In this first interview episode of This Is Not Your Hobby, Reuben’s Brews Marketing Director Hunter Oetinger schools Julie’s listeners with digestible, easy to implement marketing strategies for small teams to make bigger impacts.  What you’ll learn in this episode: Tools and SOPs for automation and streamlined communication within your marketing team, with your external vendors, and across the entire companySuggestions for gauging and maximizing marketing ROIAdvice for ballin’ digital marketing on a budget Reminders about the power of outsourcing Best for:Owners and operators of beer, cider, seltzer, kombucha, spirits, THC, and non-alc brands who want to optimize the capacity of their small team without burnout. Submit your bottlenecks here.

    38 min

  7. 09/16/2025

    Episode 2: Hone Your Email Marketing Strategy with the 3 R’s

    If you’ve been ghosting your email list (or haven’t even started one), it’s time for a wake-up call. Welcome back to This Is Not Your Hobby, the podcast for beverage business owners who are done guessing and ready to grow. In this second episode, host Julie Rhodes gets into another massively underutilized— but wildly effective— sales tool: email marketing. Julie breaks down how to use her 3 R’s of Great Email Marketing—Relevance, Rhythm, and Relationship—to build an email strategy that actually sells… without annoying your audience or spamming their inboxes. Whether you’re starting from scratch or trying to level up your current newsletter game, this episode delivers a smart, actionable framework to help you grow your list, create better content, and build brand trust through email. 💡 Spoiler alert: Email still has the highest ROI of any marketing channel. Yes, really. Let’s stop winging it. Let’s get to work. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why email marketing isn’t dead—it’s just been misusedThe 3 R’s of Great Email Marketing: Relevance, Rhythm, and RelationshipHow to start building and maintaining your recipient list (no shady tactics)Ways to use email as a sales tool, not just a megaphoneBest for:Owners and operators of beer, cider, seltzer, kombucha, spirits, THC, and non-alc brands who want to grow a loyal audience and drive real sales through email—without sounding like a robot. Submit your bottlenecks here.

    27 min

  8. 09/02/2025

    Episode 1: Master Social Media with the 3C Rule

    If you're a small beverage brand stuck in a love-hate cycle with social media, you’re not alone, and you’re in the right place. Welcome to the first episode of This Is Not Your Hobby, the podcast for beverage business owners who are done guessing and ready to grow. In this kickoff episode, host Julie Rhodes tackles one of the most common marketing bottlenecks: building a social media content strategy that actually works. She breaks down why the algorithm isn’t your enemy (even if it feels that way), and how her 3C Rule—Clarity, Consistency, and Connection—can help you create engaging, ongoing content without the burnout. Let’s stop winging it. Let’s get to work. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why social media feels overwhelming—and how to make it manageableThe 3C Rule for creating a content strategy that drives resultsHow to build connection without chasing trendsWhy social media is a business tool, not a personal diaryBest for: owners and operators of beer, cider, seltzer, kombucha, spirits, THC, and non-alc brands who want to stop spinning their wheels on social media and start getting traction. Submit your bottlenecks here.

    27 min
  • 8 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

This Is Not Your Hobby is the no-fluff podcast for independent beverage brands that want to scale smarter, not just hustle harder. Hosted by Julie Rhodes - beverage business consultant, educator, journalist, and brand co-founder - this podcast dives into the real-world sales, marketing, and distribution strategies that small craft beverage companies actually need. Each episode tackles common business bottlenecks with practical solutions, straight talk, and the occasional guest expert. Stop winging it and start building something sustainable. Because your business? It’s not your hobby.

Information

  • Creator
    Julie Rhodes
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Julie Rhodes
  • Show Website
    This Is Not Your Hobby