I hope you’re all having a fantastic day. I’m here to share another exciting Behind the Biz interview with you.
If you’re new around here then you may not be familiar with this series. I created Behind the Biz as a way to highlight interesting businesses, discover the story behind their founders and of course, to inspire you.
This is the second in a series of 3 interviews with independent ceramic designers from Portland. The first interview was with Sarah Wolf, the founder of Wolf Ceramics. Don’t forget to check out TravelPortland.com for more info on what to do when you visit.
Today’s interview is with the founders of Portland Growler Company.
Let’s keep things simple. What is a growler?
A growler is a vessel designed to transport beer, like a to-go container.
How did the Portland Growler Company get started?
7 of us started the company in 2010 while working at Mudshark Studios. We wanted to design a product that we would be proud to manufacture and that was also representative of Portland culture.
Where are you based and why do you love it?
Portland, the list is too long to say all the great reasons why. Food, creative folks, kind people, beautiful Pacific Northwest, and overall great culture.
How did you decide upon the name of your brand?
Just keeping it simple. Portland, where they are made, Growler, what it is, and company, what we are.
Who was your first customer?
Rogue Brewery was our first big account.
Did you always plan to set up your own business?
Yes, I couldn’t imagine it any other way.
What has been the biggest challenge in running your business so far?
Growth is always challenging. People often admire success, but don’t realize all that you go through to maintain it.
What has been the biggest highlight of your business journey to date?
Meeting Barack Obama during small business week.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?
Dream big, and work harder.
Where do you hope to take your business throughout 2018?
Just to keep growing so that we can continue to add great staff and collaborators.
Find out more about Portland Growler Company and support the business on Facebook and Instagram.
I want to say a big thank you to the founders of Portland Growler Company. I really enjoyed hearing about their business journey and getting a glimpse into the passion behind the brand. Their advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is delightfully simple yet so important. Dream big and work harder. You can apply this to any aspect of your life.
I hope you enjoyed the interview and please do support the biz over on their social channels.