Samuel Adams Expands Small Business Funding and Mentoring to San Francisco

The Boston Beer Company today announced that its microlending and mentoring program, Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, will host its first speed coaching event in San Francisco.

To date, the personalized expert coaching has helped more than 3,000 small businesses nationwide, and is designed to provide high-impact advice for small business owners in the food, beverage, craft brewing and hospitality industries.

Brewing the American Dream’s Impact

Working with nonprofit micro lender, Accion, and its various lending partners, including San Francisco’s Opportunity Fund, Brewing the American Dream has provided more than $2 million in micro-financing to nearly 240 businesses nationwide, coached more than 3,000 small business owners, and created or saved nearly 1,400 jobs. Food, beverage, and hospitality small business owners, including craft brewers, can apply for loans ranging from $500 to $25,000 for a variety of business purposes. Loan payments are recycled back into the fund to be used again to help other small businesses.

“I started Brewing the American Dream because so many small business owners still face the same hurdles I did almost thirty years ago,” said Jim Koch, brewer and founder of Samuel Adams beer. “They have passion and viable business models, yet often can’t get a bank loan because the amount is too small or they’ve been labeled as ‘too risky’ like I was when starting Sam Adams.”

Koch added that the goal of the program is to also provide participants with the nuts-and-bolts advice that he would have liked to have had when first starting out.

“In many ways the coaching and mentoring is just as important as the money in terms of successfully running a small business,” he said.

The speed coaching event will be held Tuesday, June 11, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the HUB San Francisco (925 Mission Street). Attendees can participate in up to six 20-minute coaching sessions that address a variety of issues and are tailored to the business owners’ needs. For example, a participant with a social media question might meet with an e-commerce expert who can provide specific ideas and tools to help attract and retain customers digitally. Coaches include experts from Samuel Adams, Bay Area businesses, and the program’s microlending partner in San Francisco, Opportunity Fund. To attend the event, small business owners can register at http://samadamsbtadsf.eventbrite.com/#.