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No one ever said that family businesses are easy. But a panel of cross-generational beer distribs discussed the dynamics that have defined their longstanding companies, as well as their drive to keep going, to kick off the NBWA's BREW Forum this week in DC. Titled "Honest Dinner Table Talk," the segment was filled with insightful comments and playful jabs, featuring Gulf Dist's Elliot and Rebecca Maisel, Matesich Dist's Jim Matesich and Sarah Matesich Schwab, and Doll Dist's Mark Doll and Lauren Doll-Sheeder. Beer Distribs "Winning the Day" Why should the next gen want to stay in to begin with? Rebecca made the case: "I'm so bullish on the future" specifically for beer distribs because "we're seeing a lot of really positive movement" of suppliers and brands towards the network. Suppliers are starting to "put a premium on our service frequency and our high-touch ability to know our local markets and to get out into the accounts. We're not afraid to make investments in technology, in headcount," she added. And "I think that's winning the day." Beer distribs "remain extremely relevant, so much so that now you're starting to see everything kind of coming our way," whether it's NAs, traditional spirits or RTDs. But they'll "continue to perform" and won't take it for granted, Rebecca underscored, amid "all of this consolidation" and technological advancement.Growth a "Must"; Bright Futures, but "Challenging in Different Ways" Indeed, the industry has changed dramatically over the decades. Back when Mark Doll and his siblings were starting to grow their business, they didn't have to navigate family offices, private equity or liquor and wine wholesalers that "stretch across" the US "and want a cut" of the beer biz. "This is a huge challenge: these folks have scale already, they have the financial ability to do it. I mean, very hard to compete, right? Either in acquisition mode" or out "in the market." But "when I think about family businesses and what they bring every day," the "pride, your name's on the door&hellip; I see a great future," even if "it will be challenging in different ways." From his daughter Lauren's perspective, growth is "a must." Because "if we're not growing and we're not creating scale, then we don't see a future" for the generations to come.On Handling Disagreements Disagreements are inevitable in any business &mdash; doubly so with family in the mix. So how do you disagree without damaging trust? asked NBWA's Kim Mckinnish, who moderated the panel. "When we leave the table, we're gonna agree that we're gonna agree," said Jim Matesich. "It's very important that we have as open a conversation as possible during the process. But once it's decided, that's where we are going," he said, noting the importance of maintaining a united front. While Jim's always tried to be "very deliberate," his typical decision timeframe has "expanded as I've gotten older," he joked. Yet "I appreciate his patience," said his daughter Sarah, adding that "sometimes taking time to sit" with a decision "is a good thing." With her dad being the only other family member in the biz, she's been "really intentional" about building a leadership team that helps "offset" their own strengths and weaknesses. Beyond immediate family, panelists underscored the importance of investing in their people and priding themselves on promoting from within."We Can Battle Something Out All Morning and Then Be Like: 'Alright, What Do You Want to Do For Lunch?'" You "have to have a degree of respect" and "separate the relationship from the business conversation," Rebecca said of family disagreements. "We can battle something out all morning and then be like: 'alright, what do you want to do for lunch?'" Differences of opinion among the next gen "might be the biggest hurdle," Elliot acknowledged. But "I know each of them like the back of my hand&hellip; I know their strengths, and I also know how they interact and who's the referee in this one. And then there's who do I think is right" (which Rebecca joked is of course "always me"). As an example, one of Elliot's sons "would eliminate probably 40%" of SKUs, whereas "Rebecca and I would sell melted popsicles." Rebecca "recently heard we used to do pickled pigs feet back in the day, and I was like 'what's the margin on that?'" she quipped. "And why'd we abandon it?"

"Honest Dinner Table Talk" Highlights Hot Topics for Multi-Generational Beer Distribs at BREW

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