Russell Bisset - Founder, Northern Monk

Leeds Business Podcast

In this week's episode we speak to Russell Bisset, founder of Northern Monk brewery.

Russell explains to us the key role his Grandmother played in launching the business, the importance of collaboration in business, particularly in the early days and the different challenges that direct to customer, off-trade and on-trade bring. He also shares with us his ‘Apprentice Challenge’ solution to big business problems.

And he explains how a focused brand positioning can help your business to thrive.

INTRODUCING RUSSELL BISSET

Russell Bisset is the Founder and Managing Director of the Northern Monk Brewery in Leeds. After an early career in chemicals, In 2008, he entered a young

entrepreneurs competition with an idea: Northern Monk. But it would still take a few years to really get going. The idea was given life in 2013 when Granny Bisset sold her house and downsized, gifting £5K to all of her grandchildren with the proceeds. After meeting head brewer Brian Dickson at a beer festival they realised they had a shared dream of a proper northern brewery. The pair brewed small amounts of beer in a damp cellar in Bradford, using other breweries’ kits, and sold their beers at local farmers markets. After three months of selling IPAs between gazebos laden with cheese and handmade soaps, they attracted an initial investment. In 2014, Northern Monk was truly born. their own brewery was set up in a Grade II listed abandoned building in Leeds.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

[00:04:00] Where the idea for Northern Monk came from

[00:07:30] The initial launch of the idea and cuckoo brewing’

[00:10:00] The importance of drinking experience and collaborations in early marketing

[00:14:00] Initial funding and subsequent investors

[00:17:30] The increase in the brand range and the successes and learnings

[00:21:00] The benefits and challenges of expanding into a venue and events

[00:24:30] The first steps into retail sales and the issues it brings

[00:28:00] Covid and the challenges and opportunities it brought

[00:33:30] Post-Covid challenges

[00:39:30] How to distill and project your brand essence

KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS

• It takes a village to raise a child - make sure you network
• Collaborations are highly recommended
• Focus in business is very important - don’t lose it
• Reflect on why you started your business and your values

BEST MOMENTS

“We said we’d pay our graphic design agency when we hit £2m turnover. They were pleasantly surprised when we did. It was a proud moment when we started repaying them.”

“The first steps into retail were through Mark’s & Spencer’s (obviously a Leeds company”

“I told the team to look at Covid as an Apprentice challenge”

“We stayed open as we were viewed as an ‘essential supplier’ during Covid”

VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOU

Website: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com

Website: https://www.northernmonk.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-bisset-2b935419

Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/russellbisset

Instagram (business): https://www.instagram.com/northernmonk

Twitter (personal): https://www.x.com/NMBCoRuss

Twitter (business): https://www.x.com/NMBCo

Shout out tags: https://www.bundobust.com https://www.hellohouseoffu.com

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ABOUT YOUR HOST

Phil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He’s travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.

As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he’s ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes’ for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil’s mantra is It doesn’t need to be ‘lonely at the top’. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.

As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in full, culminating with a list of issues to address/clarify, a clear target in mind, a roadmap to success, and a renewed enthusiasm and confidence for the challenges ahead.

Phil has appeared as a guest on over 60 podcasts, webinars and interviews, from around the whole globe, talking on a variety of business subjects. You can view them all at https://philfraser.co.uk/watch-hear-phil/.

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