We were lucky to catch up with Lorenzo Borghese recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lorenzo, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
With so many beers in the marketplace and so many similar tasting beers and styles, I still felt something was missing. A beer that was brewed with real juices, after fermentation, so the benefits and taste of the juices were prevalent, and beer brewed with electrolytes to help reduce the likelihood of dehydration and/or a hangover. Moreover, I strongly believed that beers aimed at the brunch crowds were also missing. Brunch menus included Mimosas, Blood Marys and Bellinis but why not beers? And that’s when I created, “The Brunch Beer” concept. Two brunch beers, Our Strawberry Orange Mimosa (brewed with real OJ) and our South Peach Bellini (brewed with real peach juice and peach puree).
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I got into the beer industry by accident. I was chosen to be in a reality show on Esquire TV called, “Lucky Bastards.” This show followed me and my five friends in our personal and business lives. At the time I had a luxury pet grooming line called, Prince Lorenzo’s Royal Treatment (which I still own). As I knew the target audience for Lucky Bastards was primarily males, I wanted to create a product line to promote on the show aimed at that audience. And what better industry than the beer industry to promote to a male audience?
But I didn’t want to create just another brewery/brewpub. I wanted to create a lifestyle company which sells everything from beer to clothing and food. A lifestyle brand aimed at those who love to escape to the vacation mindset and thus, South Beach Brewing Company was born.
Have you ever had to pivot?
My first job when I graduated college was as an underwriter for AIG. Although I enjoyed the experience, I knew I didn’t want to sell insurance for my entire career. Once I felt I learned all I could (analyzing companies and understanding how to read financial statements), I decided to go to Fordham Business School and obtain an MBA. Over the next two years I realized I never wanted to work for someone else again. I wanted to create my own company and become an entrepreneur. That was the only way I was going to be happy in my career. And I’m so glad I followed my gut.
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
I was having lunch in West Palm Beach and a friend of mine introduced me to Fred Forsley, founder of Shipyard and Sea Dog Brewing. Over lunch, Fred shared to me many success and failure stories from his career. We bonded almost immediately. Within two months we were partners, and within 6 months, South Beach Brewing became available for thirst beer drinkers in Florida.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.southbeachbrew.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southbeachbrew/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southbeachbrew
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/southbeachbrew
- Yelp: southbeachbrewing
Image Credits
Lorenzo Borghese