We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adam Pinkham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Adam, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

“How I Turned a Dream into Reality”

Long before Offset Ciderworks became a reality, I was just a guy fascinated by fermentation. Back in 2012, I started homebrewing because I was genuinely obsessed with the process — the transformation, the science, and the craft of it. That passion led me to take jobs at several breweries and cideries, where I learned how alcohol production worked at scale. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those years were foundational. I was gaining hands-on experience that would eventually give me the confidence to launch my own company.

At the same time, I worked in a ton of front-of-house roles — valet, barista, bartender, server — and those jobs taught me how to connect with people, stay cool in a fast-paced environment, and really listen to customers. Just as importantly, they helped me build a strong network.

Fast forward to 2018 — I was bartending full-time and I started writing the business plan for Offset Ciderworks. I didn’t have it all figured out, but I dove into market research, SWOT analysis, branding, financial projections, etc. I asked myself, “What’s going to make my cider company different?” And “How will I go to market?” These question guided every decision.

One of the smartest moves I made early on was hiring my former boss — someone who had launched multiple cideries — as a consultant. I knew this journey was going to be challenging, and having someone experienced in my corner helped me avoid costly mistakes.

It took four years from the time I started the business plan to when I officially launched Offset Ciderworks in August 2022. Along the way, I dealt with a serious hand injury, the chaos of COVID, and the steep learning curve of raising capital — something I’d never done before. But I stuck with it. I pitched to investors, many of whom I met just from bartending and talking to people. That network I’d built over years of service work ended up being one of my greatest assets.

When the time came to launch, I jumped in headfirst. I quit my job and committed to the business full-time. I had just enough money raised to pay myself a modest salary, and I knew that being all-in was the only way this was going to work.

Looking back, here’s what really moved the needle:
• Passion: You have to love what you’re doing, or you won’t survive the hard days.
• A detailed, realistic business plan: Mine was 26 pages long.
• Experience: I relied heavily on my years working in production and hospitality.
• Resilience: You will get knocked down. It’s part of the process.
• Capital: Things cost way more than you think and you need to enter the market with momentum.
• Relationships: My network helped me secure investors, partners, suppliers, and early customers.

I’m now heading into my third year in business. It’s been incredibly hard, incredibly rewarding, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Adam, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

“What I’m Most Proud Of — and What I Want People to Know About Offset Ciderworks”

What I’m most proud of is that I never gave up on my dream — even when I was filled with doubt, fear, or setbacks. I reached a point in my life where I was tired of not being where I wanted to be. So I made a promise to myself: I was going to change that. No matter how long it took, no matter the sacrifice, no matter if I felt qualified or not — I committed fully to making it happen. And I’m proud that I did.

I’m also really proud of the relationships I’ve built over the years. None of them were ever about business — I never networked with the hidden agenda of launching a cider company. I’ve always just tried to be a good person, to care about people, and to build genuine, authentic connections. And it’s those relationships that have ended up being the most meaningful part of this journey.

What I want people to know about Offset Ciderworks is how deeply we care — about the quality of our product, the community we serve, and the relationships we form with both industry partners and customers. We’re not just making craft cider — we’re building something bigger.

One of my biggest goals beyond creating a successful company is to build an amazing work environment. I want Offset to be a place where people are excited to come to work, where they feel seen, valued, and passionate about what they do. I want them to take ownership, grow in their roles, and feel proud of being part of something special.

At the end of the day, what really motivates me is knowing that Offset has the potential to create opportunity — to help people learn, build careers, support their families, and be part of a team that makes something we all believe in. That’s what I want people to see when they look at Offset Ciderworks.

Have you ever had to pivot?

“A Time I Had to Pivot as a Business Owner”

One of the biggest pivots I had to make came early on — right when I was building the brand and getting ready to pitch to investors. Originally, I wanted to name the company Overkast as a nod to the cloudy Pacific Northwest. I’d already spent about three months developing the brand, working on labels, and shaping the identity around that name.

But then I found out a company in Oregon had already trademarked it. Just like that, I had to change course. It was a tough moment — I was already in the middle of pitching to investors, and not having a solid name or brand isn’t a great look when you’re asking people for money. I had to pivot fast.

That’s when Offset Ciderworks was born. I chose the name because it felt more universal, had a nice ring to it, and most importantly, it captured the spirit of what we’re all about — balance. We promote a balanced lifestyle and make balanced cider. It led to our tagline: How do you offset your busy week? How do you find balance? It’s a question that resonates with almost everyone.

Looking back, it was a costly lesson in terms of time and money — and maybe even an investor or two — but I’m honestly thankful it happened. The new name and branding feel stronger, and represent the heart of what Offset Ciderworks stands for.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

“How I Funded My Business”

Raising capital is one of the hardest parts of launching a business — hands down. What I learned early on is that people don’t just invest in your idea or your brand — they invest in you. That means you have to be the reason they say yes. You need confidence, experience, grit, and the ability to communicate your vision clearly. But more importantly, you need to show them that you follow through — that you do what you say you’re going to do.

In my experience, trust is built over time. Investors want to know how their money is being used, when they can expect a return, and that you’re being honest about the timeline. You have to be transparent, especially about how long things can really take. Even with a great product, strong brand, and all the experience in the world, building a successful business doesn’t happen overnight.

At first, I didn’t want to ask friends and family for money. I was hesitant because I wanted to keep those relationships focused on personal connection, not business. But the truth is, no one wants to be the first person to invest. I wasn’t raising a dime from strangers because I had zero money raised. Eventually, I pivoted and reached out to the people who knew me best and believed in me the most — friends and family. Once I had some capital in the bank, everything changed. That early momentum made it much easier to attract outside investors.

Later on, I had to pivot again. I was three years into the process, COVID had hit, I’d dealt with a serious injury, and I was only halfway to my funding goal. Originally, I planned to build my own production facility, but with the capital I had, it just wasn’t feasible. So instead, I found an existing facility I could use to get started. That decision — though it came with trade-offs — allowed me to launch, get product to market, and show proof of concept.

Once Offset hit the shelves and people could actually try the cider, everything picked up. I raised the final 17% of in just one month. This was record time! That momentum wouldn’t have been possible without those earlier pivots, sacrifices, and the trust I’d built with my investors.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.offsetciderworks.com/
• Instagram: @offsetciderworks
• Facebook: @offsetciderworks
• Twitter: @offsetcider

Image Credits

Nikki Brooks