We were lucky to catch up with Merrell Wood recently and have shared our conversation below.
Merrell, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.
As the various articles I was working on at the time were becoming increasingly popular, a brand manager with University Tees out of Cleveland, Ohio, approached me and pitched a truly unique project. Together we would both conceptualize and design an exclusive shirt that would blend the Cincy by the Pint brand and the rapidly growing Cincinnati brewery scene. The project was the first big merchandising opportunity for my brand, which was just over a year old at this point, and the first-ever collaborative project between University Tees and a non-collegiate entity at the time. It was a huge honor and surprise for me as someone who had kickstarted what was essentially just a beer blog project at the time.
I was further humbled when several prominent local breweries and small businesses throughout Cincinnati would volunteer to retail the shirts in their brick+mortar brewery shops alongside their very own branded merchandise. This is when the gravity of not just the depth of the project hit me but the support of the local community that had truly embraced what I created. Unfortunately, one of the most significant tornadoes on record would strike Kentucky during this timeframe, leaving hundreds of families with nothing. As pre-orders were soon to launch, I couldn’t shake a snowballing thought- while many ordinary people do not often have a platform or a loud enough voice to create change for good, for whatever reason, at that time, I did. This idea stuck with me, and along with a handful of other passionate and influential people in the Cincinnati scene, I was able to turn this idea into a reality. This catapulted the project from its origins as simply a fun, collaborative design effort to a cause that could potentially change the lives of others.
Due to the timing and our combined scrappy grassroots marketing efforts, we filled the initial sales threshold that would guarantee the launch of the project. However, we did not expect sales to exceed our projections tenfold and eventually turn our vision of helping the families affected by the tragedy into a reality. We would eventually donate over half of the total revenue generated from the project to various charities supporting the Kentucky disaster relief efforts.
The final product featured the Cincy by the Pint logo, which I had created after 10 minutes in Canva, prominently on the front and included a stunning Cincinnati brewery mural on the back. Supporting the local community and sharing what I love with other people was the beginning of my journey and the purpose I initially set out to achieve. Now, when I look at the shirt hanging in my closet, I can’t help to smile as I never would have guessed it would evolve into a life of its own- but I am certainly glad it did. The project was a mutual win for everyone involved and will always stick out in my head when I think of top memories from living in Cincinnati.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Merrell Wood, and I’m just an everyday, goofy guy who loves telling stories and is fiercely passionate about life in general. So, who am I behind the writer and beer drinker? I am a marketing and sales professional by trade, a digital media hobbyist turned professional freelancer, and most importantly- a storyteller with an emphasis on highlighting stories of people and places that I find interesting. If you asked my wife, she would simply say I cannot sit still and always need five projects going on at any given time.
The greater Cincinnati area is home to 70+ breweries, a handful of distilleries, wineries, and even a nationally renowned Sour brewing super-power. And yet somehow, it feels like it is both infinitely expanding but still has room to grow simultaneously. Many of us often forget this luxury was not always this way. In a sense, you can quickly be sucked down a rabbit hole, wanting to learn more and explore everything at once. I did, at least. This passion for exploration eventually would eventually inspire me to be the guiding light to a new generation of beer drinkers and Cincinnati enthusiasts. Ones that are currently exploring that same experience I had many years ago. During this time, what started as a friendly social media picture-taking competition with my wife and fueled by an offhand sarcastic comment-turned-idea by my Father-in-Law, a local Cincinnati brewery and craft beer blog and resource website would eventually be launched in October of 2020. That is where the story of Cincy by the Pint begins and the journey that would eventually transcend a simple blog. One that I registered on my phone on a whim during a lunch break.
Solely through a flair for creative writing and my professional marketing and social media background, Cincybythepint.com would launch and quickly (and surprisingly) become a leading resource in Southwest Ohio and beyond. Not just for zany opinion pieces and regular columns surrounding the blossoming Cincy craft beer scene but also for aggregated, easy-to-digest information. In less than a year after launching, the project would continue to morph and evolve into something that would go far beyond what I ever imagined and would lead to many new local and national relationships, affiliate & influencer opportunities, and community projects. A few notable achievements along the way included the creation of a brand-new beer festival and community beer, ‘Socially Influenced’ by the local creative community and Streetside Brewery, organized and led by yours truly. It was a wild ride.
Although life would unexpectedly lead me away from Cincinnati in early 2022, the foundation of what was started, and its impact stuck with me. I had found a newfound passion for tapping into the community beneath the surface level. It felt good to be a unique voice that could engage others while still controlling the narrative of what I wrote as a freelancer. It turns out that people loved it too, and eventually, the social influencer persona @MerrellinChicago was born out of the evolution of the entire process. I think I will always uniquely love Cincinnati, as so much of my life was dedicated to watching it evolve into something that continues to amaze me. It’s a very misunderstood city located in a state that gets its fair amount of grief, somewhat deservingly so. I almost think most people from Cincinnati have a chip on their shoulders, which fuels our passion for creating and doing amazing things. Reputations or stigmas in life are something that never phases me. I always seek to form my own opinions and share them with others. No matter wherever life takes me, I will never stop exploring, asking questions, and unlocking the stories of the incredible people and places that reside within.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Luckily, I had very few pitfalls or pushback along the way, but building anything that becomes a recognizable brand takes time and consistency. The same rings true when building a following on social media as well.
I had no idea what to expect in the early days when I launched the Instagram account, nor did I really care. Although it is easier to stand out in a smaller city like Cincinnati with fewer people doing what you are doing compared to, say a central metro area like Chicago, there were still many competitors in the space. Looking back, I did not view them as that, however. Instead, I thought of the other social media bloggers and influencers as guides, almost as research studies. I think competitive analysis is an essential piece of the puzzle in any industry. When it came to social media, I had plenty of experience navigating the platforms both personally and professionally, as I had used them all for years (almost a decade in some cases!). Still, in this newer blogging/influencer format, it was essential to see what works and converted engagement. After all, despite all the algorithm changes and various tweaks to weighted values that endlessly continue to be rolled out, engagement will always be king in the social media marketing channel. My naturally competitive spirit and professional background, coupled with my passion for this new creative outlet, really fueled the growth initially.
Additionally, because it was a brand-new hobby and I saw success quickly, it was easy to constantly be glued to socials in the beginning while engaging with other brands, bloggers, and media outlets. Most social platforms reward outbound engagement just as much as inbound. Think about it from a business perspective- if everyone is just posting content and not interacting with each other, where is the value that encourages the continued use and longevity of the platform? Instagram is notorious for shifting your account’s funnel of visibility, depending on whom you engage with the most. Knowing the rules and researching what works in your industry and region are the building blocks when considering growing your online presence.
The last piece of the puzzle is being genuine and finding your niche. For me, it was a break from the generic typical cookie-cutter blog posts that read far too blasé and impersonal. I like to mix information with sarcasm with humor across my content. I think that eventually became part of my charm and fueled the following because it was different. Different stands out in a world where everyone is doing the same thing. Anyone who talks to me in person immediately recognizes my passion for all things local, delivered in a fun, down-to-earth tone. In any city, there will always be a ton of competitors. Ask yourself what you can offer that others cannot. Identify any gaps or shortfalls that may exist. Could you fill the void?
Most importantly, have fun with it. The longer I continue to do what I do, the more I understand why so many come and go; it is impossible to cover everything, and it is a TON of work. The best advice I can offer for hobbyists is to take it slow and always enjoy what you are doing. If you are to the point where it now feels like a chore to make a post or create a piece of content, step back and take a break.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The transformation from aspiring creative writer, by way of high school passion, to what would essentially turn into a hobbyist blog to local influencer- a word I would come to struggle with internally- to minor league professional beat writer and storyteller, and everything in between, is the gold at the end of the rainbow for me. Although I’ve always had a knack for creating engaging content, I eventually fell in love with the marketing aspect of my business major more than anything. Solving the age-old riddle of what connects people to actions has always fascinated me from a marketing perspective. It was simply a matter of time before I applied this ideology to my creative side. Collaborating, interviewing, and just sitting down with others to hear, interpret, and share a story in my voice through their eyes, often gives me a whole new perspective. Apply these same ideas to life, which is the definition of growing in a nutshell, no?
From being identified in public by total strangers to the connections I have formed with many in the community, it is all genuinely humbling and hard to say what I enjoy most about the journey. With that said, I honestly owe all my success to my incredible wife in many ways, also in a literal sense. She was the one who originally inspired me to go for it. Although I probably have four too many projects at any given time, I love doing what I do, and I could not ask for a better support system and human by my side. From podcast appearances, interviews, and guest writing to contributing to a handful of significant publications- It is hard to wrap my head around when looking back and reflecting on how far this journey has taken me in such a short time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bio.site/merrell
- Instagram: MerrellinChicago
- Facebook: MerrellinChicago
- Linkedin: merrellwood
Image Credits
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