Chris Leguizamon
Crafting Talent on a Pint-Sized Budget, co-presented by Cat Pearce and Aaron Gore
In an industry driven by grassroots grit, passion, and what at times feels like flying by the seat of your pants, professional development often takes a backseat to production schedules and tight budgets. But staying competitive and keeping your staff inspired doesn’t require expensive conferences or high-ticket programs. This session explores how breweries of all sizes—especially small and independent operations—can embrace professional growth on a shoestring budget.
We’ll dive into practical, scalable strategies for skill-building, staff retention, and team morale that don’t break the bank. From peer-to-peer learning and free resources to low-cost certifications and mentorship models, attendees will walk away with actionable tools to grow their teams and invest in better informed staff. Because in beer, just like in brewing, better outcomes come from continuous refinement—and you don’t need a million-dollar system to make a damn good pint.
Chris Leguizamon, Account Representative, Fonta Flora Brewery
Chris Leguizamon is on a mission to inspire minds, one beer at a time. He is an Advanced Cicerone®--one of just 11 in his home region of North Carolina--sharing historical and technical information on beer and brewing as the Account Rep at Fonta Flora Brewery. He is an avid beer judge at homebrew and professional competitions, public speaker at industry conferences, and content creator via his Instagram account: @chris.thebeereducator.
