Ryan Mayfield
Crafting Talent on a Pint-Sized Budget, co-presented by Cat Pearce, Ryan Mayfield, 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.
Ryan Mayfield, Leadership Coach, Craft Leadership
Ryan Mayfield is a leadership coach who helps brewery professional build healthy leaders and high-performing teams.. As a coach with Craft Leadership, he provides brewery professionals with the skills and tools they need to lead effectively, improve communication, and create a thriving workplace culture. Craft Leadership has worked with top craft breweries like Other Half Brewing, Creature Comforts, Lockport Brewery, Scofflaw Brewing Co., and Rhinegeist, helping them navigate the challenges of leadership and teamwork.
Despite experiencing countless leadership trainings and personality assessments, Ryan never felt like those trainings left a truly lasting impact on himself or his colleagues. Now, he equips brewery leaders with practical, no-nonsense strategies to manage people with confidence, reduce frustrations, and focus on what they love: making great beer.
Besides great beer, Ryan is passionate about good coffee, travel, and helping leaders fight for the highest possible good of their teams. He lives in Tulsa, OK, with his wife, 14-year-old son, and a very opinionated 4-year-old beagle named Rooster.
