“It is not sufficient to be a hospitality enterprise anymore,” small-business proprietor Shelley Pippin says. “You have to be an occasion enterprise.”
Right here’s why Brewnuts has been so profitable at utilizing occasions to carve out a distinct segment for themselves, and what small- and medium-sized enterprise entrepreneurs can study from “Ohio’s first and solely doughnut bar,” no matter your business.
Meet the Grasp
Shelley Pippin
Founder and co-owner, Brewnuts
Whenever you consider bar meals, you most likely consider issues like burgers and sandwiches.
However Cleveland-based Brewnuts has a special imaginative and prescient: As Brewnuts’ “Ohio’s first and solely doughnut bar,” as co-owner and founder Shelley Pippin places it, the enterprise pairs a fastidiously curated collection of beer and occasional drinks with a rotating collection of do-it-yourself doughnuts.
For Brewnuts, their menu is simply the (candy) begin, nevertheless. “It is not sufficient to be a hospitality enterprise anymore,” Pippin says. “You have to be an occasion enterprise.”
Along with a menu of brews and dones, Brewnuts books weekends celebrating holidays (Halloween), popular culture (Twilight) and fandom lore (an annual December toast to Taylor Swift’s birthday known as “Taylor Fest”). These particular occasions usually include distinctive espresso drinks or theme-specific doughnuts; for instance, a “Boston Scream!” for spooky season.
Picture credit score: Emily Drapp
“I really like creating issues, and I see my job as being chargeable for stunning and delighting individuals,” Pippin says. “That is why I really like the hospitality business. It’s a spot the place you’ve gotten the chance to create experiences for individuals. It truly is about offering that little slice of escape and pleasure.”
Takeaway: Don’t underestimate the facility of shock, delight, and pleasure. Whether or not you’re promoting doughnuts or databases, take into consideration what experiences you’ll be able to create for individuals.
Divide and Conquer
Pippin lower her tooth working in partnership advertising and marketing, sponsorships, and shopper work, so she excels at dealing with the inventive ideation aspect of Brewnuts — a job that encompasses issues equivalent to menu improvement, occasion planning, and social media content material creation.
Picture credit score: Shelley Pippin
“I really like the inspiration half,” she says. “These issues have a tendency to simply pop into my mind, and I‘m like, ‘Yep, and right here’s 25 concepts about how I need to do this.’”
However from a enterprise standpoint, Brewnuts is properly balanced as a result of co-founder (and Pippin’s husband) John has a background in accounting and finance.
“He handles much more of our operations,” she says. “It‘s nice to have all of the concepts on this planet. However in the event you don’t perceive run a purposeful enterprise when it comes to making the numbers work, it is all for naught.”
Takeaway: Even the scrappiest advertising and marketing group can’t do all of it. Lean into your strengths, and be a part of forces with co-workers (or co-founders) who will present some stability.
Generally Pleasure is Sufficient
Pippin will work with one of many doughnut decorators (who occurs to be a gifted photographer) on graphics and promotional supplies. In any other case, she doesn’t outsource the advertising and marketing actions as a result of she has a particular imaginative and prescient for Brewnuts’ model voice — and is aware of it really works.
“Once I need to hype one thing, I need to hype it in a sure means, and I need individuals to really feel a certain quantity of power about it,” she says. “At this level, I have not discovered a method to talk that to another person.”
This confidence interprets to occasion planning. As an example, though the annual Taylor Fests have change into greater and larger every year (similar to Swift’s profession!) Pippin wrote the 2025 iteration of the menu in August in about half an hour.
Picture credit score: Shelley Pippin
“If I‘m getting that enthusiastic about it, I don’t second guess it,” she says of planning these larger-scale occasions. “If it‘s one thing that I’m having a complete lot of creativity round, that tends to inform me every part I have to know, as a result of I do know there’s most likely different individuals on the market which can be going to really feel that very same means.”
Takeaway: Knowledge is essential, nevertheless it’s not every part. Generally you gotta go along with your intestine. When you’re having a tough time persuading your boss that your pleasure deserves a price range, observe Pippin’s lead and begin small. Pilot your concept, measure the ROI, and develop slightly greater every year.
Cater to Your Group
Brewnuts incorporates buyer passions into their advertising and marketing technique. Through the years, they’ve deliberate occasions centered round The Workplace, Star Wars, and House Alone. Nonetheless, Brewnuts’ occasions and advertising and marketing come from a spot of sincerity — and inclusion.
“We actually made some extent to plant our flag and say what we’re about, and be clear about our values, and [that we’re] about being an area for the entire group,” Pippin says.
Picture credit score: Emily Drapp
This mindset additionally explains why Brewnuts is considerate (and deliberate) concerning the occasions they plan, together with by ensuring their pursuits and passions align with what visitors need.
“We‘ve had issues come up the place individuals say, ‘Why don’t you do an XYZ weekend?’” Pippin says. “I don‘t essentially need to do this if it’s one thing that we don’t have a real followers’ perspective on.”
Takeaway: You don’t have to leap on each pattern. As tempting because it may be to do a Star Wars tie-in on your tech firm, if it doesn’t mirror your values or construct group, it’s okay to skip this one.
A Hospitality Mindset
Pippin and her husband are hands-on homeowners who keep related to visitors through many various channels. For instance, Brewnuts sends out a month-to-month publication and maintains a strong social media presence.
“We‘re positively not absentee homeowners,” Pippin says. “We’re very a lot current in our area and in our social media.”
By staying so related, Brewnuts has a deeper understanding of their viewers — and attain new clients.
“In quite a lot of methods, we attempt to throw occasions which can be for teams of those that possibly do not feel like they’ve a house base,” Pippin says. “I like attempting to identify area of interest teams that possibly really feel, like, ‘Hey, no one throws an occasion for us.’”
On the finish of the day, Pippin stresses the significance of gratitude and shares that she by no means takes any assist without any consideration.
“It’s by no means misplaced on me that somebody is selecting to spend their hard-earned cash at my place,” she says. “[This] is actually essential to maintain within the forefront always.”
![“it is never lost on me that someone is choosing to spend their hard-earned money at my place. [this] is really important to keep in the forefront at all times.”—shelley pippin, co-owner and founder, brewnuts](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/brewnuts-masters-in-marketing-8-20251113-5033944.webp)
Takeaway: Keep a hospitality mindset. Brewnuts doesn’t throw occasions only for the sake of getting a Halloween tie-in; it makes use of newsletters, social media, and buyer interactions to phase its shoppers and make them really feel welcome.
