Greetings!
This is my very first post on this blog and I would be leaving out a great deal of truth if I didn’t mention that I am a little nervous about blogging on a site like this with a high likelihood that this will be read by pilgrims who have completed the Camino de Santiago and may question my authenticity. It is true that I have never walked (or ran/rode/etc.) the Camino and that I came to this project imparting some of my past operations experience and a recently acquired MBA. Yes, It is true that I am bringing some business perspective to the next stage of the project and am working hard to ensure that some of the costs associated with bringing a film to its rightful audience are returned to the producers. However, this project is different than anything I’ve worked on in the past. It provides a satisfaction I’ve rarely experienced in management.
What’s truly different about this project is the ways in which people are able to bring themselves into their roles. There’s no hiding our quirks or passions when we’re asked to take on a task or get something accomplished. In my case, I was asked to initiate the DVD Release Party for Portland, OR. While I have hosted events and thrown a few parties, this was something bigger. Not knowing quite how to begin, I started paying attention to what ideas were presenting themselves to me.
Mingling at our Director of Outreach, Maggie’s house-warming party the following weekend, I met the manager of a local brewery and we started chatting. His enthusiasm for beer and his occupation matched what I have envisioned being the highest level of business- passion and commitment to something that embodies what you stand for- this initial conversation soon lead to a collaboration between Walking the Camino and Coalition Brewing Company. In fact, these guys already had a program in place to help members of the community make their own beers with their assistance called the The Coalator Program. It was as if we were destined to work together.
After some planning, brainstorming, and coordinating (in this case, quite simply, “beer tasting”) we were set to start creating a beer that would pay tribute to the Camino de Santiago, Spain, and the many pilgrims who’ve embarked upon it.
While I have brewed a few small batches of my own, this was something special. Our team was invited into a real brewery to assist the pros with a beer they were making for OUR event. Needless to say I was excited. We showed up in the late morning to meet the assistant brewer – Michael. He’s won awards for his beers and was trained as a microbiologist. He’s super friendly and super knowledgeable ( let’s just way we’re glad we captured his detailed answers on camera – this guy knows his stuff!)
There’s much more where this came from but below is our first clip, a description of the beer they will be making for our DVD Pre-Release party on Sunday, November 9, 2014 at Velo Cult in Portland, OR.
Thanks, Adam
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Hi Adam not sure that you will remember me. We met in Santiago when you had finished the walk outside The Montes hotel in the square by the cathedral, we were sat outside having a drink. Anyway you mentioned that you needed someone to market the film in the U.K. If this is the case get back to me to discuss further. Lisa