What Does It Take To Build Something That’s Never Been Done Before? | Chad McGehee
Evaluation and Summary
Chad McGehee, founder of Side Hustle Brews & Spirits and Craft by Side Hustle, sits down with Chef JKP to discuss his unconventional path from Louisiana food culture to corporate life at IBM, and ultimately to building the Middle East's first licensed craft brewery in Abu Dhabi. The episode traces McGehee's formative years hunting, fishing and cooking in Louisiana, his global career with IBM across Asia and Africa, and the pivotal decision to leave corporate security to pursue entrepreneurship. Key stories include the $50,000 air-freighted beer shipment that sold out on day one in the UAE, the challenges of pioneering craft beer in a region where it had never been done before, and lessons learned building Craft by Side Hustle as a hospitality venue. McGehee discusses why whiskey was initially the plan before beer became the "side hustle," the science and business fundamentals of craft beer production, and what he's learned about sustainable hospitality business models. The episode concludes with McGehee's perspective on what restaurant and hospitality owners often overlook: the importance of understanding capital, costs, and the business mechanics behind their concepts. Throughout, the conversation emphasizes McGehee's entrepreneurial philosophy: saying yes to opportunities, prioritizing team dynamics, and maintaining determination through setbacks. The episode is well-structured with clear chapters covering his Louisiana roots, IBM career, the decision to leave corporate life, craft beer specifics, the brewery opening, community building, and business lessons. The show notes promise insight into building something unprecedented in a region, cultural adaptation, and practical hospitality business wisdom.
Verdict: A well-structured interview with an accomplished entrepreneur offering practical business wisdom and an inspiring story of building something unprecedented, though the broad scope and length suggest some filler alongside genuine insight.
Arts rubric
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Insight into the work 3/5 20%
Discussion covers McGehee's entrepreneurial journey and craft beer business mechanics, but show notes suggest surface-level storytelling rather than deep technical or creative insight into brewing or hospitality craft.
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Expertise and access 4/5 20%
Chad McGehee is a practitioner with direct experience founding and operating a craft brewery and hospitality venue in a challenging market, offering real authority on entrepreneurship and regional business challenges.
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Sparks curiosity 4/5 15%
The $50,000 air-freight story, pioneering craft beer in the Middle East, and the pivot from corporate to entrepreneurship are compelling hooks that would motivate listeners to learn more about McGehee's ventures.
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Substance 3/5 15%
Show notes indicate solid content across multiple topics (Louisiana roots, IBM career, brewery launch, business lessons) but the 91-minute length with broad chapter coverage suggests some padding and potentially uneven depth.
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Delivers on its title 4/5 15%
The title "What Does It Take To Build Something That's Never Been Done Before?" is directly addressed through McGehee's story of launching the Middle East's first licensed craft brewery and the specific challenges and strategies involved.
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Value for time 3/5 15%
At 91 minutes with nine chapters covering biography, career, and business lessons, the pacing likely includes some tangential material; the breadth suggests reasonable but not tight structure.
Worth it if you're interested in entrepreneurship, hospitality business fundamentals, or stories of building ventures in challenging markets.
Content flags
- Ad-heavy Multiple sponsor reads (Elle & Vire Professionnel, RØDE) and product promotion (Chef JKP Thermos Flask) relative to a 91-minute episode.
Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.