Meet Gloria Rakowsky | Founder & Owner, Crafted Minds LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gloria Rakowsky and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gloria, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
During this Covid-19 pandemic, I unfortunately lost my employment as a beer sales representative. Bars and restaurants weren’t buying kegs anymore and so I was left unemployed. I knew that I had marketable skills, as a former university professor and a beer industry professional. After a few months during 2020, I had the idea, “why not combine my love of beer with my love of teaching?” And so Crafted Minds LLC was born!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been in the craft beer industry since 2009 in a variety of capacities: writer, brand ambassador, beertender, sales representative and now taproom manager. While working in higher education as a professor and administrator for over 13 years, I started working for a brewery part time to not only supplement my income, but to represent the brewery and educate customers about craft beer. In. 2014 I started a group called the Syracuse Women of Craft Beer, a social group that met monthly for educationally-based craft beer events. It was a huge success and ran until 2019, just before the pandemic hit. Covid affected my work as a beer sales representative and I had to figure out a way to make a living on my own. I combined my passion for teaching with my passion for craft beer and created Crafted Minds LLC, a company dedicated to beer education. I feel that education is such an important part of craft beer that I decided to make it accessible to everyone, not just people in the industry. It has been challenging learning to become a business owner but I didn’t give up when things seemed too complicated.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, Damian, has always supported me and is my number one fan. He has never discouraged me from taking on a new challenge or following my passions. He is a huge part of my successes!

Website: https://craftedmindsllc.com/

Instagram: @craftedmindsllc

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crafted-minds-llc/?viewAsMember=true

Twitter: @craftedmindsllc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftedmindsllc/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc2GgWbjQTXiLIfFtAQW0Cw

Image Credits
Damian Rakowsky