Episode 171: The Story Behind Sun King Brewing Company (Co-Founders Dave Colt and Clay Robinson)

Show Description:

Dave Colt and Clay Robinson are the co-founders and co-CEOs of Sun King Brewing Company (@sunkingbrewing), the largest brewing company in Indianapolis. The company was founded in 2009 and won 29 medals at the Great American Beer Festival. In this interview, Dave and Clay tell the story about how Sun King was created, their motivation to start the company, and the life lessons they learned along the way.

Show Highlights:

3:20-16:50: Dave and Clay discuss their first jobs in the beer industry and how they found their passion.
16:50-26:50: Dave and Clay talk about how they first met while working for brewing companies in Indianapolis.
26:50-36:20: The founders go into detail about how they formed the idea for Sun King, the conversations they had while working for someone else, and Clay's summer in Alaska before writing the business plan.
36:20-49:20: Dave and Clay discuss how they formed the initial company leadership team, how they pitched the idea to investors, and how they protected their creativity while getting funding.
49:20-1:06:20: We ask the founders how they balanced being friends and business partners, pivots they had to make during the pandemic, and the exciting projects the company has taken on in the last couple of years.
1:06:20-1:13:50: The founders talk about the founding principles for their business, which originated from the things they hated most when working for someone else.
1:13:50-1:18:20: We end the show by asking Dave and Clay how running a business has made them better people and how they want to be remembered.