Lead with the Crusade, not the Product

James Watt, co-founder, and CEO of BrewDog, has some unusual ideas about how to succeed in business – and they seem to be working. Founded in April 2007 by Jame Watt and Martin Dickie, BrewDog has been different from the beginning. Watt describes some of his unusual tactics in his book Business for Punks, Break All the Rules–the BrewDog Way. The book has lots of good tips for business startups, but one of Watt’s key mottos is “Lead with the crusade, not the product.”

According to Watt, people crave something to believe in, a sense of belonging, and the chance to be part of an uprising. He advises entrepreneurs to provide them with those opportunities! Allow customers and employees to understand your purpose and mission. Then their imaginations run wild as they join you on this revolutionary path towards change – together we can accomplish anything!

For Watt and Dickie, that mission was hardcore beer. Within three years, it was clear that BrewDog had launched the UK craft beer revolution. They have continually crafted cool and contemporary brews that challenge standard perceptions of beer globally. Thanks to their revolutionary approach, they are now reaping the rewards with wave after wave of progressive beers!

With Dickie managing the brewing and production side of things, Watt was charged with expanding their business, keeping up accounts, and pioneering a new wave of humorous marketing that became widely known for years to come. Not only did this dynamic duo craft some of Britain’s most remarkable beers, but James also spearheaded Equity for Punks – an unprecedented crowdfunding campaign whose influence has been seen worldwide.

By 2014, BrewDog’s success was evident – has grown to a 360-person powerful team, 26 bars worldwide in the UK and Europe, and more than 14k Equity Punk shareholders.

Brewdog was at the forefront of this transformation as the times began to shift, generating a new path for craft beer. By 2019, Watt’s commitment to sustainability had become an integral part of BrewDog’s identity and success – boasting over 2,000 employees worldwide with 100 bars across the globe and more than 130,000 Equity Punk shareholders!

In 2020, BrewDog proudly declared that it had become the world’s first carbon-negative brewery. They achieved this progress through a strategic collaboration with Mike Berners-Lee at Small World Consulting to calculate their businesses’ carbon emissions and develop sustainable reforestation initiatives. This included purchasing 9,308 acres in Scotland’s Highlands dedicated as Britain’s most extensive reforestation projects!

“Give them something to believe in, and you may just have a revolution on your hands.”

James Watt followed his advice and offered people a crusade. When you lead a crusade, it not only provides your business with a higher purpose and meaning but also allows you to develop and promote an entire category. This is infinitely more powerful than just selling products – it has conviction, ambition, and the ability to make people take notice. So don’t just focus on sales; have a mission, create something bolder that will grab attention, buckle up for safety measures and let ‘er rip!