“It’s no longer enough to be a hospitality business,” says small business owner Shelley Pippin. “You have to be an event company.”
This is why Brewnuts has been so successful at using events to carve out a niche What small and medium business marketers, regardless of your industry, can learn from “Ohio’s First and Only Donut Bar.”.
Meet the Master
Shelley Pippin
Founder and co-owner, Brown nuts
When you think of bar food, you probably think of things like burgers and sandwiches.
But Cleveland-based Brewnuts has a different vision: As Brewnuts’ “Ohio’s first and only donut bar,” as co-owner and founder Shelley Pippin puts it, the company combines a curated selection of beer and coffee drinks with a rotating selection of homemade donuts.
For Brewnuts, however, the menu is just the (sweet) beginning. “It’s no longer enough to be a hospitality business” says Pippin. “You have to be an event company.”
In addition to a menu of beers and prepared foods, Brewnuts books weekends celebrating holidays (Halloween), pop culture (dusk) and fandom lore (an annual December toast to Taylor Swift’s birthday called “Taylor Fest”). These special events often include unique coffee drinks or themed donuts; for example, a “Boston Scream!” for the spooky season.
Photo credit: Emily Drapp
“I love creating things and I see my job as surprising and inspiring people” says Pippin. “That’s why I love the hotel industry. It’s a place where you have the opportunity to create experiences for people. It’s really about providing a little piece of escape and joy.”
Conclusion: Don’t underestimate the power of surprise, joy and joy. Whether you sell donuts or databases, think about what experiences you can offer people.
Divide and conquer
Pippin has a strong background in partnership marketing, sponsorships and client work, making her excellent at handling the creative ideation side of Brewnuts – a job that includes things like menu development, event planning and social media content creation.
Photo credit: Shelley Pippin
“I love the inspiration part,” she says. “Things like that just pop into my head and I’m like, ‘Yeah, and here are 25 ideas of how I want to do that.'”
But from a business perspective, Brewnuts is well balanced as co-founder (and Pippin’s husband) John has a background in accounting and finance.
“He takes care of a lot of our tasks,” she says. “It’s great to have all the ideas in the world. But if you don’t understand how to run a functioning business in terms of making the numbers work, it’s all for nothing.”
Conclusion: Even the worst marketing team can’t do everything. Use your strengths and team up with colleagues (or co-founders) who can provide some balance.
Sometimes excitement Is Enough
Pippin will work with one of the donut decorators (who happens to be a talented photographer) on graphics and promotional materials. Otherwise, she doesn’t outsource the marketing activities because She has a specific vision for Brewnuts’ brand voice – and knows it works.
“When I want to exaggerate something, I want to exaggerate it in a certain way, and I want people to feel a certain energy about it,” she says. “At this point, I haven’t found a way to communicate this to anyone else.”
This trust is reflected in the event planning. For example, even though the annual Taylor Fests get bigger every year (just like Swift’s career!), Pippin wrote the 2025 menu rewrite in about half an hour in August.
Photo credit: Shelley Pippin
“When I’m so excited, I don’t think about it.” She says about planning these larger events. “If it’s something where I get a lot of creativity, that tends to tell me everything I need to know, because I know there are probably other people out there who feel the same way.”
Conclusion: Data is important, but it is not everything. Sometimes you have to trust your gut feeling. If you’re having a hard time convincing your boss that your enthusiasm is worth a budget, follow Pippin’s example and start small. Pilot your idea, measure ROI and grow a little bigger every year.
Take care of your community
Brewnuts incorporates its customers’ passions into its marketing strategy. Over the years they have planned events around the topic The office, star WarsAnd Home alone. However, Brewnuts’ events and marketing are based on honesty – and inclusivity.
“We’ve really made a point of flying our flag and saying what we’re about and clearly expressing our values and (that we are) a space for the entire community.says Pippin.
Photo credit: Emily Drapp
This mindset also explains why Brewnuts is thoughtful (and thoughtful) when planning its events, including by ensuring that its interests and passions align with guests’ desires.
“People have said, ‘Why don’t you do an XYZ weekend?’” says Pippin. “I don’t necessarily want to do that if it’s something where we don’t have a real fan perspective.”
Take away: You don’t have to jump up everyone Trend. As tempting as it may be, one star Wars If you want to connect with your tech company, you may want to skip it if it doesn’t reflect your values or build community.
An attitude towards hospitality
Pippin and her husband are hands-on owners who stay in touch with guests through many different channels. For example, Brewnuts sends out a monthly newsletter and maintains a strong social media presence.
“We’re definitely not absentee owners,” Pippin says. “We are very present in our space and on our social media.”
By staying so connected, Brewnuts has a deeper understanding of its audience – and knows how to reach new customers.
“In many ways, we’re trying to host events for groups of people who may not feel like they have a home,” Pippin says. “I like to try to discover niche groups that might feel like, ‘Hey, nobody’s hosting an event for us.'”
At the end of the day, Pippin emphasizes the importance of gratitude and shares that she never takes support for granted.
“It has never been lost on me that someone is spending their hard-earned money with me,” she says. “(This) is really important to always stay at the forefront of your mind.”
Conclusion: Maintain a hospitable mindset. Brewnuts doesn’t just host events to have a Halloween tie-in; It uses newsletters, social media and customer interactions to segment its consumers and make them feel welcome.
