Meet Trailblazer Jen Price

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Price.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My appreciation for beer grew from experiencing it with my Dad. We had a daily ritual – I’d hear him when he came home and I’d run to the kitchen to get a beer and glass from my mom. Once poured, Dad always let me have the first sip. Since then, I’d always had a love for beer and the experience of pouring and enjoying it. During my summer internships in Boulder, CO, I was exposed to some amazing beer, further piquing my interest. Fast forwarding to 2011, I launched Atlanta Beer Boutique as a beer blog that evolved into a private events company. I’ve been hosting events such as tasting, pairings, workshops, etc., all geared towards educating and exposing more people to craft beer. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that most of my event attendees and supporters are women!

Today, I’m working on opening up my own brick and mortar location that will give a ‘home’ to my educational opportunities while also providing a retail location that offers the ultimate beer shopping experience for the full spectrum of craft beer lovers.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Initially, when I was spending a lot of time breweries and pubs to learn more about beer (mainly by drinking and asking lots of questions) I’d get lots of ‘mansplaining’… guys over-explaining stuff to me about beer and suggesting that I try beers that ‘most women’ liked. I think they learned very early on, however, that it wasn’t necessary for me and that it was a tad bit offensive.

My advice to women, especially those entering into industries that are male-dominated like the beer business, would be to not be discouraged. Try to learn as much as they can to boost their confidence and not to look to others to validate their position, involvement or passions. Keep going and pushing!

The biggest challenge for me at this stage is probably the scariest part of my journey – acquiring funding, talking to lenders, investors, etc. I’m hopeful that this will go smoothly!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Atlanta Beer Boutique – what should we know?
I actually work full time as a transportation planner and public engagement specialist/Project manager for a small company in Decatur called Sycamore Consulting. That’s the job that pays the bills. However, I think that my experience in public engagement has equipped me with the skills and expertise needed to educate and engage people in the beer industry. My project management background puts me in a position to better understand running a business, like Atlanta Beer Boutique.

My specialty within the beer industry is definitely education and exposure. My book, “The Chick’s Guide to Beer” is a step by step manual especially written for women who want to learn more about beer and don’t know where to start. I believe that people are beginning to know me for that more and more. I believe that my passion for educating women, specifically, makes me unique and sets me apart. My future bottle shop will take all that I know about both – beer and women – and create a space that maximizes opportunities in both arenas.

Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
My parents worked really hard to expose me and my siblings to people, places and things outside of the norm and always encouraged us to do what we loved. Looking back, I know that my internship in Boulder exposed me to beer in a whole new way and that undoubtedly influenced my love and passion.

Contact Info:

• Website: atlantabeerboutique.com
• Phone: 404-754-7677
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/atlbeerboutique
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtlantaBeerBoutique/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/atlbeerboutique
• Other: http://thechicksguidetobeer.com/

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.