As part of the Strathclyde Business School's Scottish Entrepreneurial Series, 55 full time MBA students visited the WEST Beers Brewery, Bar & Restaurant on Glasgow Green.
Petra Wetzel, owner of the brewery explained how she came up with concept of serving a high quality locally produced beer: "It started with my father. When I first came to Scotland in the 1980s as a teenager [She came to study politics, history of art and management at Glasgow University in 1994], there wasn't a beer that met his Bavarian standards."
After a number of years as a lawyer - Petra's chosen career - she invested in a derelict building on Glasgow Green that was previously offices and a carpet factory. From there, she imported all the brewery equipment from Europe and over time created the Scottish lagers she has today. "It's about quality, it's using Bavarian standards to produce this beer here in Glasgow" she later remarked.
Students were given tastings of the different beers available and given a tour through the brewery. Additionally, as a bonus, Petra invited the students to identify a potential name and brand for a new WEST beer.
One student noted that Petra's business model is more linked to that of Google or Facebook – viral or community driven. Employees are empowered through ownership, innovation and the determination of achieving quality.
The Scottish Entrepreneurial Series is an effort led by MBA Challum, the 2011/12 cohort of full time MBA students attending the Strathclyde Business School. The goal is to seek regional entrepreneurs and to learn from their ventures, successes and experiences. For more information on participating on with the Scottish Entrepreneurial Series, please contact James Wilson at james.wilson@strath.ac.uk.