Brewdog Founder: The Untold Story Of One Britain’s Fastest Growing Companies: James Watt | E157

James Watt is the CEO and founder of Brewdog, the Scottish craft beer sensation that is now valued at $2 billion. A former sea captain, he’s had to navigate increasingly choppy waters at Brewdog.
Topics:
0:00 Intro
01:36 Your early years
09:00 Being a sea captain & what it taught you
13:23 The start of Brewdog
26:25 Your marketing principles
38:59 Adjustments from being a fisherman to CEO of a global company
44:09 Your leadership evolution
49:31 Why don't you step down as CEO?
52:47 Did you ever imagine you’d be here?
58:34 Forgiving your mother for creating 'that voice'
01:04:21 Punks with purpose letter
01:15:57 Horrific interviewing techniques
01:22:26 Why did you invest in Heineken?
01:25:15 Autism
01:28:25 Whats the silver lining here?
01:29:46 Anxiety & Therapy
01:35:28 The future of Brewdog - sustainability
01:40:14 Finance advice
01:45:52 The last guest question
James:
brewdogjame...
BrewDogJames?s=20...
Shows mentioned
Good Ship BrewDog, BBC sounds - www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0...
The Truth about BrewDog - www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001...
Books mentioned:
Ben Horowitz - amazon.co.uk/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Listen on:
Apple podcast - podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/7iQXmUT...
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Sponsors:
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Huel - my.huel.com/Steven
Vodafone Business -
bit.ly/3NIM35n
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[@TheDiaryOfACEO]

Thanks for tuning in and taking the time to listen to this one! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below AND If we hit 3,000 likes I’m going to make a big announcement about a major upcoming guest in the next episode! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@markjohnnojohnson5352]

Steve what’s the chances of doing a dragons den special series interviewing past and present dragons?

[@alanpotter1240]

Surprised you used ‘if’ 😉 Huge fan and thanks for adding so much value with these interviews 🙌🏼

[@OutHereHavingAPint]

Great Job on this!

[@BarkandJack]

@@markjohnnojohnson5352 That's a great idea! Dragons Den series please.

[@jammerman860]

THE BEST PODCAST. A BIG HONOURABLE SHOUT OUT TO YOU KING👊🏿

[@Cant_handle_the_cause]

I work for a multi billion pound consumer goods corporate company. My god his answers were corporate. I thought the brand was about authenticity and being real, couldn’t believe I’m hearing the same corporate jargon I hear every day.

[@rorz999]

Yep, pretty much everything he said was textbook corporate spiel. I wonder what the real James Watt is like, because he was like a closed book here

[@whatabitch]

@@rorz999 He strikes me as a lad who wouldn't get out of a bath to take a shit.

[@bossman674]

Unfortunately, as amazing as this interview is, there’s something unsettling about this dude. He just seems narcissistic and sociopathic..I don’t think he’s regretful in any way.

[@basilfawlty123]

He's 100% a sociopath. I can smell one a mile off. The whole "poor me" act the whole way through cements it for me.

[@herpsmaltwatta]

That's a perfect description of him.

[@Cant_handle_the_cause]

Massive pupils …

[@winstonk400]

my exact thoughts as well.

[@mrpaddykid]

@@Cant_handle_the_cause what’s the massive pupils suggest?

[@SamMartinPeakPerformance]

Fair play to James doing this interview…. Doesn’t change the fact he’s probably the best walking example of how money doesn’t change people but just exposes them for who they truly are.

[@MikeSmith-rd9fi]

What is he truly?

[@SamMartinPeakPerformance]

@@MikeSmith-rd9fi Watch the BBC documentary and you’ll see

[@MikeSmith-rd9fi]

@@SamMartinPeakPerformance No, I am asking you. BBC are famous for being full of shit.

[@MikeSmith-rd9fi]

@ian kennedy Everything the BBC say and do is accurate then? 3 sides to every story.

[@MikeSmith-rd9fi]

@ian kennedy Sometimes it is a no win situation.

[@RoryMacdonald-pfff]

For me, this joins the Anne Boden conversation on the podium of conversations of CEOs who reveal aspects of their personality, which when tied to a leadership role in many workplace environments, doesn’t work well for them. I have a lot of sympathy for CEOs - at various stages they have to duck n dive, make something from nothing, scale, lead, change, be accountable etc etc. I think if the scrappy, ‘can do’, move fast etc operational approach isn’t tempered by other perspectives & maturity then people suffer. My point is, “what got you here won’t get you there” (by Goldsmith).

[@journeyofcompassion9001]

These podcasts are amazing to provide an insight to the human mind, thank you 🙏🏽

[@DavidLee-uh3xz]

I'm a big fan of this podcast and every episode I see I think is better than the previous ones, and this one is no exception - what a journey he has been on.

[@bobbykane-fearn186]

i love how he criticises big hegemonic businesses whilst simultaneously aspiring to become a big hegemonic business.

[@blessingsbest6838]

😂! The irony

[@bigbawsdogg]

This is what happens when you lose touch with reality

[@adamferguson1513]

Also owning shares in some of those companies that he says he’s against

[@rorz999]

It's really weird. Does he think his company is/will be any different? And why the obsession with continued growth at all costs?

[@benhounslow2714]

This is so powerful!! It's my dream to meet you and see one of these live. Il keep watching and surporting you brother! Let's go!

[@herb2078]

Struggled to finish this one. This felt very PR packaged and not maybe the type of answers that were truly there. Almost like a sales pitch at times. Incredible podcast It has become my go to 👌

[@_Information_]

Whenever I see the name Brewdog all I think of is all the people I know / heard of that they've fucked over, not paid, treated horribly etc. They are one of the only companies that I've actively avoided all these years because I just can't support a company who leaves such a trail of destruction.

[@herpsmaltwatta]

Word.

[@patricknicholas7368]

Not that I approve of these things, but what companies do you approve of? My only point is that most successful companies will have similar issues.

[@thatslucko8548]

James, Meta marketing again

[@baseddepartment7893]

Brewdogs punk IPA is pretty delish though

[@lucywilliams7189]

@@patricknicholas7368 agreed! And atleast Brewdog have made a huge conscious effort to change that, and have put their money where their mouth is with this. (Most other companies don't!!??🤷‍♀️)

[@talkingrealitypodcast9715]

The fact the first pitch ended with someone immediately spitting out the beer and saying get out followed by Tesco giving awards for the same bottle proves the point -you can’t please everyone you just need to please someone ! Great episode guys ! Motivation had an upgrade 💥

[@nicnicuk]

Ohhh I’m so interested to listen to this one, what a good start to a Monday 💪🏼

[@maryfrancesoconnor4770]

Don't get your hopes up.....bit of a soft soap tbh

[@Michael-ui3os]

Yep it delivered on every level. Steven well done. Your sensitivity and pin point drive on certain questions to just open the person up a little more is so impressive. THIS IS THE INTERVIEW I have shared with all of my team.

[@JANUPTHESET]

I would love to watch this podcast LIVE!

[@amyclaire3873]

I really didn’t know much at all about Brewdog or any news that surrounded it. But as someone who loves psychology and understanding how things come about, I think this is an interesting one. Regardless of the opinions of Brewdog, I think it’s healthy to have these honest conversations. Fair play Steven ☺️

[@MikeSmith-rd9fi]

How do you know he's being completely honest? Its definitely to good to hear more from him, you make up your own mind of what is honest.

[@amyclaire3873]

@@MikeSmith-rd9fi well we can argue this with everyone we meet in life. We just have to use our judgment and intuition. Sometimes we get it wrong, sometimes right. I was more referring to this podcast series as a whole as it promotes having those conversations that may be difficult. Nonetheless I’m intrigued what people have to say about these kind of matters.

[@MikeSmith-rd9fi]

@@amyclaire3873 I agree. I think we seen more of James but don't believe for a second he was entirely honest. Just my view. He is somewhat sociopathic and had no issues lying to banks.

[@DaleMacL001]

What a phenomenal interview! Brilliant work from you both.

[@niksio4331]

It was so interesting .. I feel like what he says and what he has gone forward and done are conflicting things. I watched the documentary exposè too so I got to see both sides of the story and I hope for a better future for all parties ❤️

[@pmstoresdirect]

Getting to hear about businesses is so interesting and helpful

[@Mukami_the_Environmentalist]

This is super awesome, deep, very solid conversation.i like the way you ask the hard questions softly making the guest go back in time before they respond...

[@keartan]

Not sure how I feel about this. What James has accomplished with Brewdog is incredible and a true lesson in how to be a disruptive startup. I can't imagine how determined and mentally resilient you have to be to get there. The drive to bring Brewdog from where it started, in a shed, to its incredible global heights now, the guy has some serious skills. But this interview felt a little staged, much like how other interviews with Molly Mae and Anne Boden felt like PR stunts, most of James' answers felt like stock pre-approved answers. Especially as he repeated the same lines word for word at times. I didn't feel like I really got to understand or know him and how he really felt about past events and why he made certain decisions, and I think it could be because he hasn't properly reflected or come to terms with the last 12 months, or lasts few years himself. I didn't really believe it when he said he understood the issues and accusations brought to the company by past employees. I'm sure it's been an absolute whirlwind for him as the company has exploded from its beginnings, so it takes some serious reflection and resolve to be able to step back from it. I just don't believe he's really got there yet.

[@adamferguson1513]

It started in a shed…with the help of his millionaire dad. The backstory is all bs and it’s ridiculous that anyone believes a single word this man says

[@KiniKiko]

@@adamferguson1513 I also think he had a lot more backing then his “life savings” as his family have money. The whole backstory of his two men and a dog is bs. He knows how to storytell.

[@johannefatuma8703]

I watch this podcast every monday morning just to fuel my energy tank …. James’s story reflects my entrepreneurial life ✊🏾

[@user-df3ik4bv1j]

A sexual creep?

[@ThorFILMs000]

You pay less than the living wage?

[@KiniKiko]

Have a look at glass door review mate

[@madrugadao000]

“Entrepreneurial life”….b1tch please 😂😂🤡

[@TheHopeMusicGroup]

Great interview Steven. I've got to be a part of the audience one day. Keep up the great work.

[@markjohnnojohnson5352]

Monday fix! Thanks Steve😊

[@tamasidinadze471]

These podcasts help me find a better me Mentally physically intellectually social emotionally all things they have in common is self improvement

[@Allthesamesea]

Astute reading of your interview subject to be able to carefully push for information so that the listener can make their own mind up- based on their own perspective of the story being told. We can never know better or more than anyone else based on here say or allegations. We only ever know our own truth. We could all had conversations as impartial as this whilst also being interested and genuinely listening without prejudice, its allowed Steven to see past any negative emotions and notice the autistic cues- amazing amount of humility.🙏🏻💙

[@jackbristol]

I’m British but have lived in asia for over 15 years, so didn’t really know much about Brewdog and knew nothing of this guy. Without any preconceived notions or the bias of media stories I thought he came across as genuine, not in it for the money and truly willing to get better and build an amazing company. Sure he had his flaws and still has, but his reflections to being on the spectrum could account for a lot of that. And what incredible marketing - simply inspirational and, as he notes at the end, no way an agency could have done any of that! Amazing interview as usual, thanks Steven

[@chriskilmartin]

Spinning his toxic behaviour as the classic 'if I have one weakness its working too hard'. The more he tries to make excuses the more the brand suffers.

[@wendywolfman]

I’m sure you are a very driven and successful man too Chris. I’m sure he would appreciate some pointers from you.

[@jimmyroberts8331]

@@wendywolfman lol. Reframing a perfectly valid and sincere critique on James’ lack of accountability and lack of care into a weird ad-hominem attack on the commenter makes you look like an idiot.

[@danieltaylor4728]

@@wendywolfman Do you approve of “The Captain’s” behaviour Wendy?

[@adrianmccombe625]

I think the point here is he's only human and people make mistakes. I don't think anyone on here can really appreciate how difficult the role of CEO is. He has to be driven or everyone loses their jobs. He cannot sit still. The attitude has to be 'there is a problem and I will solve it'. He exudes this 100%! The 'toxic' issue is just one issue he will face on a daily basis. He's not being dismissive at all.

[@NiallMarks]

Brilliant! Did confuse me when you said it was 2020 though! Had to check it was a new video!!

[@ah805]

Took them 2 years to edit

[@jordynfreeth6009]

It’s so refreshing to hear a CEO take accountability for the mishandling of staff within a business and not hide behind other people to make themselves look better. If anything, this makes me want to work for a company who takes on this feedback and implements change! Another great podcast!!

[@benprideauxselby]

I suggest you read a little bit more about James Watt and all the allegations made against him. There is a BBC documentary, other podcasts, and news outlet coverage which is pretty damning. This did not feel like accountability, it felt like damage control and deflection.

[@basilfawlty123]

I don't believe he is accountable, I believe he wants desperately to appear accountable. It feels like he thinks he can just throw the words 'diverse and inclusive' in to every other sentence and this'll make all the bad things go away. Damage limitation; "shit I've been caught out, get the cameras, show me self flagellating, ENGAGE FULL WOKE MODE! quick, look over there, Heineken, BiG bUsInEsS bAd"

[@jordynfreeth6009]

@@benprideauxselby haha the same BBC who let Jimmy Savile run wild when they knew what he was doing behind the scenes for years and the same BBC who manipulated the late princess Diana into a tell all interview when they knew it would in danger her? I understand this guy is not perfect and yeah there is probably some PR going on, but for a CEO to come out and admit their actions caused the issues and are they willing to accept it is huge. Bigger corporations have done worse, don’t address it and continue like nothing is wrong.

[@benprideauxselby]

@@jordynfreeth6009 What you have done here is called false equivalence. Does the BBC (and basically the whole country at that time) letting Jimmy Saville get away with what he did, mean this guy should also be allowed to get away with it or even revered as a lot of the commenters here are doing? Your whole argument is other people have done worse, which is such a depressing race to the bottom, can't we ask our leaders to just be decent people? Finally, the comment made about autism in this interview are despicable. Blaming negative behaviour types on as yet un-diagnosed autism just steps on every single neuro-divergant person. Autism does not equal bad. It would be nice to see us holding people and leaders to higher standards, his behaviour has been awful and this interview does not contain anything that feels genuine. There are only easy questions. If anything, It was quite boring as James trotted out rehearsed line after rehearsed line.

[@jordynfreeth6009]

@@benprideauxselby No, what I have done with my reply is point out the BBC being hypocritical. They’re more than willing to air out someone else’s dirty laundry, but not look at their own first. I also said that I understand James is not be perfect, who is? And there’s probably some PR going on but at least he’s stepping forward and taking accountability for what has happened within his business and accepting the lessons he’s learnt from not being 100% aware of what was actually happening around him.

[@ExperienceRealJoeRobins]

I would love to come sit in and see the inner workings of your podcast !

[@josephpickard3108]

A character so self-centred that the CERN Project in Switzerland want to harness his ego to power the LHC loop. Every answer felt couched. A tragic attempt at a mea culpa from a man that's caused untold damage to so many people who were loyal to a once-worthy cause.

[@basilfawlty123]

Mea culpa was the phrase I was looking for without knowing it. You've summed this sociopathic charlatan up perfectly.

[@meganmcmahon9744]

Just obsessed with your podcasts, Steven. They’ve become a staple in my bedtime routine. Tea, bed, and Diary of a CEO 🙌 This one, yet again, so insightful and on point 👌🏼

[@T2K22]

I hadn't heard of the podcast a year ago, now i bring it up in conversation regularly and find quite a few people watch it also. They are honestly so good!

[@PRITCHARD_SWYD]

Great podcast.

[@jamesmeeks590]

Another unbelievable episode. I’ve been hooked watching these for so long now. Steven is such a good interviewer asking interesting / different questions to really get a in-depth understanding of the person. Also massive respect to James Watt, he seems a genuine guy who by his own admissions is saying he’s not perfect, and he doesn’t know everything yet, but he is working and developing every day to become the best version of himself. It takes a lot to hold your hands up (especially in his position) to say he got it wrong, and what he is going to do to try and fix it. Looking forward to the next episode and I would genuinely love to watch one of these being filmed and meet Steven. Thanks for providing so much good content!

[@iainmartell3322]

Brillaint Podcast again 👏🏽

[@bryanhutch]

Really great episode, James comes across as the opposite of how he’s portrayed by the BBC and others. He was insightful, humble, honest and clearly driven.

[@rorz999]

I do wonder how much of it is an act though, i.e. saying what he thinks will sound good / what people want to hear. It's really hard to tell

[@nicolahyde8538]

I know nothing about Brewdog and it’s history, but I really enjoyed this podcast. His honesty and awkwardness showed (for me) his passion and absolute belief in his business and his employees. He clearly has made some huge mistakes, but those mistakes are only mistakes if you never learn from them, which I believe he is doing and making changes to improve himself and the company for all of his employees and customers. I personally and professionally took some great points away from this interview. Thank you Stephen and James.

[@TheWelshlovely]

I sincerely hope you have learnt from the many issues raised, that you have robust reporting systems in place, you will listen to the honest feedback and wish you every success for the future. I know someone who was diagnosed as on the spectrum in his 50s. Good if you can understand your actions. It can only benefit you in the future, both professionally and personally.

[@owent-ftfab3718]

Happy to hear that Brewdog are highlighting the impact of Mental Health and putting staff onto Mental Health First Aid training. If there are any others interested on this training, id be willing to support and onboard to one of our courses. Awareness, Level 2, MHFA for supervisors / managers. Courses are 1/2 day, Full Day and 3 days long.

[@SlimBoyJacked]

The irony. ALcohol is a major cause and sustainer of mental health in people. Alcohol should be illegal and outlawed.

[@T2K22]

You are the UK Joe Rogan to me. Great interviewing style, top guests and able to listen and get the most out of each guest. But you've now edged Joe for me as the guests/companies they represent are so relatable to me being from the UK. Can't get enough of these to keep me company as I work from home full time!

[@MrKelz419]

Please don't insult Steven by comparing him to Rogan

[@entrtech]

Interesting watch, the timing couldn't be better for this episode!

[@shadowpawn]

Did try to get some of the early Punk Investment shares but was not successful but have followed success of Brewdog. Keep up great stuff.

[@helenlouis5560]

I love Steve Bartlett and have listened to many of his podcasts. Though I have a background in business psychology, when I listened to this podcast I knew nothing about beer - or Brewdog. James Watt is a fake. He’s obviously a type A, anxiety / fear driven man which is fine (many of us are) but that’s no excuse to treat people poorly. He *appears* to understand where he was wrong - but if you dig into his choice of language (and body language) he’s not showing true remorse. His answers are curated to show the right amount of contrition and reflection whilst not really taking responsibility for anything at all, and complimenting himself at the same time. Saying it’s your fault for expecting the same standards from your team as you have for yourself is just giving another compliment to yourself, boosting your self image. I’ve worked with people like him, and it’s hell. They’re unbelievably intense, constantly on edge, never seem to be happy about anything, and their deep insecurity creates a blame game culture (radiating outwards) because they’re so afraid to be revealed as inadequate. They don’t accept when things aren’t possible, and try and drive it through by sheer will alone. Sometimes you may get the results you want by this method, but the people who get you there are angry, bitter, and resentful. And one day, they will collect enough enemies they eventually get taken down. His animosity and simultaneous hostility and deep need for validation from women would have created unbearable conditions as well. These types of people cannot control their emotions and need a place to vent their nervous energy whilst they focus on their “main task at hand” ie growing the business. People are collateral damage. I don’t think they set out to destroy people but it just sort out happens in their pursuit of success which is just far more important to them. Not buying the neurodivergent justification - I’ve worked with plenty of people on the spectrum, and though behaviour was often different from neurotypical it was never bullying. All this is, is good PR for him. They don’t care about anyone except themselves and their reputation.

[@Gillian_1989]

A bit harsh there. He admits he’s made mistakes. To say the guy’s a fake without knowing him though is wrong.

[@lucywilliams7189]

Fantastic interview.. 😍👌 I actually didn't care for Brewdog much before, but after this I think he is an amazing, hard working, smart, true entrepreneur.. who made it happen!! And seems like a truly good person. (I can see how his slight autism, came across to people in a bad way) but for me personally I can see and believe he is a really good person and has done SOOOOOO much good since to improve the situation.. (more then any other company I have ever heard of..) incredible interview and guy... 👏👏 and amazing company he has built!! 💪❤️

[@Marc-uw4lw]

I've still got an unopened bottle of 28% (ABV) Ghost Deer on my "Top shelf of booze" because I never got around to drinking it. Apparently it's the world's strongest [normally] fermented beer. I managed to buy a limited run bottle from their website in about 2012. I imagine it's probably the last bottle to survive in its box, so now I don't want to drink it... :)

[@willienelsongonzalez4609]

I lived and studied in Aberdeen whilst Brewdog were beginning to flourish and establish itself. It’s obvious that both the founders have worked bloody hard to get where they are with financial support from the community that have rallied around them. James has had some problems and the company still appears to have problems within the overall work culture. It’s difficult to say if it’s other drinks companies that are fuelling gossip but it’s hard to argue in favour of Brewdog when an open letter is signed by a mix of current and former employees stating that Brewdog has a toxic and misogynistic work environment. It’s no longer a local brand, it’s a global brand that will continue to grow but they do need to remember not to forget those supporters and community that did help to inject much needed cash into their business.

[@frenchconnectionshcb]

Steven as an entrepreneur going through all of these things it’s so useful to listen to others stories!! So thank you and all over the huel! Great work and amazing content congrats Rich

[@LitteJeanie]

So the voice in his head that he wants to win over is actually his mother's voice. His eyes still show a lot of rage when he speaks of her, after the marine biology story @59.20 .. This moment hit me hard, as my own son has wanted to be a marine biologist since he first saw a magic school bus book about ocean life at four years of age. He graduated this year with a dual degree in marine biology and environmental science. I can't imagine telling him he couldn't do it, or telling any of my children they can't be in their chosen field! My daughter is now in acting / directing. My other son has just left highschool and is studying UX design. You have to let kids live their own lives and loves.

[@haniyyah7708]

I have been so consumed with work lately that I almost couldn't watch your podcasts because once I had time to rest I would fall asleep. After organising my week I am so happy to go back listening to your podcasts Steve. Thank you so much for popping up on my recommendations!

[@TheDiaryOfACEO]

Welcome back!

[@haniyyah7708]

@@TheDiaryOfACEO Thank you! 😄

[@markt3494]

@@TheDiaryOfACEO from Fraserburgh remember brewdog HQ before it moved to ellon

[@Mawerinho]

Have just watched the BBC documentary, I wanted to listen to his side of the allegations here. I'm surprised that he didn't think that the most hurtful thing said about him was that they thought he was a sexual creep and abused his power by bringing his home life into his bars. Doesn't feel right to me to make it about 'helpful vs unhelpful criticism'. Feels like corporate speak

[@charmianb11220]

To date I've enjoyed every episode I've watched and felt I'd gained something positive in one way or another. A number of the guests I wasn't familiar with however felt I connected with them and some of the things they shared invaluable. This is the first episode that I felt no resonance with the guest and didn't feel the need to finish the episode. I continue to support this great podcast but this particular episode was not for me. Thank you Steven 😊

[@Marc-uw4lw]

Could you try and interview Jamie Foxx? I've heard some of his stories over the years and he's got some great lessons in hustling and being strategic to become successful.

[@talentgateway284]

Absolutely love this interview. You can see how uncomfortable James is and I genuinely believe his journey. It sounds tough and rewarding in equal measure. He has built an awesome business which will definitely go further. I would love an opportunity to work with them if I ever got the chance. Once again Steven, you nailed it!

[@TravellingFreak991]

I was expecting the question from the last guest to be 'Do you like getting home safely to your wife and kids.'

[@ethancantes-freeman2563]

Foriving your mother for creating that voice was so incredibly interesting to watch. Could see Steven really pause before asking why havent you forgiven her. You could see that James was understandably slightly hesitant about this topic, a lot of interviewers would have skirted around this completely but steve made the decision to delve deeper coming from a place of not only trying to understand for himself but also empathy for his guest to come to the realisation that foriveness could give him relief from that internal voice.

[@MegaJCPF]

I wanted a job at Brewdog before watching this. After? No. He is saying all of the right things and I love his story/hustle, but I struggle to believe his schpiel around CSR/Sustainability/addressing the toxic working culture. He seems fixated on growing his business (literally the route cause of almost every global challenge we face) and becoming the Starbucks of his industry, these two points would never be made by a leader who truly cares about sustainability... Brewdog? Sounds more like GreenWashDog to me. Wants to create a sustainable business, but admires Bezos (really?). I don't like to be a hater and this isn't my intention with these comments but ffs, I admired this brand for so long because of it's edgy, anti-establishment, sustainable message but it seems to me after hearing this convo that it is his latest long term shot at squeezing as much as he can out of the marketing dollar. Again I don't want to hate, and I will still probably drink the beer because it is incredible. But stop trying to be Patagonia my dude. I hope everybody's reading, and if you are, please share this with James Watt. :)

[@ellie9975]

people can work towards being more sustainable without being obsessed with it… and you can admire jeff bezos without agreeing with everything he does. I see what you’re saying but not everything is so black and white

[@WillyJunior]

To be fair to him, he said he *mistakenly* took onboard Bezos' ideas about having unrealistically high standards. He said he regrets it.

[@rorz999]

@@WillyJunior he also said that he is a business leader that he greatly admires

[@WillyJunior]

@@rorz999 sure thing buddy

[@CME1994]

Mon ih Dons min! Stand Free ❤

[@anonnymous4684]

*_'I have set standards for the team which I would set for myself, and for a lot of the team members that is unattainable.'_* Whilst this gives the superficial impression of a self reflective mea culpa, he's basically saying that he thinks he's better than everyone else ('No one else can live up to my high standards'). It's a classic narcissist's way of twisting language in order to avoid humility, retain the upper hand, and not actually apologise at all.

[@DieTryingK]

Or it literally means "I work hard and I want others around me to work just as hard as I do" LOL. Some of you people need to stop with this internet psychology always pointing out "classic cases" of narcissism. It's cringe

[@anonnymous4684]

@@DieTryingK _Or it literally means "I work hard and I want others around me to work just as hard as I do"_ This is also internet psychology. What makes yours superior to others?

[@DieTryingK]

@@anonnymous4684 How is it internet pyschology I'm literally just dumbing down what he said word for word cos you've turned it into some complex depiction twisting everything that was said into "I think I'm better than everyone else" LOL

[@anonnymous4684]

@@DieTryingK You've deliberately removed the context from his comment, to give it your own - and more favourable - spin. That's 'internet psychology' right there.

[@DieTryingK]

@@anonnymous4684 'I have set standards for the team which I would set for myself, and for a lot of the team members that is unattainable.' Can you please tell me what this means

[@lizzylou2184]

I find James very inauthentic, with massive barriers up. You can tell he's not a people person and not a visionary, I know nothing about his business partner but hope that plays to his strengths. He says the right things and is polished from a PR perspective but I don't think he actually means them or has the empathy to understand why people may feel a certain way or how aiming for excellence can harm employees. His ego won't let him step aside and hire a better CEO for the organisation which will in turn help him grow and develop. I think Steven when too light on him and could've asked him more challenging questions.

[@blessingsbest6838]

Exactly my thought. Why is he not willing….

[@rorz999]

I agree with most of this, but I dunno if I'd say that he isn't a visionary. The company is a huge success story. He clearly has some strengths amongst his well-documented weaknesses

[@matombler3009]

Stephen, you're a fantastic interviewer, I love this channel and it's very clear that you've done loads of research before going into this, but you're gonna have to play the bad guy at some point and ask tougher questions. I feel like a lot of your harder-to-answer questions were brushed off by him and large sections of this video just felt like a paid PR promotion for Brewdog. I was hoping to see some questions on the fact that Brewdog has consistently stolen marketing and design ideas from agencies during the pitching process too.

[@MG-pc7de]

I agree, Steven could be tougher when asking the difficult questions of some of his guests. BrewDog had some really bad press regarding the atmosphere for women in the company. This could of been explored more. The more controversial press reports were ignored completely. Maybe he wants to avoid the interview being an interrogation and wants to focus on business psychology etc.

[@badofcheese]

@@MG-pc7de He wants to get someone on that will get views without scaring off the next ones that will get views. No value in asking what should be asked/what people want to see answered.

[@jesseroth5457]

Liking these pods a lot, thank you for making them. But, your camera team have the bumpiest sliders known to man, especially on the medium wides. It's a bit distracting for the camera nerds.

[@TheDiaryOfACEO]

You'll never see that issue again shortly, as we move to a new studio (with a flat floor) this week! x

[@jesseroth5457]

@@TheDiaryOfACEO Ah so you must be using tripods with wheels then and not sliders. That must be tricky, thanks for replying and keep it up!

[@krisb-travel]

As a viewer it looks perfect to me

[@robertunsworth2212]

Good interviewer. Focuses on guest unlike others

[@DirectorToby]

Incredibly toxic individual - probably shouldn't be platformed with his recent history. Even with a new heavily trained PR approach.

[@MsFlashLights]

Exactly why give him a platform, he’s clearly already influential and he treats people like crap so I’d rather this interview be for those who were subjected to his unprofessional and disrespectful, predatory behaviours.

[@TheHealthPunch]

Add chapters in older podcasts, good for navigation 😇

[@tuckerbrady6668]

Seems like his treatment of women, stems from his hatred for his mother. Makes sense now all the controversy

[@soberlyyoursdana1128]

Thank you, James and team for making AF beers; I am 663 days alcohol-free!!!

[@madrugadao000]

The secret? Saving money on the stuff. He hardly works but he is a wealthy businessman obsessed with money, which makes his staff work harder and harder. I worked at BD for a while

[@Salah_Hadji.]

One day i will meet you . I promise 🐐G.O.A.T the greatest of all time

[@MikeSmith-rd9fi]

Turns out their previous anonymous survey......was not.

[@ColinKelly]

Hello. At the start of this video the disclaimer 'Contains Paid Promotion' appears. Can anyone point out where specifically in the video the paid promotion does appear? Or is it all a paid promotion?

[@paulstewart7917]

The paid promotion relates to the bottles of Huel on the table.

[@ColinKelly]

@@paulstewart7917 thank you.

[@MrCherryJuice]

There is no denying the strategic daring and expertise of Mr. Watt when it comes to marketing and business, even if only suitable for the likes of Brewdog. Nor is there any denying that Brewdog understands its target market the way Simon Fuller understood mass market appeal when he launched the Spice Girls and Pop Idol. The former's success might be more about luck than the latter's, but the business Watt created is undeniable and continues to foster even greater potential. Amazing, really. But watching this interview immediately after watching the BBC documentary on the wrongdoings of Brewdog (i.e. James Watt - go have a look) was like leaping from a hot tub into an ice bucket. Brrrrrrrr...WTF! I am all for giving wrongdoers a second chance, but despite wanting to believe Watt I constantly felt he was merely countering the news articles and that BBC documentary with his own slick and slippery script. He has a way with words, like after Brewdog's B Corp certification was revoked, Watt said his company had 'stepped back' from its affiliation with the award. His was a blatant shift of the reality in order to ensure his narrrative for Brewdog continued unblemished. All this negativity is very unfortunate as Mr. Watt is obviously very talented, and success for Brewdog should not be hindered by someone who appears to be short on morals but long on lies. Still, let's see if he delivers what he says he will in this excellently handled interview.

[@CucumberTonic]

As a Brewdog customer i had no idea of any of the negativity surrounding the company. This interview lead me to look up the open letter & the doc, how disappointing. This interview makes me think alot of the allegations are true, there is a strong stench of BS coming from this man. I think i will buy other brands of beer in future

[@KiniKiko]

Something wasn’t quite right in this interview. He seems to have a script. I looked up the letter and I am surprised the interview didn’t lead with that. He can’t come back from that. All this expansion, are they growing to fast? I don’t think this type of “leader” should be commended.

[@darrenstoddart8673]

I was in Plymouth this afternoon and walked past a Brewdog near the cinema, they had a display in the window saying they're splitting the profits of the business 50/50 with the workers- not sure if that's across the board or for that one bar.

[@stevesmith8522]

A company can decide how much profit it makes. There are a number of things which a company board can point at which makes profit lower than expected. Do you think that wouldn’t apply at branch level? A Lamborghini for the CEO can come off the bottom line…..

[@haychgas1447]

Tony bellew left a great question

[@mickandtraceycope7826]

I'm pretty sure James is not autistic. He just needs to work on being more empathetic, which many CEO's struggle with, probably why they are CEO'S. It's so important today to have empathy with your staff. Without it, employees feel disconnected...and the CEO feels lonely...Another great interview Stephen asking those tricky questions and well done to James for answering them and not dodging them. 👍🙏

[@RoryMacdonald-pfff]

That’s some really big pupils under studio lights 🧐

[@Allthesamesea]

I was literally trying to zoom in too study this- adrenaline perhaps?

[@Cant_handle_the_cause]

Thank god …. I cannot believe I had to go so far down the comments to find someone saying this. Massive pupils which do not change size when studio lights are on …. No more said.

[@moutaz30]

You're a great interviewer Steven.. Really appreciative of you showing vulnerability and bringing that side out of your guests with your thought provoking questions. Love this podcast to the point that it has become my number one!!

[@awestyyy]

Guy is a Class A Tool

[@yvonnedollface]

couldn’t finish this interview ! first one ever ! i usually watch them all to the end and watch it twice ! but i can tell this man isn’t being genuine ! answers are very rehearsed !! i know exactly what type of CEO he is ! he’s all about the numbers and not the people ! he’s soo fixated on success he can’t see and celebrate what he achieves ! also he conveniently missed out the part about his dad being wealthy and helping him until steven bought it up ! as he was trying to sell us this rags to riches story ! ITS A FIRM NO FROM ME

[@yvonnedollface]

and he said he admires bezos!!!! amazon sweat shop guy !!! that speaks VOLUMES

[@rorz999]

Facts 💯

[@bhiveliveglobal]

Being an entrepreneur/CEO is always tough and you are only at the top if you build the people up to keep you up there. James has had some hard lessons, you can learn here without knocks. TY

[@HaHaLooLoo]

my diary of a ceo wishlist of guests!!!!!!!!! -dr gabor mate -russell brand -brenee brown -lowkey [the rapper and activist] -mehdi hasan!!! [the journalist]

[@WellWithHels]

Russel Brand would be awesome!

[@alittlemoremindful]

“You’ve got to confront the brutal facts of your current reality without ever losing faith that you’re going to prevail in the end” just gave me full body chills!

[@rjdavies1982]

When he says 'the voice' is he referring to John Farnham's track 'The Voice' ?

[@Angelica-mt5oz]

Perhaps this is a niche take-away but something I’m always really fascinated with how we perceive people/make judgements about people without ever taking the time to question WHY they may have acted the way they have. This is key in this scenario where a journalist made observations which then lead to James looking into a potential autism diagnosis. Too often we write people off as ‘weird’ or whatever, without considering that there may be more to them/ more at play there. Just a thought… 🧐

[@markmcphail8820]

Great interview and honest interview. Just goes to show that there are always two sides to the story and don't always believe what the BBC present

[@paulbate9209]

Long before the BBC's podcast, well before the pandemic, he was on a programme about hospitality, representing Brewdog. He treated people like shit on that program. I went off Brewdog since then myself. Each to their own though, eh

[@markmcphail8820]

@@paulbate9209 yeh always two sides to a story . I’ve worked with Brewdog for years as a supplier for their process control and never had any issues . Every company has positives and negatives

[@buytolet-landlords]

More alcohol free options WITHOUT milk please James.

[@liamh3426]

You want a soda then

[@buytolet-landlords]

@@liamh3426 So, if a drink doesn't have milk in it, it's a soda. Understood.

[@tbo2120]

Nah, that ship has long sailed and hit an iceberg quite a while ago. Good luck though!

[@james6901]

Wheres the trees? Hows the shares in Heinken,,sold them,,thought not

[@hopjumpfly]

what t-shirt brand is that?

[@bobmacduff]

James? Commes des Garçons.

[@hopjumpfly]

@@bobmacduff Nice one!

[@rotimi16]

It’s a little sad that he doesn’t recognise the harsh demands of his mother in his youth, is exactly the grit he’s used to gain his current success.

[@celticmugwump]

Their next beer is “Power corrupts to the Maximus” 🍺 Cheers

[@The2teef]

Slippery guy

[@lawrencedavis7864]

This guy is great, however, some comments he has made to other sectors i.e Recruitment and marketing are terrible. I think it's clear to see why 95% of unicorn companies have not received the same backlash as James.

[@JSL2000]

17.00 - Someone tasted the beer and didn't just say no, they spat it out. In old days, that was the kind of obnoxious behaviour we saw on Dragons Den. It was absolutely toxic at one point. In more recent years we've seen a far kinder and generous dragon (including yourself Steven) who can respectfully say no. I remember Theo once telling an entrepreneur he'd rather stick hot pins in his eyes than invest in a person. Another time, Duncan spoke disgracefully to a Scottish maker of dairy drinks. Duncan in keeping with his arrogance also told the maker of a story telling teddy bear he hoped he failed. Glad that kind of toxic television is behind us. I truly believe that fuelled some very obnoxious attitudes. I even saw in in the school I teach in where one particular person would come in to "help" with young enterprise and spoke appallingly to the kids. We don't see that now and I am glad.

[@Ducky_logan]

“Please keep it to yourself” ……. It makes me cringe every time I hear it. Love the interview and content tho.

[@KerryNeeds]

I know, I get it's supposed to be reverse psychology? but it doesnt really fit for me with the rest of the brand

[@mattwoodcock8013]

Is his hat supposed to sit like that? My OCD is rattled watching this interview

[@ItsBradHennessy]

Very interesting that James, had decided to stay on as CEO when many would appoint others to take up the role. It's clear James has a keen interest I knowing the business inside and out and likes to drive change and improvement. Not the easiest route to take but James seems to be thriving in that role... It's extremely commendable they way the company has suffered set backs and they have listened and change tact in an essence to get better. Seems obvious by can't be easy to do especially when you're the founder! I must give a nod to James looking to build a great culture at Brewdog, I as an employee have learned over that last couple of years that culture is important to me, nice to know employers are starting to recognise that. Great interview Steven!

[@benprideauxselby]

You know hundreds of Brewdog employees signed an open letter stating how bad the culture there was and that he was solely the problem? Claims of bullying and sexual harassment have been made against him. Brewdog has had claims of stealing creative ideas, faking some of the records and making things up for marketing 'stunts'. He has also criticised the big beer firms, whilst increasing his own wealth by investing in them. The company suffered setbacks due to his apparent inability to acknowledge his shortcomings. This interview lacked any truly challenging questions and so just sounded like a soundbite heavy PR puff piece for a CEO under the cosh.

[@stefkadragoeva130]

Amazing episode.. as expected :) Regarding James, I personally felt sorry for him that no money and no achievements in this world can take away the inner voice of inadequacy. He needs therapy to heal from the toxic relationship he has had with his mom - I do think that how he has reportedly treated women may be steaming from the way his mom treated him as a child.

[@rossholmes3133]

I’m 4 cans in watching this

[@SteelBonsai]

Im not a huge drinker anyway but when i did try one of there beers it wasn't for me tbh NOT TO SAY THERE BEERS ARE BAD it just wasn't for my taste! Inspiring story though for sure and relatable when he tslks about family cutting certain people off and also proving them wrong which is very similar to what im doing and have been doing for the last 2-3 yrs now with my gaming channel and cutting out the toxic negative family members! 👍🏻🎬🎮