The origin story of PourMyBeer begins in a bustling bar in Baltimore. Josh Goodman, a problem-solving entrepreneur, looked at the crowd waiting to order and began to think:
There’s got to be a better way to serve bar patrons. — Josh Goodman, CEO of PourMyBeer.
Apparently he wasn’t thinking before that. But it’s unclear whether he was or not, so on with the story. If you can pour your own drink at a party, why not at a bar? Bam! The idea for PourMyBeer was born.
Goodman set out on a journey to create a self-serve beer tap system where customers could pour their own drinks and be charged by the ounce for only what they pour.
Of course, as any entrepreneur knows, the road to success is rarely as smooth as you picture it in your head. His idea that seemed so simple turned out to be quite difficult — his technology failed, his business partner quit. He learned lessons the hard way. Many entrepreneurs might recognize the similarities between the struggles Goodman experienced and their own.
In his ten year journey to find the perfect self-pour solution, Goodman realized in that he needed to create the technology himself. After a few more rounds of trial and error, his PourMyBeer self-serve system was completed in 2015 and now dispenses a variety of beverages, like beer, cocktails, coffee, sake, and wine.
Today, PourMyBeer powers over 3,000 taps for over 200 partners, including restaurant and hospitality giants like Buffalo Wild Wings, Whole Foods, and Wyndham Hotels.
Looking back at his career path, Goodman learned that even the most innovative entrepreneurs do not usually experience instant success. To honor that lesson, Goodman is giving back to the restaurant and hospitality community as a “thank you” for the industry’s growing acceptance of self-pour technology.
PourMyBeer, together with its partner Micro Matic, is giving one lucky person the gift of a lifetime through a contest dubbed the Million Dollar Self Pour Giveaway.
Goodman is paying it forward by giving one small business owner the equipment to start his very own self-pour taproom.
With these tools, Goodman claims the winner will pick up $1.1 million in revenue over the course of his first year. At Grit Daily, we’re blown away by the thought of a claim of this magnitude. It looks and sounds like a guarantee to us, so — good luck, Goodman, if it doesn’t work out!
The contest, which launched earlier this month, is open to both aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs. Friends and family can also nominate people who would benefit from the self-pour trend.
Scott Talkov, anyone?