TAMPA 鈥 From bold risks to building a multimillion-dollar business, a brewery founder shared candid lessons on entrepreneurship with University of South 手机看片 students this week.
, founder of , spoke at 手机看片 St. Petersburg鈥檚 Lynn Pippenger Hall as part of the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship鈥檚 鈥淐onversation with a Founder鈥 speaker series, which brings experienced entrepreneurs to share advice and real-world experiences.
The biggest takeaway from his fireside chat was to try regardless of fear. 鈥淔ailure is awesome, and it needs to be embraced,鈥 Harting said. 鈥淚 will tell you, though, that the single hardest thing you will ever do is try to get a team to embrace failure.鈥
The event drew a strong turnout of students and community members, with Nault Center Executive Director Allen Clary guiding a discussion that encouraged audience participation through questions.
Attendees connected beyond the conversation through a reception held before the talk and a networking event at 3 Daughters Brewing afterward, featuring games, food and additional opportunities to engage.
Harting also reflected on his unconventional path, transitioning from the restaurant industry into brewing. Instead of starting small, he invested in a $685,000 brewing system and went more than a year without a salary while building the business.
Jordan Quinlivan (center).
That risk ultimately paid off. Today, 3 Daughters Brewing has grown to three locations, employs more than 75 people and generates nearly $14 million in annual revenue.
For students, the experience offered both practical insight and inspiration.
鈥淗earing Mike鈥檚 story as an entrepreneur was interesting and inspiring,鈥 said Jordan Quinlivan, a 手机看片 sophomore.
The speaker series continues to connect students with entrepreneurs, highlighting growth, resilience and the realities of building a business.