Toby Smallpiece: Craft Beer, Water Dowsing, And Small Steps To Greatness

Toby Smallpiece and Mark Berry didn't intend to start Gun Brewery, but the path they were walking down led them that way.

Having sold his internet marketing company in London, Toby ended up buying a farm in Sussex and, always the businessman, was looking for ways to make it sustainable. He turned it organic, set up holiday lets, glamping, camping and turned it into a wedding venue.

But when a water diviner found a source of fresh water to supply the farm and the holiday lets (and also to inspire his wife to create beauty products), he and Mark had an idea. They were both keen home brewers, and now they found themselves with space, time, and resources. So they kind of talked each other into it.

 And once the ball started rolling, everything seemed to fall into place. They met a brewer who came on board to run things properly, they stumbled upon a graphic designer who came up with their logo, which was based on the old Hobo hieroglyphs from the great depression in America. They had no reason not to.

Neither Mark nor Toby ever intended to start Gun Brewery, but it's where they ended up. Sometimes you don't need a goal, but opportunity, interest and enthusiasm will show you the way to go. And when everything just seems to fall into place, why not just go with it?

I chatted with Toby about how it all happened, and you can hear our conversation here: