Managing director, beverage industry
"The managing director of the brewery is required to have a genuine interest in the brewery industry. In addition, you need to have an open and cheery personality, because in this work you need to do a lot of things that can only be learned by doing - and often the hard way."
- Anne Silmälä
- Works as managing director at OlutMylly Oy.
- Graduated as a Bachelor of Hospitality Management from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in European tourism at Lincoln University.
- Eight years of work experience in the field.
Briefly explain what you do for a living.
I work as managing director at Panimo Olutmylly, which manufactures beers. We have a family business where my husband is responsible for brewing beers, and I do almost everything else. My tasks include sales, marketing, financial management and inventory management. We also organise brewery tours and tastings for groups, as well as provide meeting facilities for guests. I am responsible for receiving and guiding the groups, serving alcoholic beverages and cleaning the meeting facilities after the events. I am also responsible for product logistics, i.e. I transport orders directly to customers. Especially in summer, we sell beers at various events.
How have you ended up in the profession of your choice?
After my maternity leave, I started as an entrepreneur at the Mustiala Manor. My husband and I decided to rent the brewery near the manor. Then, we started learning how to brew beer.
Describe your typical working day or week.
At the beginning of the day, I check the email, phone and calendar. If we have a beer delivery day, I will make the referrals and plan the route to the destination. After that, we pack the beers and I will take them to the customer. The days vary greatly, as there may be meetings with educational institutions, canning of beers, selling at summer events or, for example, working on reports on the computer.
What kind of work environment or working hours do you have?
If I am not at the brewery, I am driving around Finland, am at events or working remotely at home.
Working hours are difficult to specify, as they vary daily and weekly. Mostly, days are long, but on the other hand, entrepreneurs have the freedom to do things in the way they want and at their own pace. You can't really take a holiday in the summer.
What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession?
The managing director of the brewery is required to have a genuine interest in the brewery industry. In addition, you need to have an open and cheery personality, because in this work you need to do a lot of things that can only be learned by doing - and often the hard way.
What is the best thing about your profession?
The best part is that I have been able to create a job that suits me. The brewery industry is a world of its own, and I like the people working in it. We have a good network.
What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging?
In this sector, it is not easy to make the company profitable, so sometimes the financial situation of the brewery causes stress. I wish I could afford to hire an employee! I also don’t like cleaning, and drives on dark winter days often feel long.
What would you tell a person considering the profession of a managing director?
If you are considering entrepreneurship in the brewery sector, you should contact the operators in the sector and ask for tips. Many start-up entrepreneurs have visited us, and we are happy to continue to help.
How do you see the future of your profession?
We will see what the future holds, as at the moment costs are rising and there are sometimes problems with the availability of ingredients. Then again, there are many people in Finland who like to drink something else than ordinary beer.